How can we have peace in heaven if some judge us for not teaching them?
Question: I am having a problem with the song “You Never Mentioned Him to Me.” It appears to teach that when we go to heaven people who are not going to heaven will be judging people who are. How can we have joy, peace, no tears, etc? If this takes place, “when in a better…
Read MoreMiracles Then Versus Now
by Terry W. Benton When Jesus worked miracles, nobody could deny it. Unbelievers tried to explain them away, but they could not deny a miracle happened. Jesus raised the dead, healed the lame, opened blind eyes, turned water to wine, walked on water, healed the dying at great distances, and all of it instantaneously. There…
Read MorePlease pray that I can stop having sex with prostitutes
Question: Dear Minister, I’m a 30-year-old married guy who has been having sex with prostitutes for the last two years. I’m feeling guilty, but I can’t stop doing this so far. I need your prayer so that, through the help of Christ, I can stop having sex with prostitutes. Please do uphold me in your…
Read MoreCan you please explain why Mark and Luke don’t contradict Matthew about remarriage?
Question: Can you please explain why Mark and Luke don’t contradict Matthew about remarriage? Matthew records the porneia exception, but Mark and Luke reject all exceptions. Answer: You are making an assumption that because something is not mentioned that it is a rejection. That is not true. All you can know is that it wasn’t…
Read MoreWhat should I say when I hear someone give bad advice?
Question: Hey Jeffrey, What is the balance between expecting the world to just act like the world and take a stand? Like I know a guy who claims to be a Christian. He was giving advice about going through divorce to someone else and he said “getting a rebound chick is the key”. I’m sure…
Read MoreI refused to drink some “mystic” water and now the office thinks I may be a witch
Question: Hey Jeffrey, I need guidance. We had prayer and fasting at work, during which our boss asked for a bag of sachet water which he anointed with an oil that he said was given to him by God. He then said that whoever has an ailment of any kind should come and drink it…
Read MoreThe Church Treasury
by Terry W. Benton Consider the following quote from a house-church denominationalist: It is true that the disciples were instructed to treasure up some things, “And concerning the collection that [is] for the saints, as I directed to the assemblies of Galatia, so also ye — do ye; on every first [day] of the week,…
Read MoreDoing Much Harm
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/DoingMuchHarm.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Corinthians 11:1-20 I. An article by Michael Kruger, written back in February 2018, got me thinking about how some people leave the church A. The article focuses on Jen Hatmaker, a Texas author and has a TV show. She has taken public stances contrary to the Southern Baptist denomination…
Read MoreHow much obedience does the Lord demand of me?
Question: Hey Jeffrey, I have a problem understanding the nature of obedience to God’s laws. I read and hear that obedience is required for salvation, but no man (besides Jesus) has obeyed perfectly, so please help me understand the nature of the obedience required to please God and enter His eternal abode. Is part of…
Read MoreNot What They Told You – Gambling
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/NotWhatTheyToldYouGambling.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 28:19-22 I. Gambling is not a new problem A. But it has become a big business. Every state in the United States has some form of legal gambling 1. Though Nebraska is the least state addicted to gambling, it still exists (the next lowest are Alabama, Kentucky, and Utah). [1]…
Read MoreHow do I show my coworker that it is not faith alone that saves?
Question: Hello, I am in a discussion of the Bible with a man that I work with. He is Lutheran and I go to a church of Christ. His beliefs are that faith saves and continues to recite the verse from Ephesians 2:8-9. I’m sure you’re very familiar with that verse. I have shared with…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between praise and worship?
Question: I need a lesson from you about the difference between praise and worship. What is it that we mean when we say “let’s praise the Lord” and when we say “let’s worship the Lord”? Please help me in that area. Answer: Praise “And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time…
Read MoreThe Importance of Sorrow
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ImportanceOfSorrow.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8 I. Life doesn’t remain the same – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 A. There are different seasons, which brings different needs B. No one likes to cry, but life isn’t always going to be rosy. Sorrow has a place in our lives. C. The wise know that we need to think about sorrow…
Read MoreDoes God have a sense of humor?
