How 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),…
Read MoreShould I admit I lied about the number of days I completed in a class?
Question: Hello! Thank you all for your help through the questions and answers. Last year, I was homeschooled and I made the mistake of not completing the minimum number of days required for the class. They should have reported it, but the lady who was given the days (which I lied about on the sheet)…
Read MoreI suffer from mental illness. Was my baptism legitimate?
Question: Much love to the Brethren at La Vista and to you brother. You heard from me a few years ago. My situation is much better than before, but I still have struggles and questions. I suffer from Autism, SchizoAffective, and BiPolar Type 2. Recently, I was rebaptized as I felt like it was needed…
Read MorePremillennialism Examined
by Jefferson David Tant One of the popular doctrines among some denominations is the idea that Christ came to the earth with the view of establishing a kingdom on the earth. But this was prevented when Satan caused Christ to be crucified, thus thwarting God’s plan. The church was then set up as a temporary…
Read MoreTell Me What To Do, Lord
(But Do Not Expect Me To Do It) by Carey Scott “Who say, Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; and let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come to pass, that we may know it!” (Isaiah 5:19). There are several observations that…
Read MoreWhose Job Is It to Help Wash?
by Jefferson David Tant And just what job am I writing about? Washing cars? Washing dishes? No, I”m writing about something infinitely more important than earthly tasks. I”m writing about “washing souls.” Paul wrote in Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men …” We are aware that “Christ…
Read MoreConsider the Source (Hardin)
by Jason Hardin In God’s Image Ezekiel 13 documents a fundamental problem that plagued people thousands of years ago and continues to be a dangerous pitfall. “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’” (Ezekiel…
Read MoreWas it sinful to allow a guy to touch me?
Question: I am a straight guy (unmarried). When I was traveling on a bus at night, while sleeping, an old man sitting near me touched my genitals. I didn’t react to it. I pretended to be asleep. It was pleasurable to me so I didn’t react. Did I commit a sin? Answer: What if we…
Read MoreEleven Days Old
by Jefferson David Tant (Note: While going through some old documents, I came across this article which was written in 1990. It’s a bit nostalgic, but there are some good points worth considering even today.) It was my turn to babysit while the others were busy. As long as I sang to him while we…
Read MoreMy King
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/My-King.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWhy do some people think Christianity is a problem?
Question: Why do people think that the concept of religion and God is a problem? I understand that many evil examples by apparently religious persons have turned people away. Still, I don’t fully understand why they think it’s something that needs to be eliminated. Answer: “He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he…
Read MoreThe Characteristics of Acceptable Prayer
by Jeff Wolverton Sentry Magazine, September 2002 Acceptable prayer must be preceded by faithful, righteous living. Many Christians live spiritually indolent, impure lives, and expect the mouthing of a few words of prayer from time to time to make all things right between them and their Creator. Needless to say, they pray in vain. If…
Read MoreMaintaining the Same Love
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Maintaining-the-Same-Love.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWould you marry a couple who are committing fornication?
Question: My question is: If you end up counseling someone you are considering to perform their wedding and you find out they are currently living together, what do you do? I know you will discuss that with them from the Bible no doubt. But what do you do if they do not get that right…
Read MoreSmile a While
by Jefferson David Tant Among the many things Jamaica is known for are the many little song ditties. In working there for over 30 years, my wife and I have come to learn and enjoy them. One that we enjoy and that is often sung after the closing prayer of a church service is “Smile…
Read MoreHow do you submit to a corrupt government?
Question: Hello, I appreciate your Biblically sound responses. As I observe the turmoil our nation is experiencing right now my thoughts are continually on the following topics: submitting to government authority even though we may not like what is happening with all the corruption and dishonesty because God has established governments for a reason and…
Read MoreIs it right to have a board represent all the churches in a country?
Question: Hi Jeff, How do you keep the government from being involved in the affairs of the church in the United States? Over here in Nigeria, the government directed that all churches be registered with a name in other for them to monitor the number of churches in the country. Each church must have a…
Read MoreThe Bible in English
by Jefferson David Tant One of the great blessings we have is that we have the Bible, God’s Word, in the language of the common people — English. And we are thankful for those who provided this for us at a high cost. The story behind the translation is an interesting story. The very first…
Read MorePilate’s Revenge
by Jefferson David Tant The Biblical narrative telling the relationship between Christ and Pilate is interesting, and there may be some details that may escape the casual reader’s attention. So let’s take a few moments to dig deeper into the story. One question arises as to why the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate’s court. For…
Read MoreI can’t believe you waste time discussing imagination
Question: I cannot believe that you would waste so much time discussing total bonker imaginings. The fact that none of the persons who wrote about Jesus personally knew him seems to escape your grey cells. They lived three hundred years after he died!! You know nothing of what the leaders of the Sanhedrin said! How could you? You…
Read MoreDoes Acts 2:39 teach infant baptism?
