What should an elder do if no other elders left in the congregation?
Question: If you have three elders in the church and two elders resigned, what is the function of the elder who is left? He still has a continuing desire to shepherd the flock and the rest of the congregation has no grievance with him. Answer: A man can preach without holding the title and duties…
Read MoreI can’t shake my guilt for sending money to a woman who has a drug problem
Question: Hello, I recently reviewed a helpful Q&A on your website found here: How long does it take for God to forgive? It made me want to ask about my own issue. I’ve been feeling guilty for the past few months and have lost faith in myself. The guilt makes it harder for me to concentrate…
Read MorePut Forth the Effort (Campbell)
by Bart Campbell Sentry Magazine, June 2000 Thomas Edison has been considered by some to be the “King of Inventors.” He once made this statement. “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Edison was responsible for the inventions of the incandescent lightbulb, the gramophone, and moving pictures. But Thomas Edison claimed that his achievements were…
Read MoreIs it wrong to read a prayer in worship services?
Question: Is it wrong to read a prayer in worship services? Answer: “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (I Timothy 4:13). Many of the passages of the Bible are prayers, such as Jesus’ prayer (John 17), Hannah’s prayer (I Samuel 2), Solomon’s prayer (I Kings 8:22ff),…
Read MoreThe Elephant in the Room (Tant)
by Jefferson David Tant People use many devices to mitigate or cancel out plain Bible teaching. This ancient practice can be traced to the Old Testament. Seven hundred years before Christ, Isaiah was dealing with a rebellious people. God told him: “Now go, write it on a tablet before them And inscribe it on a…
Read MoreChristianity, Marxism, and Social Justice
by Wilson Adams Marxism is an atheistic and materialistic ideology -nothing exists beyond what we see. Christianity, by contrast, holds to an ultimate and infinite Power (God) – our Creator and Redeemer. CIRCA 1865: Karl Marx (1818-1883), philosopher and German politician. (Photo by Roger Viollet Collection/Getty Images) Marxism says there’s no such thing as a…
Read MoreDoes Isaiah 54:17 apply to us today?
Question: Does Isaiah 54:17 apply to us today? I hear people use it a lot. Thanks. Answer: “‘In righteousness you will be established; you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near you. If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.…
Read MoreIs Isaiah 53:5 speaking of physical or spiritual healing?
Question: Is Isaiah 53:5 speaking of physical or spiritual healing? Answer: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,…
Read MoreJacob Blesses His Sons
Some thoughts on Genesis 49 by Jefferson David Tant Prophecy and its fulfillment present some of the strongest evidence of the inspiration of the Scriptures. This presents a strong challenge to those who seek to deny that the Bible is of Divine origin. The apostles also recognized the significance of prophecy, as so often they…
Read MoreSubjective or Objective?
by Kenneth Frazier Sentry Magazine, June 2000 The two terms, “subjective and objective,” are defined by the dictionary as follows: Subjective: Relating to the subject of mental states, the ego; proceeding from or taking place within the thinking subject: opposed to objective. Objective: Having independent existence or authority, apart from experience or thought. Under the…
Read MoreLearning Life’s Lessons
by Norman Harber “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no…
Read MoreThe Weapon of Fear
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Weapon-of-Fear.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 49 I. Have you ever wondered why cowardice is the first sin list in Revelation 21:8? A. Being afraid is such a common thing that it seems it would be a minor concern B. But a major weapon in Satan’s arsenal is fear II. Fear of the wrong thing can lead…
Read MoreNot Served by Human Hands
by Whit Sasser The Bible says in Acts 17:25, “nor is he (God) served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” The one, true, living God is not served by hands as the idol priests had to do — providing upkeep and…
Read MoreLord’s Supper
How the Lord’s Supper Should be Done (I Corinthians 11:23-26) Paul mentions again his inspiration. The source of his teachings come directly from Jesus (Galatians 1:11-12). Thus the memorial feast was never the idea of men wanting to commemorate the death of their Savior. This was the command of the Lord to his followers. The importance…
Read MoreHow do we know for sure that the mentally disabled don’t need to be baptized?
Question: Hello, I have a question. How do we know for sure that the mentally disabled don’t need to be baptized? Nowhere in the Bible does it talk about them being baptized nor not being. A lot of people use the Scriptures and of the disciples not letting the children come to see him, and…
Read MoreThe Rest of Stephen’s Sermon
by Matthew W. Bassford Acts 7:2-53 contains the longest sermon in the New Testament by anybody but Jesus. The speaker is Stephen, on trial for his life before the Sanhedrin, and he is accused of a number of crimes. According to Acts 6:11-13, he is accused of blaspheming God and Moses, speaking against the temple…
Read MoreJesus was nothing more than a good Jewish man
Question: Note: I basically left this note as it was received. Incidentally, before I delete your nonsense comments of alleged religious significance. I don’t understand why you call the Jewish Essene Rabbi Yehoshua, (who lived over 2000 years ago) Jesus and/or Christ. Also, Yehoshua ate Kosher and you eat pork. Yehoshua did not eat meat…
Read MoreWhat is successionist baptism?
Question: Hello brother, I had a question about John Smith. Can you please explain to me what successionist baptism is? I saw it in your “Where Do They All Come From” sermon, and I just didn’t understand very well what this baptism is about. Answer: Successionism is the belief that there has to be an…
Read MoreDid the woman win a soul to Christ by getting a commitment in exchange for sex?
Question: A guy proposed love to a lady and the lady accepted but she said no sex unless the guy became a Christian. The guy also said if only the lady allowed him sex he will give his life to Christ. The lady gave him a chance to have his way with her from that…
Read MoreWhat is sensuality?
