Staying Faithful in College: Three Things to Consider
by Forest Antemesaris Sometimes, the combination of freedom and stress can lead to a lackluster faith. With less accountability and more deadlines, it can become easy to forget about God, worship, and Jesus’ call to live a holy life. College is supposed to be fun, and challenging, but it’s not worth turning your back on…
Read MoreThe Rise of Catholicism
by Julius C. Nwankwo Unmasking Sophistry, vol. 1, no. 2, July-September 2021 The history of God’s people in the Old Testament is a history of faithfulness, apostasy, and restoration. This is also true of the church. Next to a study of the Bible, church history is the most valuable study for a Christian. In this…
Read MoreSuppose I Was Born a Muslim
by Osamagbe Lesley Egharevba Unmasking Sophistry, vol. 1, no. 2, July-September 2021 Introduction Several times during our evangelistic trips as gospel preachers, while moving from house to house in an effort to fulfill the Great Commission – a method known by some as “door-knocking” or “door-to-door,” we have approached people with a view to introducing…
Read MoreFirearms and Teaching Children
by Matthew W. Bassford In 2010 and 2011, I became the father of two extremely inquisitive children. In 2019, I also became the owner of a firearm. Naturally, I gave some thought to how these two areas of my life should interact. Should I keep my gun locked away from my kids and forbid them…
Read MoreNecessary Inference
by Mike Johnson Three forms of Bible authority govern us today. These are direct command or statement, approved examples, and necessary inference or conclusion. Most are willing to accept direct commands or statements as forms of Bible authority. Some may question the concept of approved examples, and a growing number challenge the use of necessary…
Read MoreCan’t Christians meet on other days of the week?
Question: In regards to “Can I attend an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship instead of a church while at college?” My first question is on “One departure from the Lord’s church that you mention is that they have services on Tuesdays, but the church meets on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1).”…
Read MoreI benefited greatly from the lessons about the collection for the saints
Question: I benefited greatly from the lessons about the collection for the saints (I Corinthians16:1-2). This has helped me prepare for Sunday school teaching! Thanks, Jeffrey. Answer: I’m glad they were useful to you in your studies.
Read MoreThank you for all the questions that you work diligently to answer
Question: Jeffrey, I just wanted to send an email to you to thank you for all the questions that you work diligently to answer. Thank you so much for working with me and all others that are dealing with different issues relating to their spiritual growth. Thanks for taking the time to spread the truth…
Read MoreWhy are singular pronouns and plural pronouns used in reference to God?
Question: Blessed day. In my discussion with the Unitarian Church, I used Genesis 1:26 to prove that God is not only one person. They ask me if God in Genesis 1:26 is in the plural form then why is it, in Genesis 1:27, there is only one God who created man? They used the verb…
Read MoreCan I attend an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship instead of a church while at college?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, Hope you are well. I have been a Christian for 12 years now. I am going to college this fall. I’m very excited. The college I am going to, while not a Christian college per se, has a very active Varsity Christian Fellowship complete with its own full-time pastor, full-time staff, and…
Read MoreAdvice to Young Men
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Advice-to-Young-Men.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Titus 2:6-8 I. In the Seattle Weekly, August 21, 2002, Philip Dawdy wrote an article titled “What Little Boys Are Made Of” A. The thrust of the article is that school systems are biased against the way boys generally behave. 85% of the students in the “emotionally and behaviorally disturbed”…
Read MoreForgiveness Is Unfair
by Ken Green “Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, “’ do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times’ ” (Matthew 18:21–22, ESV). Before we can take forgiveness seriously, we…
Read MoreHow do I deal with the fear that my dad may never change?
Question: Hello Bro. Hamilton, I just need some clarification about a situation. My parents are not members of the church of Christ, but I am. We went off and on when I was growing up but stopped because my dad didn’t take us anymore. However, we went back, and I was baptized when I was…
Read MoreDo virtual assemblies count?
