Are condoms wrong to use because they didn’t exist in Jesus’ era?
Question: Is it lust when I get married and I use a condom or some other birth control for a while with my wife? I’m confused because my brother says yes and my friend says no. Also, condoms did not exist in the era Jesus was born in. I also heard that lust is a…
Read MoreYou helped me understand that the KJV is a translation and not the inspired word of God itself
Question: Dear Minister, A conversation with my father-in-law drove me to do some research concerning the King James Version of the Bible and other translations of God’s inspired word. I was guided to your web site. Your article on the subject was very informative and enlightening, and I really appreciate it. It caused me to…
Read MoreI’m thinking about withholding sex from my wife because she had sex with another guy before we dated
Question: My wife and I have been together for a long time. We dated for five years before marriage. I am thinking of withholding sex from her permanently because I feel dirty every time we have sex. I keep feeling dirty after having sex with my wife because she slept with one guy before she…
Read MoreThanks for the detailed explanations on fornication
Question: Thanks very much for the detailed explanations on fornication. God bless you. Answer: Thank you. I hope it helps with your life.
Read MoreMy friend is dying and I don’t know what to do
Question: I have a friend. We were neighbors once She has heart failure and nothing is helping. She’s been in the hospital for a while, then she got out and I went to see her. She looks dead to me: she’s grey and her lips are blue, she’s all swollen and she’s on oxygen. She…
Read MoreIf God knew we would sin, why did God create us?
Question: God bless you. My heart has been troubled lately with a question that I can’t seem to answer I’ve been praying about it but no answer yet. Why did God create us? If he knew that Satan would rebel against him and that Adam and Eve would fall into sin why did he create…
Read MoreI apologized for hurting two sisters with my words, but they don’t trust me. What can I do?
Question: I’ve been involved in a campus ministry, and I recently hurt a few of my sisters. I said something inappropriate about them that shouldn’t have been said. I asked for forgiveness and one of them forgave me; however, she doesn’t feel comfortable around me. The other one, who was a good friend of mine,…
Read MoreNo Past, No Future
by Terry Partain The US Census Bureau has a new category called “unrelated individuals” to describe those who do not live in a “family group.” Such Americans have increased in huge numbers over the last forty years. Even among those who live in family groups, 25% feel lonely and have no one to confide in.…
Read MoreI’m afraid I will die too
Question: Life has been great. My anger has been getting to be less of a burden. But something’s been torturing me tonight, I even broke down and cried a few minutes ago. I was taken up with a fear that my life was almost over; that I didn’t have much time left. Then for a…
Read MoreWhat Did Jesus Really Say?
by Jacob Wooten I saw this picture below posted on Facebook and I’ve seen similar statements before, so I feel like this kind of thinking might be widespread both in the world and perhaps among those who would say they are of faith. Let’s examine this reasoning and see what Jesus really says according to the Bible. …
Read MoreCan we have sex only on important occasions?
Question: I live with my girlfriend and lately, I start learning to live my life under God’s commands. She is pregnant right now, and I learned that I have to respect her, so I decided not to have sex with her to honor her body and because it is a sin when we are not…
Read MoreWhat Do You Do For Fun?
by Jim McGuiggan in The Irish Papers A young man tried to talk a young lady into sexual intercourse but she wouldn’t hear tell of it. Then he offered her booze she wouldn’t touch. A little later he wanted to share some marijuana with her but she turned that down, too. By this time he was…
Read MoreLife has been hard the last few years. How do I keep from slipping further into sin?
Question: Hello, I’m 23 years old. The last few years of my life have been the hardest ones to date. I have lost my mother to cancer and my grandfather died too, both Christian. But my question is: How can I get back on track as a Christian myself? Due to the grief, I felt…
Read MoreReaching the Youth
by Terry Partain Forty-five years ago I was hired to work with another preacher to especially reach out to the youth. I was too late. The youth and their parents had separate social lives. The practice of catering to groups according to their age has destroyed the bonds of affection and understanding as well as…
Read MoreOur Love for God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/OurLoveForGod.mp3 by Andrew Long
Read MoreSoldiers of Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SoldiersOfChrist.mp3 by Clint Crosier
Read MorePharaoh’s Hard Heart
by Matthew Bassford There are few Scriptural discussions with more doctrinal overtones than the discussion of what God does to Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus. The text does, after all, say several times, “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” It’s this way in every translation of the Bible I’ve ever seen. That’s the evidence. Calvinists, though, like to…
Read MoreHow do you handle a Bible class teacher who is teaching false doctrine?
