What do you say when someone comes out of the closet?
Question: Hello! What should a Christian do if someone they love comes out of the closet? I had a close friend whom we haven’t talked to in person in about a year, and she recently came out of the closet. What do I say? How can I help, other than prayer? Answer: I assume you…
Read MoreYour answer against a person questioning his core belief was inappropriate
Question: I’m not sure if you’re the person I’m supposed to send this to, but your email was at the bottom of the page. I’m a member of the church and in regards to one of the Questions and Answer posts on the La Vista Church of Christ website, the response to one of the…
Read MoreMy boyfriend and I sinned this afternoon. What do we do?
Question: My boyfriend regretted having sex with me after I cried because I allowed him to have sex with me. I cried because I prayed to God some years back that I was never going to engage in sex before marriage, but I was able to control myself these last few months with all the…
Read MoreWhy continue to ask for forgiveness if Jesus died for all our sins?
Question: A friend and I found a small church to attend, but their pastor prays at the beginning of their service asking for forgiveness of their sins. This made me wonder: Jesus died on the cross for us and he put the past, present, and future sins on that cross with him, so all of…
Read MoreHow Have You Loved Us?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/HowHaveYouLovedUs.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreI’m such a hypocrite. I fell into sexual immorality
Question: Hello, I really need help as I feel totally hopeless. I gave my life to Christ in college after God saved me from untimely death. I have been so hot for God, going about doing evangelism and, by the grace of God, many people have come to know Christ through me. However, recently I…
Read MoreCan I be forgiven if I sin after I was baptized?
Question: I was baptized a few months ago, and I turned myself into the name of the Lord. Everything has been going well. I feel alive and well again. I’ve been talking to a very special girl (she is baptized as well). The other day I met up with her, and we ended up kissing,…
Read MoreDoes the church curse an erring brother when withdrawing from him?
Question: Does the church curse an erring member in the cause of the withdrawal of fellowship, according to I Corinthians 16:22? Answer: “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!” (I Corinthians 16:22). The Greek anathema, translated here as “accursed,” is defined by the Vines Dictionary as: “Curse,…
Read MoreThe Fallacy of the “Phobia” Charge
by Doy Moyer Typically, by its very nature, a phobia is an irrational fear. Phobiasource tells us that real phobias are emotional or anxiety disorders causing one to experience intense irrational fear. The person’s reaction is automatic (uncontrollable), and may result in a rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling, the feeling of need to flee, shortness…
Read MoreI don’t think I have sufficient faith
Question: Hello Brother, I came across your website over a year ago and have found it to be sound and very helpful. I am a member of the body of Christ, the church of Christ. I am 21 years old and have been a Christian for many years and have seen how the gospel of…
Read MoreThere Is No Fear of God Before Their Eyes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ThereIsNoFearOfGodBeforeTheirEyes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 3:10-18 I. Most of us have been burnt one time or another. A. The memory of the sharp pain makes a lasting impression. As a result, we hold a healthy respect for fire and other hot things. The fear of what fire could do generates a respect for fire.…
Read MoreI want to marry my boyfriend, but he doesn’t until he can afford a nice wedding
Question: Hello, I have something major I need guidance with, and I’d like to warn you in advance that you may find my situation rather unique. I am 25, and I have two beautiful children. I came to Christ two years ago, but just this past year I prayed and asked Jesus into my life.…
Read MoreI found your advice to aspiring preachers useful
Question: Hello. I read your article on advice to aspiring preachers and found it useful. Thanks a lot. Grace to you! Answer: I’m glad you found the website useful. You might also be interested in the other articles on preaching.
Read MoreCan a treasurer use the church’s money in his personal business?
Question: Please, I want to know if one can use the church’s money in his custody to run his personal business. Answer: Absolutely not. The money is the Lord’s money. When Ananias gave money to the church but lied about the amount, Peter told him: “While it remained, was it not your own? And after…
Read MoreIf I promise on something and then break the promise, does God take away what I promised on?
Question: If I were to promise or swear to God (or even to someone else) on something and not go through with the promise, will God take that thing I promised on away from me? For example, I promise or swear on my friendship that I’ll run around the neighborhood. If I don’t go through…
Read MoreIs a marriage performed by a witch doctor legitimate?
Question: Here in Africa people go to witch doctors in order to get married, which is a sin. Now can you please tell me if people, who are married by a witch doctor, are allowed to have sex with each other because that for me is a sin? Marriage is from God, and it’s considered…
Read MoreThe Right to Choose
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RightToChoose.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreFour Things God Provides
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FourThingsGodProvides.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreIs using “God” as a curse word not taking the Lord’s name in vain?
Question: Hello Firstly, thank you very much for the very informative site and the work that you do. I recently had someone totally shock me by stating that “God” was a generic term and questioning whether it constituted using the Lord’s name in vain. His argument was that “God” was not God’s name and could…
Read MoreHow do I tell my boyfriend about my horrible past?
Question: I was raised in a broken family, so my mother took care of us though we were poor. I faced so many problems since I was young, like older relatives sleeping with me, but since I was young l didn’t realize how they were taking advantage of me. When I was in my twenties…
Read MoreCan deacons have multiple wives and homes?
