Jesus’ Baptism
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus had no sins, and John was baptizing people who needed their sins washed away. When Jesus requested that John baptize Him, John “tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” Baptism is for sinners who want their sins remitted,…
Read MoreAttempts to Compensate for Damage Hides Marijuana Effects in the Short Term
Source: Alice G. Walton, “The Brain May Compensate For Heavy Pot Smoking — Until It Can’t Anymore,” Forbes, 11 Nov 2014. “The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that an area in the front of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is smaller in people who smoke three joints a day…
Read MoreAccumulative Marijuana use impacts short-term memory
Source: Christopher Ingraham, “What happens when you get stoned every single day for five years,” Washington Post, 1 Feb 2016. “If you smoke a lot of weed — like a lot of it — it can potentially do permanent damage to your short-term memory.” “The study found that people who smoked marijuana on a daily basis for…
Read MoreHow do I deal with a husband who wants a divorce just to be alone?
Question: I have a question. I have been with my husband for many years. We both believe in God, but he has not been wanting to pray with me lately. He also has been speaking about divorce. I don’t want one. I asked him why does he want a divorce and he said he just…
Read MoreIs Satan the source of all evil?
Question: Hey Mr. Jeffrey, Is every single evil ideology, false teaching and deceptive doctrine that is against God derived in some form or fashion from Satan? I noticed the Spirit says many will follow after the doctrine of demons in I Timothy 4. It got me thinking Answer: Since Satan is the one who originally…
Read MoreCan you get baptized if you are pregnant but planning to get married?
Question: Hello servant of God, I have a question which my friend has been asking to help and give her some advice: Can a woman get baptize when she’s in early pregnancy and not married yet, but they’re planning to get married? Answer: The physical consequence of sin isn’t what should be of concern. The…
Read MoreIs it wrong to obey even though you don’t really want to?
Question: Good day, I know everything we are to do for God and for our fellow man has to be done willingly and with love. Is it wrong to be obedient because you are growing in a command (forgiving) and do not really want to do it? Answer: What if I reverse your question? Is…
Read MoreBeulah Land
by Paul Springer What is Beulah land and should we sing about it? The word is used in Isaiah 62:4-5 (NKJV), “You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; nut you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your…
Read MoreDo the prophecies in Isaiah prove that the laws of uncleanness are still in effect?
Question: Hello, I’m a Christian part of the Lord’s body (the church of Christ) and I have a question about unclean meats. I’ve read your posts before about Acts and Romans on the Lord allowing all things that were unclean to be clean, and I’ve read that myself before and believed that interpretation for many…
Read MoreYou Must Be Born Again
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/08/You-Must-Be-Born-Again2.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 3:1-22 I. I had a fellow ask me if I had been born again. A. In particular, he wanted to know how I came to believe such a thing. B. When I replied with I John 2:3-6; 4:6; 5:2-3, he became quite upset C. He wanted to know how I was…
Read MoreIs it a sin not to give each Sunday?
Question: Since giving is an act of worship. Do we sin on the Sundays we do not give? For example, from my understanding, we are to give as we prosper, so if I only get paid twice a month, don’t I only give on the Sunday following when I got paid? I got paid on…
Read MoreBaptism Is Not My Work
by Edwin Crozier Today’s reading is John 9. by James Tissot Just like Jesus commands those who would be spiritually healed to be baptized, washed in water (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; I Peter 3:21), Jesus commanded the blind man to go wash in the…
Read MoreAre parts of our Bible missing?
Question: I’ve been discussing with a friend about his belief in God, Jesus, and the Bible. He believes in all three, but in regards to the Bible, he does not believe everything in it. He also believes that some parts of the Bible are missing, saying it’s in history that some parts of the Bible…
Read MoreHow We Know We Have All the Bible, with No Books Added and No Books Lost
by Willie Ramsey The Bible is God’s plan of salvation for mankind (John 17:17; 8:31-32; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 1:16). Its place in our lives is therefore eternally important. God warns us that no one is ever allowed to “add to” or to “take away” (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19), or in any way to “pervert” (i.e., “change” — Galatians 1:7-9), what…
Read MoreChurches of Christ Are Different
by Wayne S. Walker “… The churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16). Non-denominational, New Testament churches of Christ are different from other religious organizations. Even the very terms by which they identify themselves are different. It is clear that congregations of Christ’s followers in the first century were known as “churches of Christ.” Thus,…
Read MoreYour teachings are helpful!
Question: Wow, your teachings are helpful! Answer: Thank you, but all I am doing is helping to explain what God has already taught. I would not be able to come up with this knowledge on my own.
Read MoreHow do I talk to my wife about modesty?
Question: My wife struggles with modesty. I do my best to show and tell her that I support and love her regardless of her decisions, but it still makes me uncomfortable when she chooses to dress immodestly. It’s not that I don’t find her attractive, because she is. I feel uncomfortable because I believe that…
Read MoreIs it OK to turn another Christian into the police for stealing from you?
Question: Is it right for an elder to detain a sister in a police station because she collected the elder’s ID card and two mobile phones? Answer: Christians are required by God to stop stealing (Ephesians 4:28) and not make a practice of it. Our interactions regarding Christians and what to do about their sin…
Read MoreWhat does ‘the inner man’ refer to in scripture?
Question: II Corinthians 4:16 and some other scriptures refer to ‘the inner man’. What does ‘the inner man’ mean? Answer: Let us look at all the verses concerning the “inner man” to help shed some light on your question. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner…
Read MoreFreedom
by Doy Moyer “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (I Peter 2:16). Photo by ellehem on Unsplash If we really wish to honor freedom, then we will seek to live as servants of God. We cannot expect that God will…
Read MoreWill I be unhappy marrying a girl who is not a virgin?
