Should leavened or unleavened bread be used in the Lord’s Supper?
Question: Our congregation uses ordinary bread (very likely leavened) for Lord’s Supper. The minister, after admitting that unleavened bread was used during the Passover meal when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, tried to justify the use of ordinary bread this way: 1. The elements of the Lord’s Supper are the bread and fruit of the…
Read MoreI have a problem with pornography while my husband doesn’t
Question: Hello! I am a married woman in my early twenties. I have been married for less than a year. I love my husband very much; he and I have been together for several years. We feel that the Lord called us out of worldliness in the past year. We have felt His hand removing…
Read MoreI found out after I got home that I was charged less than I should have been for a purchase. Is that stealing?
Question: Hello, After I came home today from a local grocery store and deli, I noticed that the cashier may have given me an extra change of 50 cents. I didn’t notice until I got home because I thought the calculations were correct. The cashier said the total was $2.50. It also said so on…
Read MoreMy fiancee kissed another man just months before our wedding
Question: Hello sir, Let me share a great burden in my heart with you. I am only a few months away from my marriage to a lady I have known for just over a year. We have done the family introductions and have a date fixed for our wedding. She came to me last weekend…
Read MoreGod and the Concept of Patterns
by Doy Moyer The nature of typology shows that God is a God of patterns. Without even going through a process of trying to “establish” authority, God shows through His overall record that He is a God of patterns. This is evident right from the beginning when God made a pattern for creation that He…
Read MoreShould my objection to clapping during singing be respected as a weaker brother?
Question: I recently came across your web site and have done some reading in your Question and Answer section which I have found most interesting. I attend a church of Christ of considerable size. Several, maybe 10-25 members clap in our song service to “upbeat” songs, but not all songs. There are are also a…
Read MoreShould John 1:18 have “Son” or “God”?
Question: Hello! I’ve been studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses hoping to be a light and share the truth. As I am sure you know, the biggest obstacle is the deity of Christ. One thing in my research is John 1:18 – the Greek that I have references to the word translated as son is theos, not huios as you had…
Read MoreThings have been going further than they should. I don’t know how to put a stop to them
Question: Hi, I’ve been a Christian for more than three years now. I was a youth leader for the girls, and then became the youth leader for boys and girls. I was also in charge of the children’s ministry. My relationship with God was going great! And I never ever thought this would happen to…
Read MoreWhy wasn’t Satan and his angels offered forgiveness?
Question: Hello, I just stumbled into your website. I have a question. God commands us to forgive and this I accept but my question is: Why did God not forgive Lucifer, the devil? We need to follow the examples of God. Is there a reason why God refused to forgive Lucifer and the other angels…
Read MoreHow do I make restitution when I no longer know how much I stole?
Question: I led a sinful life before I became a Christian. I’d like to ask you a question about restitution. I was a thief. I shoplifted and stole from other people. Now, Zacchaeus tried to restore the money to those he’d stolen from. But is it a command to do so? For instance, before I…
Read MoreWas the blood of Jesus limited only to the washing away of our sins?
Question: Please, was the blood of Jesus limited only to the washing away of our sins? Answer: For the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His…
Read MoreNotes on Blood
The Blood of Jesus Christ For the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that…
Read MoreDo You Know What Is Following You?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DoYouKnowWhatIsFollowingYou.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 5:24-25 I. I guess my wife and I are reaching another milestone in life. People we’ve known, who are our age, are beginning to pass away. A. It might sound sad, but it really isn’t. I was thinking about the passing of someone recently. He had a few…
Read MoreBecoming Wise Men
by Steven Harper When Job had suffered some great losses due to the devil’s personal attack on him, we are told “when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together…
Read MoreDo atheists worship Satan?
Question: Hello, Earlier today a friend and I were talking about things in Christianity that tend to bother me. One of those things was the mantra of “atheists worship Satan.” It drives me crazy because first off, they believe in neither God nor Satan. An illustration: a husband and a wife get into an argument. …
Read MoreIs membership in a local church essential?
Question: As always, love your dedication to the Lord and the time you take to answer so many questions. I come to your site often. It is one of my favorite resources! In regards to the recent post: Should a divisive non-member be told not to come to worship? One point that has been on my mind lately is regarding…
Read MoreDo you know of any prophecy that says the Temple will never be rebuilt?
Question: Do you know of any prophecy that says the Temple will never be rebuilt? Answer: No, there isn’t prophecy that says the temple would not be rebuilt because it has been rebuilt: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,…
Read MoreThe girl I’ve been sexually involved with wants to be a Christian. What do I do?
Question: I am a Christian and she is not. We are in a relationship for three months, and we have had sex. I plan to live life fully with her. She even wants to believe in Christ after the preaching I did to her. I told her not to believe because of me. I said…
Read MoreHow can I know that what I am believing is the truth?
Question: Just last night I heard someone say that Lucifer was a human king and not Satan. I had thought that they were one and the same and now I am quite confused and discouraged because so many people view the Bible differently. How can I know that what I am believing is the truth?…
Read MoreChrist’s Prayer for Unity
by Jefferson David Tant In Christ’s final hours before his crucifixion, we find him in the garden in earnest prayer to the Father. Much of his prayer expressed his concern for his disciples who would be left behind to carry on the mission that Christ had been sent to accomplish. He referred to this in…
Read MoreShould Christians end their business because of the health care laws that include birth control?
Question: I’m not directly affected by this change in law but I know people who are. Should Christians with employees end their business because of the health care laws that now include birth control as a “women’s right?” Answer: Roman Catholics protest this new requirement because in their beliefs any prevention of the possibility of…
Read MoreI teach students about sexual purity, but I fell to sexual sin. What do I do?
