If a man marries someone who lies about her right to marry, is he an adulterer for the rest of his life?
Question: Dear Jeff, I would so greatly appreciate hearing from you. I have read the material on your website regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. But I have a special situation I feel unable to sort through regarding a very dear brother in Christ. He was deceived by his first wife. She lied about why she…
Read MoreHow dare you use the Bible to say out-of-body experiences are wrong!
Question: I recently read a question/answer between you and somebody who wrote to you. They told you about their OBEs (out-of-body experiences). I read your response and I was appalled, to say the least. First of all, since you don’t remember your OBEs (and believe me, you have them) you discount them. Plus, you twist the…
Read MoreWhat Does Submission Look Like?
by Doy Moyer “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Imagine a person whose normal mode is to run red lights (maybe we don’t have to imagine so much). He runs this light and the next one, but then comes upon a red light and sees a…
Read MoreAll By Myself
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AllByMyself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:12-17 I. Why do I have to go to church? A. After all, I can worship God all by myself. B. After all, all Christians are priests – I Peter 2:9 C. I can read my Bible and I don’t need anyone else – Ephesians 3:3-4 D. I can pray all by…
Read MoreWhy can’t I marry my Catholic boyfriend?
Question: God bless you, Well, I have an issue in my life. My parents and I were introduced to Christianity a few years ago. My dad already had a background in it since his childhood, so he connected and loved it right away. My mom and I didn’t feel it right away. It was a…
Read MoreShould I keep my promise of poverty that I’m not certain I made?
Question: Hello, I told God in a prayer that I give up earthly success. I think that when I said it I meant the pursuit of wealth. I am not sure because I think I was also imagining the idea of suffering like a poor person. I think the reason this situation came about was…
Read MoreCourtesy
by Morris D. Norman Whatever happened to old-fashioned courtesy? Oh, it’s still around, but it is becoming rarer and rarer, even among those who call themselves the children of God. The English word means, “courtly politeness, graceful and considerate behavior toward others.” Refined people are courteous. They have respect for the rights, privileges, and feelings…
Read MoreContext and Exposition
by Gary P. Eubanks The burden of these remarks consists of three points: The value of (immediate) context for Bible interpretation has been overrated. This exaggerated conception of the importance of context has, in turn, been used to justify an over-emphasis on expository preaching. The over-use of expository preaching holds the potential danger of covering…
Read MoreVessels Unto Honor and Vessels Unto Dishonor
by L.A. Stauffer via Son Rays, Vol. 30, No. 23, Sept. 7 2008 Paul writes to the young preacher, Timothy, and urges him to flee immorality so that he might be a “vessel unto honor.” His reference is to Timothy’s person or body and how he should engage in honorable conduct (II Timothy 2:20-21). The…
Read MoreIs Our Faith Known?
by Dennis Stackhouse As the apostle Paul was beginning his letter to the Christians at Colossae, he made this statement in Colossians 1:3-4: “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all…
Read MoreMy girlfriend, whom I thought I would be marrying, broke up with me
Question: I have reached out to you before. My girlfriend of two years and I recently broke up. We were involved in fornication. I am feeling so guilty and have asked God for forgiveness. I believe He has forgiven me, but I can’t forgive myself. Will my choices have an impact on my future relationships…
Read MoreHow do I meditate on God’s word?
Question: Please, can you teach me deep insight about meditating on God’s Word and how to meditate? Answer: “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word” (Psalms 119:148). The term means nothing more than learning God’s word and then thinking about it during the day (or night). David…
Read MoreThe Good Confession
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GoodConfession.mp3 Text: I Timothy 6:6-16 I. We all have heard of the five steps of salvation, even though there are really more than five steps. Five just makes it easier to remember. A. Today we are going to focus on confession. B. Exactly what is to be confessed? How is it to be confessed? When are we…
Read MoreI want to give up homosexuality, but a part of me wants to go back, but I also don’t want to go back
Question: I want to give up homosexuality, pornography, and masturbation because I feel bad after doing these things. A part of me wants to go back, but I also don’t want to. I see it as a burden because everything seems going wrong for me. Please, I need prayers and counseling. Answer: I’m glad you…
Read MoreWhat should be said to make the good confession?
Question: Before I was baptized, I confessed that I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and I still do. If you look at I Timothy 6:12-13, Paul says Timothy made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses and then says that Jesus made the good confession in the presence of Pilate. If…
Read MoreIs it sinful to listen to a song against Christmas?
Question: Is it sinful to listen to a song against Christmas? The song does not speak against the true meaning of Christmas (the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ) and rather speaks against Christmas traditions, such as eggnog, Christmas trees, gift-giving, etc. The song also uses some bad language. It also claims Christmas is a horrible…
Read MoreMy girlfriend is distancing herself from me, but she says nothing is wrong
Question: What does it mean when your fiancee suddenly seems to have lost interest in you? She no longer texts as often as she used to and whenever I ask her if anything is wrong she says no. I’ve told her it’s all right if she doesn’t love me anymore, tell me, but she insists…
Read MoreWith all the sexual sins in the world, there must be a lot of people in hell
Question: Hello, I think there are many people who are sinners nowadays, since more and more people do not marry or are no longer virgins before marriage, and many people have sex with several people in their life. There are also more and more children born out of wedlock. Does this mean there are already…
Read MoreWas Philip an apostle?
Question: We have been studying the Bible about baptism. As we were searching through the Scriptures we came across this man called Philip, who was able to perform miracles and stuff. We all know those gifts were given to the apostles only and before anyone can even receive them, an apostle has to lay hands…
Read MoreWhat Is a Pastor?
by Jefferson David Tant The term “pastor” is a familiar term to people in most denominations. It is usually applied to the men or women who stand before the congregation and deliver a message from the Word of God as the preacher. And in many situations, the pastor is the one who has the position…
Read MoreCan I ask God for help in finding a wife?