Question: Good morning sir, Please, I need your help in explaining Acts 2:39 because someone I am discussing it with is trying to use that passage as a backup for infant baptism. He said that Acts 2:38-39, according to the Greek translation, means babies should be baptized according to their parents’ faith. Answer: Let’s first…
Read MoreThe Only Eternal Kingdom
by Doy Moyer There is only one kingdom that is eternal. Only one that stretches across time, physical boundaries, nations, tongues, and earthly rulers. Only one that is not dependent in any way upon kingdoms of the world. Only one that does not advance through the shedding of blood or carnal warfare. Nor is its…
Read MoreSuppression of Truth
by Terry Wane Benton Pilate presents Jesus, saying Behold your king John 19:14-15 The whole effort by the leaders of the Jews and Romans against Jesus was to turn the tide of public opinion against Jesus. They staged His trials and execution on the cross to humiliate Him and end His influence upon the people.…
Read MoreTipping Point
by Wilson Adams What is the tipping point of the bowl of God’s wrath? I don’t know, but I know there is one. Sodom and Gomorrah had one. So did the immoral nations. So did His own people. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach…” (Proverbs 14:34). So, what is our hope? It’s…
Read MoreMabel’s Story
by Tom Schmidt (abridged) The state-run convalescent home is not a pleasant place. It is large, understaffed, and overfilled with senile, helpless, and lonely people who are waiting to die. On the brightest days, it seems dark inside and smells of sickness and stale urine. I went there once or twice a week for four…
Read MoreLessons from Illness
by Jefferson David Tant Some years ago, while recuperating from two emergency room admissions and two subsequent surgeries, there was been plenty of time to think and reflect on some lessons that such experiences can teach us. Lesson #1 – Life Is Uncertain We all have plans for great things we are going to do…
Read MoreOrigins of Denominations
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Over the years, I’ve done lessons on various issues that caused the rise of the denominations we see today. Rather than leaving them scattered, I’m gathering them on a single page so they’re easier to find. Where Did They All Come From? (Overview) Corruption in Church Organization The Apostles’ Creed Infant…
Read MoreHold to God’s Unchanging Hand
by Jefferson David Tant In many of our songbooks, there is a song by the title of this article, and the words were written by Jennie Wilson. The song’s first stanza says, Time is filled with swift transition Naught of earth unmoved can stand Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.…
Read MoreWhat did Demas love?
Question: I was doing some digging about Demas. Demas left Paul because he loved the world. We aren’t supposed to love the world. It’s never said if Demas ever got back in a right relationship with the Lord, but if he died in the state of loving the world, then he died lost. Upon further research,…
Read MoreHow can we use our talents when we are limited in abilities?
Question: What are the talents in a Christian’s life today? How can we multiply them to be good and faithful servants of our Lord Jesus? If we are limited to a good degree by our health, how can we be careful to not become like the servant who had one talent and didn’t use it?…
Read MoreHas the first day of the week ever changed?
Question: Dear brother, Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Could you please clarify whether the current days are real from the beginning? Being Christians, we worship on the first day of the week. How do we know whether this is the same day of Jesus’ resurrection? As several times calendars have changed in…
Read MoreCan “eternal” refer to quality and not quantity?
Question: A conditionalist says “eternal” doesn’t always mean duration, that it can refer to quality. He uses the eternal fire of Jude 7 to support his position since the fire isn’t still burning now. Answer: “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a…
Read MoreSince Jesus paid the debt for sin, isn’t Hell an additional payment?
Question: I have been posed a question by a conditionalist. He says: The wages of sin is death. Did Jesus pay the price at the cross? Can we pay more than He paid at the cross? He then goes on to say that eternal hell would be paying more than Jesus paid and that since Jesus didn’t stay…
Read MorePlurality of Elders
by J. W. McGarvey Sentry Magazine, September 2002 There is no proposition in reference to the organization of the primitive churches upon which scholars and critics are more perfectly agreed than that every fully organized church had a plurality of Elders. So nearly universal is this agreement that a man betrays an ill-balanced judgment or…
Read MoreA Father’s Gift
by Jefferson David Tant Fathers are often clueless about gift-giving for their children. That’s Mom’s job. But when we think of gifts, we usually think of material gifts—toys for toddlers, clothes, games, and sports equipment for teens. Or maybe the ultimate gift for a teen—a car! Many who are reading these words are prosperous by…
Read MoreWhat Justice Requires
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/What-Justice-Requires.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Micah 6:6-8 I. The concept of justice is rarely applied evenly. A. Justice is the quality of being right or proper. It carries the idea of fair and equal treatment. There is no favoritism with justice. People get what they deserve. B. People want justice when they have been wronged. But…
Read MoreWeak in Faith vs. Weak in the Faith
by Fanning Yeater Tant Gospel Guardian, 24 September 1970 To be weak in faith is not the same as to be weak in the faith. There are two kinds of “weakness” involved, and they are to receive different treatment from those who are stable in Christ. The first kind of weakness is that which afflicted…
Read MoreLet It Go
by Jefferson David Tant A popular song is “Let It Go,” from the movie “Frozen.” The title reminds me of a Biblical principle. As humans, we tend to want to hold on to things—possessions, relationships, anger, bitterness, ill feelings. Of course, some “possessions” are proper, but others are harmful and destructive. In summer sometimes children…
Read MoreGod Is NOT the Author of Confusion
by Jefferson David Tant To authenticate the title, consider its source. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 14:33: “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” There are two significant points made. God is not the author of the confusion in the churches claiming to…
Read MoreCould any believer cast out demons?
Question: Could believers who had been baptized cast out demons as well or just the apostles? Answer: “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt…
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