Question: Hello, I’ve just read your answer to a person who was asking for advice because his Sunday school teacher told him that Cain was the result of Satan having sexual relations with Eve. You suggested that he find a different Sunday school teacher. However, in many churches you don’t choose your teacher; rather, depending on your…
Read MoreA “Systemic” Problem
by Ethan R. Longhenry For the past 200 or so years, we have seen a fundamental shift in the way that people relate to one another. The Industrial Revolution has certainly brought its share of benefits: greater productivity, acceleration in the development of technology, a greater quality of life, and longer-lasting life, among other things.…
Read MoreBiblical Infallibility: The Bible’s Claims for Itself
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BiblesClaimsForItself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 31:24-29 I. A. When talking about whether we can trust the Bible or not, it may seem strange to turn to the very book we are considering. B. We want to show that it is not a optional belief. C. The Bible claims to be infallible. If it is not in…
Read MoreValidating the Good News
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ValidatingTheGoodNews.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 41:21-29 I. How do I know that the Bible is inspired? How can I be really certain that it comes from God? A. There are various ways to show that the Bible must have came from God. B. Today we will use methods that the Bible itself suggests. II. If the…
Read MoreArguing with Atheists
by Casey Head Via The King’s Way at Queen Way I work at a university. That’s something I thought I’d never say. I guess I’d better clarify. I’m not a professor, a graduate student getting paid to do research, a university official…or even a janitor or landscaper. I’m actually just an evangelist who happens to carry…
Read MoreYour article on tithing was precise and referred to Scriptures to prove its point. Thank you
Question: Just read your article on tithing and it was very precise in breaking down and referring to scripture to get the point across. I thank you and wish many more churches would stop taking scripture out of context, misinterpreting, and abusing the members just to get what they want. I love sound doctrine! May God…
Read MoreI want to marry a godly man, but I seem far from it
Question: Hello and praise the Lord! I normally don’t do this but I am in need of help. First I am a born-again believer and have been living for God for over a decade. My issue is this: I gave my life to Christ early twenties and from that point on I vowed to save…
Read MoreLove the answer you gave to an atheist
Question: I’m a fan of your page on Facebook and greatly appreciate your answers. You do a fantastic job. Love this past answer you gave to the atheist. Keep up the good work and thank you. Answer: I really appreciate the encouragement.
Read MoreWhat do you do when your spouse continually overspends?
Question: What do you do when your spouse will not stop overspending and puts you into debt risking financial problems? I do not believe in divorce for this reason. Thanks! Answer: There are limits to what can be done, but there are measures you can take to reduce the damage. Normally I would expect a…
Read MoreArbitrary Morality
by Doy Moyer Society treats morality in an arbitrary fashion. Racism is condemned in the strongest of terms (rightly so) while openly practicing adultery and fornication is considered normal and acceptable. People use vulgarities as a regular way to talk, while the same people will craft a list of the politically correct terminology for the…
Read MoreHopefully, religion will be forgotten in the future
Question: How can you possibly deny scientific proof? The Bible is like Mother Goose or fairy tales. If you actually believe in the stories of Noah or Jonah, then you should possibly commit yourself to a mental institution. I do believe that the Bible has done good for people. It teaches people morals and the…
Read MoreShould one prayer or two be given at the Lord’s Supper?
Question: Is it proper to give thanks for the bread and the cup in one prayer instead of two separate prayers? I have been searching for scriptural examples that support one position or the other or both. Answer: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and…
Read MoreYour answers helped me in understanding the teachings of the Bible
Question: I am writing this email to thank Jeffrey W. Hamilton, who I believe is the one answering most of the numerous questions on the La Vista Church of Christ website. I have read some of your answers and they have helped me greatly in understanding the teachings of the Bible and applying them to…
Read MoreI’m going through the same thing and your post helped
Question: I really wanted to thank you for the post: Now that my wife left me for another man, should I give up living for God? I am going through the same thing and feel the same way. Thank you for not sugar-coating what the guy is saying and your response. It gives me a little…
Read MoreMy grandmother promised I would be a preacher, but I want to work in tourism. What do I do?
Question: Dear sir, Please clarify my doubts. Before I was born my grannie made a promise to God that she would dedicate her grandson to church ministry, he would do church activities and he would work as a minister. She thought that I should become a pastor and my mom also agreed. But the problem…
Read MoreWould God condemn every member of the church whose candlestick was removed?
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Is there a point in time when a church has become so disobedient to the commands of the Lord they are considered “apostate” and rejected by God? And would this mean that all members in that church are condemned, even though they may not even believe all the teachings presented by…
Read MoreDid I make a mistake telling him I am not letting him go?
Question: Hi! I have a huge problem, I am dating a guy with a kid. He doesn’t live with the kid; he says he has issues with the mom. At first, I didn’t mind dating him, but now it’s bothering me a lot. He goes to see the baby and sleeps in the same room…
Read MoreHow can we be lights of the world if we are closeted behind our doors?
Question: Dear Bro. Hamilton, I would like to thank the church there for its great website. I am a Bible school teacher and I think it will be a big help to me when my students have questions about biblical things. I have read the introduction to the La Vista church on your website. While…
Read MoreIs it wrong to be competitive in school?
Question: Is it wrong to be competitive in school? I know that God stresses the importance of education, but I see myself to be very competitive when it comes to grades. It’s not an ego thing where I get scores to show off or anything, but it is because I want to get into good…
Read MoreI’m not sure I want to get baptized. Do I have to be baptized?
Question: I’m 14 years old, and I was born in a Christian family. I got truly saved last year. I know that I’m saved by Jesus’s blood and I want to live for God, but it’s hard for me to want to get baptized. I want to get baptized, but also part of me doesn’t.…
Read MoreIs there anything wrong with a sister in Christ helping a fellow Christian fallen on hard times?
Question: Hi Brother Hamilton, I have a question that concerns the aiding of a brother or sister in Christ. If there is a member of the congregation who has fallen on hard times (financial chaos, or removal due to an abusive relationship), and a female member of the church has informed the church and its…
Read MoreIncorrect Paradigms on Grace: “Works Righteousness” and “Believes in Him”
by Jonathan Perz “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know,…
Read MoreDo I let my daughter hang out with worldly people in hopes of leading them to God?
Question: I was addicted to alcohol and used drugs from the time I was 11 until about 25. I had a baby at 25 and began thinking strongly about how my parents’ choices and life of sin had shaped me into the person I had been. After feeling something in my life needed to change…
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