Question: Hello, I’m trying to find all the information I can on sensuality, but am coming up short on it, I get that it’s the gratification of the flesh’s desires but how does one repent of that, I’m not in any sexual immorality, I don’t eat too much, what else could I be missing? Answer:…
Read MoreThank you for providing an enormous amount of information
Question: Thank you for providing an enormous amount of information regarding Bible studies, questions, articles, etc. For many years I have been a study helper and teacher, and I have frequently visited your website and received a gold mine of resources that helped in answering students’ questions. Your work continues to be a blessing to…
Read MoreIf sin is breaking the law, can someone sin against me?
Question: Good day, I know that sin is breaking God’s law (I John 3:4) my question is, can someone sin against me? How am I to forgive someone? Answer: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day,…
Read MoreDoes impotency mean a person is not really married?
Question: I have been noticing that La Vista Church of Christ is one of the few congregations that tackle this sensitive issue. My question is in the case of the unconsummated marriage, does this indicate a de facto crisis within the marriage or is the marriage act incidental, solely the business of the husband and…
Read MoreHow can I go to church when I have a schizoaffective disorder?
Question: I found your website recently and have been uplifted by your responses to the questions under the mental health topic. So I decided to ask you one too. I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. I’ve had severe symptoms for over ten years, starting at the age of 40. At the time that I…
Read MoreWhy Is Sex Outside of Marriage Wrong?
by Perry Hall “I’ve been told sex outside of marriage is wrong. Why?” That is a question I got asked recently. “God said so” is one answer, but not as meaningful as others. Why did God say so? Is there a “why” behind the “what”? Surprisingly, two answers are different for believers than for unbelievers.…
Read MoreThe Silence of the Scriptures and Why We Sing
by Edward Pratte In the New Testament, some things are required and some things are prohibited. Everything else falls into the realm of the things which are permitted. As one focuses more closely on the things that are permitted, the silence of the Scriptures soon becomes a major concern. What about the silence of the…
Read MorePropaganda Wars – Controlling the Narrative
by Terry Wane Benton There was the truth that Jesus was, in fact, raised from the dead, and then there were the opposition forces who needed to keep the nation from converting to Jesus. They wanted to stay in control of the crowds and keep their wealthy pockets padded. To lose control to Jesus would mean that…
Read MoreThe Difference Between a Man and a Dog
by Jeffery Kingry Sentry Magazine, June 2000 Mark Twain once quipped, “If you find a shivering, starving dog, take him home to your hearth and make him prosperous, he will not bite you if you attempt to pick him up. This is the main difference between a man and a dog. ” Photo by Jordan Koons…
Read MoreThe Deity of Christ
by Charles N. Spence, Jr. Sentry Magazine, June 2000 One of the principal points of the Christian doctrine is the deity of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was just an ordinary man, though perfect he may be, his death could never benefit the entire race of sinful man. Some faiths actually believe and teach that Jesus…
Read MoreCan We Judge?
by Jefferson David Tant One of the most well-known and most abused passages in the entire Bible is Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” So many times, if any criticism is offered concerning any religious practice that does not measure up to what the Bible says, the retort comes,…
Read MoreWhy do people feel God needs to tell them everything?
Question: Growing up in a Christian household my father was a preacher and my mother a Sunday school teacher, so they wasted no time at all getting me baptized. As such, I tend to have more Bible knowledge than my peers. Occasionally I would get asked questions that I myself don’t have the answers to…
Read MoreDespite my repeated baptisms, I’m still committing fornication
Question: I went through a rough childhood. I was molested and all that. I was baptized one Sunday in a church when I was 11 because the pastor said that’s the only way I could take part. But afterward, she said my sibling and I are holding the church back, so we stop going to…
Read MoreIs there a proper way for Christians to have sex?
Question: Is there a proper way for Christians to have sex? Answer: The proper place for sex is within a marriage. “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). The proper ways to have sex are those…
Read MoreWhy are there hostilities between the straight, alt, and LGBTQ communities?
Question: Maybe you’ve heard, maybe you haven’t, but in somewhat recent news, the “alt” community (which is a community of emo, gothic, and other similar groups) and the LGBTQ (a group that represents what the letters stand for, but also peace, love, and tranquility) have become somewhat hostile toward Christians. One example of hostility was…
Read MoreThoughts About True Freedom
by R.L. Whiteside (1869-1951) “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). People who long for freedom usually know little of what it is nor do…
Read MoreGod’s Distribution Plan
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Gods-Distribution-Plan.mp3 Text: I Corinthians 1:18-31 I. God promised a kingdom that would never fall A. Daniel 7:13-14 – One that would never be destroyed B. Not so with human kingdoms 1. Every empire of the past has collapsed at some point 2. It has been noted that democracies tend not to last more than 200 years or so 3. People…
Read MoreRetaliation
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Retaliation.mp3 Text: Romans 12:17-21 I. When someone strikes you, what is the first impulse? A. Why, to strike back B. It has been with us since childhood. “I’ll get even!” 1. Therein is the core. We want to strike back because we feel justice has not be carried out C. But I’ve noticed that it is never an equal…
Read MoreFaith Is Active
by Floyd Chappelear Sentry Magazine, June 2000 “Faith is always active,” the speaker declared. “It is never passive, but always indicates a spirit of obedience,” he quickly added. He is not the only preacher I have heard who has said such a thing, nor will he be the last. There is something in the concept that…
Read MoreLord Send Me
by Dixie Bowman Sentry Magazine, September 2002 The Scriptures abound with acts of kindness, humility, and love. As always, Jesus is our best example. When He washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-17), it first appears as an act of kindness, which, although kind, was intended as a lesson on humility and servitude. “For I have…
Read MoreHow can trials be counted as joy?
Question: I struggle with the idea of being joyful during trials. I know James said, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4),…
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