Question: I’m glad I came across your website. I am a born-again believer who God has used to become a blessing to many students in the area of sexual purity. I am in a situation that I would require your advice. Last year, I met a female friend while working in a certain organization. After…
Read MoreWhat does the Bible say about suing people in court who may owe you money?
Question: What does the Bible say about revenge? What does the Bible say about suing people in court who may owe you money? Would it matter how much it was? Would it matter if it was a significant other or a friend? Answer: If it was a matter of revenge, then God says, “Repay no…
Read MoreShould a divisive non-member be told not to come to worship?
Question: I am a member of a church where there is a split of our church family. This revolves around a man (who is not a member) who has attended this church as a visitor for many years. He stirs up discord within the church habitually. There was a recent incident of this, and the pastor of…
Read MoreI love a girl, but she is from a rich Hindu family and I’m from a lower-middle-class Christian family. How do we get our families to agree to our marriage?
Question: Hi, I truly believe in Christ. I love a girl who is a non-Christian. We love each other so much we want to be united. But she belongs to a rich Hindu family and I am in a lower-middle-class family. How do we convince her parents to approve our marriage? We want both families…
Read MoreI get panic attacks thinking about my toxic mother
Question: As far as I can remember my mother has been someone I just can’t get along with, and, no, it’s not just another teenager ranting how her mother doesn’t approve of her choice of clothes, it’s something deeper. My mother has meted out all kinds of behavior to me which can make any sane…
Read MoreShould I pray for a non-Christian who wants to have children?
Question: Mr. Hamilton, I need your guidance, please. I encountered a moment where a non-Christian, who told me that she had been married for a number of years and had no children. She said she really wants to have children. Inside, my heart said something like “pray for her,” but I don’t know what words…
Read MoreWill God forgive my years of fornication?
Question: Dear sir, I am a young guy in my thirties and have fornicated for years until I met a woman I cherish with my life. We have agreed to marry. Then she told me she can’t go out with me again. It is impossible for me to even eat. I just told God that…
Read MoreWe were doing well a few years ago, but I’ve slipped into sexual sins
Question: Dear Minister, I came upon your website via Google, and read a few of your articles, and found them to be interesting and very helpful, Thank you. My problem is that I became a “Born Again” Christian a few years ago when I was in my mid-thirties. My husband joined shortly thereafter. We both…
Read MoreCould the Freer Logion have also been removed from Mark?
Question: Mr. Jim Snapps, I have read your article about the various endings of the book of Mark. Since you mentioned the possibility of the deliberate removal of Mark 16:9-20 due to heretical tampering, isn’t it also possible that the Freer Logion could have been also removed by heretics? The Freer Logion also suffers from mentioning…
Read MoreMy 16-year-old is being disrespectful
Question: I have a 16-year-old son who has been very disrespectful in this household. It’s all because he asked if he could stay with a friend one night and I told him yes. But I called to check on him, and he had gone to a party that had alcohol. He wasn’t drinking, but when…
Read MoreI’ve asked for forgiveness for my fornication, but today I did it again. I’m not convinced God will forgive me again
Question: Calvary greetings to you, sir. I have been indulging in sexual sin (fornication) for a while. I am engaged, and I still have sexual affairs with my close female friend. I reported it to my pastor just because I don’t want to indulge in such sin again. I’ve asked for forgiveness from God, and…
Read MoreI have been suicidal for years. I have so many problems and I don’t like who I am
Question: I have been suicidal for years, and nothing seems to get better. Most people went through what I have gone through and are doing a little better. I feel like some are bless and some aren’t. That’s life! I love Jesus and wish I was good enough for him. I know no one is…
Read MoreMy former girlfriend wants to get back together with me, but I don’t know if I should take the risk
Question: Hi brother Hamilton, I need a bit of help here. I was courting a young lady for the past several years. I made indications that I wanted us to marry and she told me she wanted to wait. Our relationship got strained. I’m not sure because of that issue or because she was busy…
Read MoreHow can I help my boyfriend who has Tourette’s and ADD?
Question: I’m 19 years old and my boyfriend is 20. Our situation is really complicated, so I’m going to tell you about our past. Most of our relationship was before I gave my life to Christ. Let me start by saying he has Tourettes and ADD. When I first met him he was very lustful.…
Read MoreMy husband is committing adultery but also talking about becoming a Christian
Question: My husband and I have been together for 10 years and married for 2. We have a 7-year-old child together. He admitted to having sexual chemistry with a colleague a few months ago and she started visiting more regularly. I became suspicious but said nothing. My husband cheated on me with her the day…
Read MoreShould I dump my boyfriend because he keeps pushing for sex?
Question: I’ve been dating this guy for over six months now. When we first met, he seemed very dedicated to God. I loved the way he always spoke about God and seemed to have God first over everything. We even use to fast together! We started dating, but only saw each other once a month…
Read MoreIs it wrong to find your own mate?
Question: Hi, I am extremely thankful for your guidance in my spiritual life. But until we die, we have to keep fighting Satan. Things could have been gone easily, but they are not. I was brought up in a very reserved family. I am not comfortable talking freely to my parents. My parents are planning…
Read MoreMy marriage is ending in divorce because of my anger and I need advice
Question: Hello, I have a marital question and I am desperately seeking God’s guidance, hopefully through your advice. I have been married for about five years now. We are a young couple in our early twenties. Since the beginning of our relationship, we have always had a special bond and got along great prior to…
Read MoreAm I sinning by seeing a woman who still lives with her husband, though she says they are separated?
Question: I’m seeing a woman who lives with her husband but is separating and has no relationship with him. She stays together with him for the kids’ sake, but this has been going on for two years. Am I committing a sin? I honestly believe her that they are not together, but I’m confused if…
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