Question: Dear Sir, I would like to ask a question about what I should do regarding my relationship. I am having difficulty deciding on a solution. Also, please consider our culture and community’s point of view. I have a girlfriend. We are both in our mid-twenties. We have been together for about a month. Before…
Read MoreDoes my anxiety mean I don’t have a relationship with Jesus?
Question: I have been diagnosed with clinical anxiety. I have been anxious all my life but recently it became extreme to the point of shaking and freezing. I am always asking the question “What if and what will thus be the result of it.” I am very involved in several activities at the Lord’s church…
Read MoreHow can I overcome the fear of death?
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, Is there a way to become unafraid of death? I have been terrified of dying since I was very young and sometimes it consumes my thoughts. I fear the concept of being put in a box in the ground unable to move, think, feel or talk to anyone for who knows…
Read MoreWere any saved without baptism in the Christian age?
Question: Was there anyone saved after the dispensation of Christ in the New Testament that was not baptized? Answer: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'” (John 14:6). Children are born without sin (Ecclesiastes 7:29) and are not held…
Read MoreI got caught up in fornication
Question: Hello, I read a certain response on fornication and God’s forgiveness to us Christians. I also got caught up in fornication. The only book I found myself reading is Jude, which condemns the ungodly act of taking the grace of God for granted. I feel so low in my spiritual status because I thought…
Read MoreWhat should be done about a minister who is committing adultery?
Question: Recently some in our congregation have found out that our married minister is committing adultery. This information was shared with certain brothers. They approached the minister, who vehemently denied it, but there is valid proof of this affair. The minister continues to preach and will be preaching at a church lectureship in a few…
Read MoreI don’t seem to be improving. What can I do?
Question: Hello, I’ve been a Christian for about twenty years now and am a member of the church of Christ. I would appreciate if you could answer some questions and help me with some issues I am having. I’ve been examining myself lately, and I realize that I am a lukewarm Christian, at best. A…
Read MoreThe Holiness Movement
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/The-Holiness-Movement.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: I Thessalonians 5:16-28 I. Pietism took off during the 1600’s with Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) A. Eventually a denomination form that was referred to as the Moravian church B. From here we skip ahead to the early 1700’s II. John Wesley (1703-1791) A. He was raised in the Church of England…
Read MoreWhat about people who play the victim card?
Question: Hi, I was wondering what the Bible has to say about those who play the victim card to deceive people. Answer: All lying is wrong, regardless of the motivation behind the lies (Proverbs 6:16-19; Revelation 21:8). Thus, to do something with the intent of deceiving people is sinful. There are various reasons people play…
Read MoreThe Conversion of Saul (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ConversionOfSaul.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 1:12-17 I. The path that Saul took from Judaism to Christianity can teach us a lot about what it takes to become a Christian A. It is a lesson that many need to learn by people caught up in denominational teachings. B. We will look at the events that…
Read MoreDoes my parents’ adultery affect me?
Question: Hello, I am a faithful Christian and try to the best of my ability to follow the teachings of Christ. But unfortunately, my parents are atheists, and they had me while committing the sin of adultery. Does their sin have any repercussions on me, and if yes, what should I do? Answer: When Israel…
Read MoreIf a woman can say “Amen,” then why can’t she say “I disagree?”
Question: If there is such a thing as a “smell” test, I think the “Amen” at least invokes a whiff. If you accept that a woman can randomly and audibly say “Amen” (meaning “I agree” or “I concur”), why could she not randomly and audibly say “No!” meaning “I don’t agree?” Answer: There is a…
Read MoreDoes I Corinthians 7:2 imply polygyny?
Question: Hello I stumbled on a website about polygyny being biblical still, which stunned me. It’s not the only one out there promoting this. The author claimed his insight came from I Corinthians 7:2 when two different words are used to show possession of respective spouses. The words are: heautou (Strongs #1438) idios (Strongs #2398)…
Read MoreRedeemed by a Loving God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Redeemed-by-a-Loving-God.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreCareful How You Judge
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Careful-How-You-Judge.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MorePietism
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Pietism.mp3 by Jeff Hamilton Download Audio Text: II Corinthians 11:1-4 I. In the late 1300s lived a man named John Wycliffe in Oxford, England, where he taught in Balliol College. A. He was a theologian and a lay preacher, strongly advocating evangelism. B. This man found many things wrong with Roman Catholicism 1. The Bible was the supreme…
Read MoreWe can’t afford to get married, but would it be bad to have sex now?
Question: Hello! My boyfriend and I have been dating for over five years, not necessarily because we wanted to wait this long, but because we don’t have the money. I only recently finished college, and I didn’t want to get married until I was done with school. Well, I’ve been done with college for about…
Read MoreIs the silence of women only applied to prophecy?
Question: Hey brother, Just had a quick question: How do you reconcile I Corinthians 14:34-35 applying women to the entire context beginning at I Corinthians 14:26 and not just the direct context of prophecy grammatically? I have been having issues with that. Answer: “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has…
Read MoreHow do I explain to my son that his friend is sinning?
Question: One of my sisters in Christ is a teen girl (age 19). She is also my son’s best friend. I know her well, and I follow her on social media platforms. She recently posted a picture of herself with a friend who is a girl. Her written post attached to the picture included calling…
Read MoreCan someone be forgiven if he purposely sins?
Question: My friend lost his virginity because he wanted to. The person he did it with had already done it a couple of times. He felt really bad because he is a Christian. Can God forgive him if he confesses to a priest? Answer: Confession to a priest is a Catholic practice. It is not…
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