Question: Hello, brother in Christ, I hope you are doing well. My question comes from Hebrew 10:25. Now I fully understand what assembling together means, but there seem to be those who say that assembling can be of anything and anywhere. So, does “virtual assembling” count as assembling as described in the Bible? For example: when the…
Read MoreThe Pillars of the Temple
by Jefferson David Tant In giving Solomon instructions for building the temple, God gave a somewhat unusual command concerning two pillars at the entrance. “And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the left…
Read MoreDo I need to confess my every lust to my spouse?
Question: Hello, I first wanted to say thank you for posting these articles and questions/answers. They are very encouraging and I am thankful for your commitment to scripture. I am a baptized Christian man in my mid-20s. My wife (also a baptized Christian) and I have been married for several years now. I did not…
Read MoreThe Godhead Dwells in Us
by Whit Sasser God Dwells in Christians II Corinthians 6:16 Ephesians 4:6 Philippians 2:13 I John 4:12-16 Christians Dwell in God I John 4:15-16 Christ Dwells in Christians Colossians 3:11 John 6:56 John 15:4-5 John 17:23, 26 Galatians 2:20 Galatians 4:19 II Corinthians 4:10-11 II Corinthians 13:5 Ephesians 3:17 Romans 8:20 Philippians 1:20 Christians Dwell…
Read MoreI don’t think I should get the vaccine
Question: Hi Mr. Jeff, Good day to you and everyone in the church. My spirit is deeply troubled. I want to get some advice. I have this strong conviction in my heart and conscience not to take the vaccine. It is not because of thoughts that it’s the mark of the beast or fear of its…
Read MoreBaptized into Christ
by Terry Wane Benton Image by Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, said that the Israelites were “baptized into Moses” when they were crossing the Red Sea while fleeing Pharaoh and his armies. They were immersed under a cloud of water and with the walls of water on each side (I…
Read MoreDid Solomon miss out on heaven?
Question: Jeffrey, Another question that I realize we probably can’t really answer. However, since I’ve been curious about it for some time, I thought I’d ask anyway. In the Old Testament, we read of Solomon letting his wives turn his heart from God. “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives…
Read MoreI wonder if I falsely remember being baptized
Question: Some say it is absolutely wrong to be baptized more than once and to not do it. Some say it is an outward sign to others, and one can be baptized more than once for various reasons. I have even read that water baptism is not necessary for salvation, which I can agree to a point.…
Read MoreNot Too Young
Author Unknown Recent research has revealed what teenagers truly desire from the adults in their lives. The Search Institute study found that teens want parents and other older influencers to do the following: Look at us. Spend time talking with us. Listen. Be dependable. Show appreciation for what we do. Relax. Show that you’re interested.…
Read MoreExtremes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Extremes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 7:11-22 I. In March, 2000, Mona Charen wrote an article that appeared in the Omaha World Herald under the title “Nation With No Sin” A. In it she made the point that while the nation for the most part believes in God and believes religion is important, at the…
Read MoreWhere does the Bible suggest swearing is a sin?
Question: Where does the Bible suggest swearing is a sin? And how does it define what words or type of words are to be considered sinful to say? We all understand that taking God’s name in vain is a sin. We are told this in the Bible directly. But I have never seen nor heard…
Read MoreWe need more teaching that elders must have more than one child
Question: Your article, “Must elders have more than one child?”, was very well written and researched. We need more of this to support the correct teaching. I was just recently visiting a congregation in which the preacher was also an elder but with only one child. I was very disappointed to find this out about…
Read MoreHow many streets are in Revelation 21:21?
Question: In Revelations 21:21, is it correctly written as “street” or “streets” as other translations say? Is it more than one? Thanks Answer: The phrasing in Greek is for a single street.