Question: I have wondered many times if God had a sense of humor. I’ve watched many videos where Jesus had conversations with many people. During some conversations, people admit that Jesus had this sweet, soft type of humor behind some of his remarks. So this brings me to the question, does God (the Father, Jesus,…
Read MoreSowers of Strife
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/SowersOfStrife.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 16:17-20 I. The contentious hearings leading up to the appointment of Justice Kavanaugh has generated a lot of discussion on ethics and morality A. I was reading an article by Paul Prather, published in the Lexington Herald-Leader on October 11, 2018 1. His expressed concern was not that people disagreed,…
Read MoreI’m trying to turn my life around, but it just doesn’t feel like when I was first saved
Question: Thank you so much for taking my question. Many years ago, when I was about 18 years old, I was saved. My life was completely changed at that moment, and I remember how for weeks following, I would go outside at night by myself and look up in the sky and contemplate God, in…
Read MoreChurch Issues and Love
by Edward O. Bragwell Throughout church history, divisive issues have arisen among Christians, even to this present day. While this should concern us, it should not cause excessive alarm. They are to be expected. After all, the apostle Paul wrote in the First Century: “For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church,…
Read MoreFear or Faithfulness?
by Matthew W. Bassford From an earthly perspective, many of the prophets of the Old Testament got a raw deal. On this list, we certainly must include Jeremiah. He was forbidden to marry and have a family, he couldn’t attend parties or funerals, and he prophesied in a time that was utterly hostile to his…
Read MoreAn Inquiry into Baptism
Sprinkling, Pouring, or Immersion, Which Shall It Be? by Jefferson David Tant Introduction Since the Bible teaches that baptism is an essential part of my relationship with Christ (Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-5, etc.), then it behooves me to make sure that my baptism is pleasing to the one who has given the ordinance. …
Read MoreMothers Who Make a Difference
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MothersWhoMakeADifference.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreGod’s Glory Has Departed
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/GodsGloryHasDeparted.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreBe Careful Assigning God’s Judgments
by Doy Moyer A hurricane just demolished a town; it must be the judgment of God. Sickness took the life of this person; God must be judging. Some really bad things happened it seemed all at once; surely God is judging. Not so fast. We are not in a position to make such sweeping pronouncements.…
Read MoreWhy did Peter follow Jesus?
Question: Why did Peter follow Jesus? Answer: Peter followed Jesus first because his brother, Andrew, told him that he and John, Peter’s fellow fisherman, had found the Messiah (John 1:41-42), so initially, he went out of curiosity. When he met Jesus, he was given a nickname, which indicated what kind of man he would become.…
Read MoreWho were the twelve tribes scattered abroad?
Question: Good day sir, I was wondering, if the church replaced Israel, then who was James writing to in James 1:1 when he said the twelve tribes scattered abroad? Answer: “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings” (James 1:1). The book of…
Read MoreDid God give Moses the commandment to circumcise?
Question: In John 7:21 when Jesus says, circumcision is not of Moses but of “the Fathers,” is he implying that God never gave Moses the commandment of circumcision? I know that this command is written in Genesis 17:10. However, Jesus seems to be implying that this law never came from Moses. Answer: “Did not Moses…
Read MoreCar Crashes, Linked to Marijuana, Rises
Source: Paul A. Eisenstein, “Legalized marijuana linked to a sharp rise in car crashes,” NBC News, 18 Oct 2018 “There has been an increase by up to 6 percent in the number of highway crashes in four of the states where the recreational use of marijuana has been legalized, according to a pair of new…
Read MoreCan a woman serve as a church’s secretary or treasurer?
Question: Is it right to make a Christian sister the church secretary? Can a sister also act as the treasurer? Answer: First off, you will not find a position of secretary or treasurer mentioned in the New Testament. The closest you will get to a treasurer is that Judas used to keep the money box…
Read MoreNotes on the Verification of Mark 16:9-20
The text of Mark 16:9-20 is consistent with inspired text found in the rest of the New Testament Mark 16 Claims Verified 9 He had risen early on the first day of the week Matthew 28:1-4; Luke 24:1; John 20:1 He first appeared to Mary Magdalene John 20:14ff From whom he had cast out seven…
Read MoreWas the collection in I Corinthians 16:1-2 really worship?