Question: Would it be proper to go to God in prayer and ask for help in leading you to the right person to marry? This of course would be someone you have not met, and you are well aware of God’s requirements for a godly and eligible person. Answer: “Now this is the confidence that…
Read MoreThey Caused the People to Trust in a Lie
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/TheyCausedThePeopleToTrustInALie.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreThe Workings of Satan
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WorkingsOfSatan.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreI know it is wrong, but I keep wanting to have sex with my boyfriend
Question: What happens if you fornicate with the person you intend on marrying? You know how secret sins are- very addictive! And you acknowledge that it is a sin and you wish to stop! I’m 21 years old. I never had sex before I came to Christ. I’d always believed in God from a young…
Read MoreDoes premarital sex make you married or cursed?
Question: I know you are super busy all the time, but if you get a chance sometime, could you help untangle my spiritual thoughts? I am asking for help regarding two theologies out there concerning marriage: One theology is that the first person you have sex with you are married to and any after that…
Read MoreYou can’t cite Paul’s testimony regarding himself. He could be a liar
Question: How can you justify Paul’s claim as being an apostle if he is a liar, who spends a lot of time claiming he isn’t a liar? Shouldn’t one use other sources to substantiate a person’s claims? If I used my wife or children as an alibi, the police would look for someone outside my…
Read MoreHow true is: “Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you”?
Question: Hello, my brother, I hear the following quote: “Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you,” how true is it? Thanks for your time. Answer: This is one of old sayings that get passed around. I find it attributed to a large number of famous…
Read MoreHow do I stop being envious of my friend?
Question: Hello Sir, I had a question about trying not to compare myself to my friend. Any advice is welcome! My friend and I are very similar. I don’t think I’ve ever had a friend so alike to me! We’re both in college and graduating this year. She got a full academic scholarship to college,…
Read MoreThank you for answering how the Gentiles were by the Jews rejecting God
Question: Hello, Thank you for your answer to the question: “If the Jews weren’t provoked to jealousy and didn’t reject God, would the Gentiles have received salvation?” I was reading Luke 4:23-30 and this question popped into my head. I was looking for answers online and chanced upon the church’s website. You have a very interesting…
Read MoreShould I leave an ineffective, discouraging church?
Question: I was looking through your website and found someone asked questions similar to questions I had at this page: When should I leave a church? But I’m not sure you fully answered some of the questions, so I still wanted to ask them again. If there are multiple sound congregations nearby, must I worship with…
Read MoreI’ve used your materials numerous times and they have helped get points across
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, I have come across your congregation’s website many times, and I have to say, I have not found another site quite as resourceful and helpful! I have shared your articles with many people, from atheists and the skeptics, to the lost, and to members of denominations, and all have had positive…
Read MoreWhat do you suggest I do?
Question: Hi, I badly need someone to talk to and someone to give me advice as I am really in extreme emotional pain. I’m several months pregnant. My boyfriend is separated and has children from his ex-wife. I have accepted that for he is getting his divorce this year after his ongoing trial. We were…
Read MoreI’m afraid I’ll be left behind in the rapture
Question: Hello! I am a born-again Christian. I became one about two years ago, and now I am feeling more doubt about my faith. Then I would find myself scared of the rapture and being left behind. I would call my family if I was home alone to see if I wasn’t left behind. Then…
Read MoreLove Finds a Way
by Sewell Hall All Christians want to bring the lost to Christ. But each of us has some handicap that causes us to feel limited in our ability to do so. It may be a weakness of knowledge or difficulty in expressing ourselves. Perhaps it is a personality deficiency or even a lack of transportation.…
Read MoreSeeing the White Fields
Seeing the White Fields – Part 1Seeing the White Fields – Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 4:5-42 I. Indulge me for a moment and consider the following situations: A. You are talking about what various church have to offer in the area with your neighbor and you take the opportunity to invite him…
Read MoreCalm Under Pressure
by Dennis Stackhouse How can a person remain calm even when he or she is under pressure, sometimes immense pressure? Perhaps we should ask if it’s even possible to remain calm in this pressure-cooker world we live in? When we view this from the spiritual perspective we can say that it not only is possible,…
Read MoreThe law is perfect, but the covenant was faulty, so they cannot be the same
Question: A quick question on your article Is the covenant different from the Law? If, as Psalm 19 says, “the law of the Lord is perfect,” and the law mentioned there is the same as the covenant mentioned in Hebrews, then why wouldn’t the covenant be faultless (i.e. “perfect”) as opposed to Hebrews 8:7? I believe…
Read MoreI became a Christian after living with a woman for years, but I keep falling back into fornication
Question: I was in a relationship with a lady for about five years. During that period I wasn’t born again. I wasn’t attending church and was doing what I want. During those years her lifestyle changed, which made me lose the love and trust I had for her. We ended up separating for some months.…
Read MoreTeaching Children About Fornication
by Mark Roberts “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (I Corinthians 6:18). Perhaps no precept of scripture is as widely ignored as this one. Our society is absolutely obsessed with sex. Advertising, movies and television, printed material,…
Read MoreWhen We Disagree
by Doy Moyer Be generous. Assume the best first. Don’t assign evil motives to other parties. They may have intended something else. Let the principles of love guide our discussions (I Cor 13:4-8). Be respectful. Don’t begin a response by insulting and insinuating that the other parties are intellectually deficient. Just address the issue without resorting to…
Read More