Read MoreSafe Sins
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Safe-Sins.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 6:9-11 I. The lengths people will go to justify their sins is sometimes amazing A. It is a rare person who will say that something they are doing is a sin and that it shouldn’t be done. B. More common is to dress up the sin so that at…
Read MoreWhere does the Old Testament say that the Messiah would die and rise from the dead?
Question: Hello, I have several questions that I have struggled with for years. Can you tell me where in the Old Testament it says that the Messiah will die and rise from the dead? Where does it say in the Old Testament that the Messiah will be worshiped as God? If human sacrifice was forbidden…
Read MoreShould Christians use the bankruptcy laws?
Question: Should a Christian use all the legal loopholes in or laws to avoid paying our debts? I personally think the bible teaches us to be honest, and when you use these laws to protect your assets you are cheating those you owe, or in some cases, you use them to not pay for your…
Read MoreThank you for the article on Once Saved, Always Saved
Question: Dear sir, Greetings. I came across “Is “Once Saved — Always Saved” a Bible Doctrine?” through a friend. Thank you a lot for this teaching. It has helped me a lot. Now I know better. Thank you. Answer: I’m glad the article helped you in your studies.
Read MoreWhat is the difference between seeing the kingdom and entering the kingdom?
Question: In John 3:3-5 Jesus first answered Nicodemus by saying no one could not see the kingdom unless being born in John 3:4. In John 3:5 Jesus said one could not enter the kingdom unless being born again. I understand what “enter the kingdom” means. I do not understand what “see the kingdom” means. How…
Read MoreCould you explain what was meant in “Can We Judge?”
Question: Good day, “We have a saying that we should not judge a book by its cover. We cannot judge a man’s heart or his motives unless by some means that is revealed. But we can judge sinful behavior.” This is an extract from one of your lessons. I’m not sure I understand. Can you…
Read MoreThank you for the article “Overcoming Bitterness”
Question: Good Morning Sir, I read the article by Lawrence Kelley on Overcoming Bitterness and I read the 3 points on identifying the characteristics of bitterness to our Wednesday Night Bible study class. Our minister was so touched by this that he wants to post a copy on our bulletin board and website because he…
Read MoreAm I being used by this man?
Question: I really have a feeling what all your answers are going to be. I just need to know if there is any hope for the relationship I am in. We met at work and I ended up having to spend part of the day being his monitor. So we really got to spend some…
Read MoreHow do I deal with fears of suffering before I die?
Question: I’m afraid of the amount of suffering I might have to go through when I die one day. I wish God would let me die in my sleep so I don’t have to be sick with something like cancer. I have depression over my fears. How do I deal with this? Answer: “So do…
Read MoreThe Wise Teacher Guards His Tongue
by Jefferson David Tant “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27). Those who preach and teach are people of words. That’s obvious, as that’s how we proclaim the message. But how we use our tongue can have a great influence on…
Read MoreWould the Israelites who died in the wilderness not enter Heaven?
Question: Jeffrey, When studying in Hebrews the other night, I was noticing the reference to Psalms 95. Where it states: “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me, they tried Me though they had seen my work. For forty years I…
Read MoreWhy was a cross chosen for Christ to die on?
Question: Why was a cross chosen for Christ to die on? Answer: Jesus stated, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me” (John 8:28). Jesus not only predicted his…
Read MoreThere They Crucified Him
by Wayne Greeson Mere days before the crowds had thronged into the narrow streets of Jerusalem to catch a glimpse of Him and shout his praises. But almost overnight the joyful cries of “Blessed is the King” had turned into screams of “Crucify Him.” He was arrested, abandoned by his disciples and friends, falsely accused…
Read MoreThe church started meeting in the Temple and the Temple had instrumental music
Question: Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are used out of context. Neither verse is dealing with worship services. The context of Ephesians 5:19 goes back to Ephesians 4:1. It’s about your life as a believer. The same with Colossians 3. When the Israelites were baptized in Acts 2, they went to the Temple daily. The…
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