Question: I was wondering if polygamy is wrong because a Christan polygamy site states this: “mia doesn’t mean one, it means first in I Timothy 3:2,12; Titus 1:6” Regarding idios they are saying “The word “idios” signifies actual or potential corporate possession, or “ownership” (although sometimes the two words may be synonymous, the change up in this verse is…
Read MoreYour website opened up my mind
Question: Greetings to you fellow brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. I got to know about your web site some weeks ago. I must admit that the website has really opened up my mind. I wish my fellow brothers and sisters in the other denominations can find the truth and get set free.…
Read MoreSince only males were circumcised, how did females enter the Old Covenant?
Question: Brother, This question came up in a recent Bible study. We were covering the book of Romans, the last few verses of chapter 2. Circumcision came up. After a little discussion, a sister in Christ asked how women made a covenant with God under Mosaic Law, since circumcision was the sign of the covenant.…
Read MoreBible Truth About Baptism
by Matthew W. Bassford via His Excellent Word, November 14, 2016 I’d gotten some feedback about my recent preaching on evangelism that I felt merited sermons of its own. One of them was last week’s sermon. This week’s sermon is another. Basically, some of the ladies were asking the age-old question, “But what do I say?” …
Read MoreLabeled for Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/LabeledForChrist.mp3 by Alan Feaster What are you labeled as? A label declares who a person is. Jesus was labeled, quite a few names (Revelation 19:13) “The Word of God” (Revelation 19:16) “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 1:5, 8) “faithful witness” “the firstborn of the dead” “I am the Alpha and the Omega”…
Read MoreWho Is Accountable?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/WhoIsAccountable.mp3 by Andrew Long
Read MoreI told God not to forgive me if I sinned again. I did anyway. Am I forgivable?
Question: The other day I was struggling with sin and I told God that if tomorrow I committed this sin and I want it to be unforgivable. I did this so I would think twice when I was tempted. In the end, I committed this sin, even though I told God not to forgive me…
Read MoreDo we carry the labels of our past sins with us our whole lives?
Question: I am having a conversation with an Independent Baptist, who claims that even after conversion, if we lie or cheat or steal, we are a liar, a cheater, a thief and we carry that label until we enter heaven. She says only in heaven is there no sin. Even if we are forgiven by…
Read MoreThank you for creating such a fabulous website
Question: I hope this reaches Jeffrey Hamilton. I have been visiting this website for a few years now. I simply wanted to reach out and say God bless you for creating such a fabulous website. I cannot begin to describe how helpful the articles and studies on this website have been for my spiritual growth…
Read MoreHow do I convince my Pentecostal parents of God’s truth?
Question: Dear Minister, My father and mother are pastors of a Pentecostal church. I do not agree with what they believe — relying on experience and emotions rather than being fully grounded on the Word of God. I do not want them to stay in that belief forever. I want them to be brought into…
Read MoreRedeeming the Time
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RedeemingTheTime.mp3 by Alan Feaster Text: Ephesians 5:1-21 Definition of redeemed Vines Pertaining to Salvation: λυτρόω lytroō “to release on receipt of ransom” (akin to lutron, “a ransom”), is used in the Middle Voice, signifying “to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem” (Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18) God Redeemed Israel. (Titus 2:14; I Peter 1:17-19) Christ has…
Read MoreHastening the Day of the Lord (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/HasteningTheDayOfTheLord.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 3:3-15 I. When there is an event coming up that you really look forward to, it seems that time just drags. A. Christmas when you were little, graduating from High School, going off to college, your wedding day, etc. B. But then in other ways you realize that there…
Read MoreAre you required to keep promises that you think about?
Question: Hi, I’m wondering if promises that randomly pop up in your head are considered valid. Are you required to keep the promises, even though they’re just thoughts? I have OCD and get these thoughts constantly. They cause me a deal of anxiety. Also, in order to treat OCD, am I allowed to purposefully think…
Read MoreSometimes we lose focus regarding our primary mission
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Thank you for all of the good Bible lessons you and others have written and put on your website. It seems that every time I am searching online for Bible study materials, I always end up on your website and find something I like. I have sent links to your website…
Read MoreHistorical References to Jesus Christ
by Scott Smelser
Read MoreArchaeological Evidence of Biblical Figures
by Scott Smelser
Read MoreLed by the Spirit (Smelser)
by Scott Smelser
Read MoreI’m engaged, but another girl seduced me and I got her pregnant. What do I do?
Question: I am in a serious relationship with the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, but I am faced with a serious problem right now. A girl forced herself on me, became pregnant, and had a baby by me. I accepted the baby, but I can’t marry the girl. It…
Read MoreMy boyfriend doesn’t want to get married
Question: Hey My boyfriend and I are in a relationship for almost five years. We had sex in the first year of the relationship but then decided to wait until we were married to have sex. We got baptized and went without sex for over two years then we had sex again. I told my…
Read MoreTwice Adopted
by Jefferson David Tant Those familiar with Branson, Missouri’s entertainment mecca may know the musical “Twice Adopted,” featuring ten adopted children who share their singing talent with thousands. Their story touches the heart. Randy and Linda Koenig were childless until they adopted a child from Guatemala. One thing led to another, and another, and another…
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