Question: The church I attend teaches that the collection in I Corinthians 16:1-2 is not part of the worship service. They say Paul commanded that to help the church in Jerusalem, not to worship by giving. What is your comment about that? Answer: The same giving is discussed in II Corinthians 8 and 9, where…
Read MoreWhat Is Important in a Church?
What is Important to a Church? – Part 1What is Important to a Church? – Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 14:1-12 I. I remember visiting a large congregation many years ago. They had asked me to do some web site work for them. A. While I was amazed at the size of the…
Read MoreHow do I talk to an uncle I suspect of being homosexual?
Question: I have seen things that make me suspect my uncle is gay. He is also very feminine. I have seen on his phone him searching for gay porn and in gay chat rooms. I know if my grandmother found out she would be devastated … unless she already knows. The reason I’m telling you…
Read MoreChristianity that Is Appealing to Atheists
by Forrest Antemesaris I was a happy atheist. I didn’t sense a need for any kind of religion in my life. However, I wasn’t completely closed-minded toward religion. I visited a Baptist service, a Catholic Mass, and dabbled in the teachings of Buddhism (my favorite at the time). Yet, religion in all of its forms…
Read MoreSpiritual Wisdom and the Internet
by Matthew W. Bassford The Internet is one of the most powerful inventions in human history. If we use it to seek the Lord, it can accomplish great things for Him. Without the Internet, I certainly wouldn’t be able to blog, and I probably wouldn’t be able to write hymns. This is to say nothing,…
Read MoreNeither of us has been good, but now that my girlfriend is trying to improve her faith, she is pulling away from me
Question: My girlfriend and I have been together for six months. We have a past as well. We are both believers in the Lord and have been for a while. We both have children from past relationships, prior to becoming believers. We are currently struggling with our relationship, in part because we both have backsliding…
Read MoreHow can we know Jesus forgives mortal sins we are traumatized over?
Question: Hi, I’m just enquiring if you can help me. I read comments about sin on your site. My question is: How can we know Jesus forgives mortal sins we are traumatized over? Answer: The Roman Catholic church uses the term “mortal sins,” instead of just saying “sins.” Even though the Roman Catholic religion makes…
Read MoreThe Difference Between Truth and Lies
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DifferenceBetweenTruthAndLies.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 18:33-38 I. Truth is critical A. Truth brings stability to a nation – Proverbs 29:14 B. Truth makes us free – John 8:32 C. Jesus is the way and the truth – John 14:6 D. Jesus’ words, which are truth, judges us – John 12:48 E. What distinguishes truth from lies? Pilate asked…
Read MoreThe Cultural Problem with Truth
by Doy Moyer The truth shall set you free (John 8:32). To borrow an idea from another well-known statement, had it not been for the truth, I would not have known lies. Oxford’s word of the year in 2016 was “post-truth.” That should not really be a surprise. For decades Postmodernism has eaten away at…
Read MoreA Review of Recent Arguments for Women Preachers
by Wayne Jackson Every significant movement within society will eventually, to some degree, make itself felt in the church. The phenomenon of “women’s liberation” is no exception. There are those within the body of Christ who are clamoring that women must throw off the yoke of male domination and claim their rightful place in the…
Read MoreNot What They Told You – Pornography
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Thessalonians 4:1-8 I. Trials come in many forms – James 1:12 A. We often think of trials as hardships that are imposed on us by life. B. But temptation to sin is also a trial that we have to overcome C. Temptation doesn’t come from God – James 1:13 1. Though God allows…
Read MoreHow do we deal with erring brethren?
Question: I’m looking for clarity on “liberal church associations.” If I’m a conservative (non-institutional) brother, am I to fellowship with those who worship in a liberal church? Here is my view and please correct me if I’m in error. As a Christian, I believe that outside of a worship setting it is alright to fellowship…
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