If a guy is drunk at his wedding, is he really married?
Question: My “soulmate” had gotten himself in a messy situation about ten years ago. We had been dating but had split due to distance. While I was gone he started seeing another girl (at the time he was 18) whom he slept with. When I returned, however, he told me that it was me he…
Read MoreWhy does a person have to leave his second marriage to become a Christian?
Question: I have a question about the question and answer article: Do I have to divorce my husband in order to be baptized? I am a member of a church of Christ, and we are currently struggling with our study on this subject. As I’m sure you are familiar with, this brings a bit of tension…
Read MoreDoes God give us our names?
Question: Does God give us our names? Answer: Depends on which name you are referring to. If you mean the designations like Christian, disciple, or child of God, then, yes, those come from God. If you mean your birth name then, no, that was the name your parents picked out for you. There are times…
Read MoreMy boyfriend and I have been living together for years. Now that I am a Christian, should I move out?
Question: Hi, I’ve been struggling with this question of cohabiting. My boyfriend and I have been living together for about five years. We have one child together who is four years old and I have a child who’s thirteen years old. I recently gave my life to the Lord back near the start of this…
Read MoreSometimes I feel Jesus when I pray and other times I don’t. Am I going in the right direction?
Question: Hello, I really need your help. Every day I go off and pray. Sometimes I feel Jesus and it feels great, but other times I don’t feel Him and I become worried. I’m confused about whether I am going on the right path or not. When I don’t feel him I think He is…
Read MoreIf God condemned something in the past does that mean the law remains?
Question: Hello! I came across a website today about Leviticus and homosexuality. At the bottom it said the following: “Now, if God never changes and never goes back on His word, what He says in Leviticus stands for all time. Thus, what He condemns in the Old Testament remains condemned into the New Testament and…
Read MoreWhat if, while I encourage Christians, I end up encouraging members of a false religion?
Question: I have recently finished another article about letting our acts and voices continue to confess Christ throughout our lives. I was wondering though, what if I end up encouraging someone from a false religion to do more for their denomination? My aim is to encourage Christians, but it’s always possible that this might happen. …
Read MoreWhen Communication Breaks Down
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WhenCommunicationBreaksDown.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 11:1-9 I. After the flood, mankind feared to obey God’s command to spread once again across the world. A. They took it into their heads to build a great city and a tower that would make a name for themselves. B. Mankind was united, but they were united in sin.…
Read MoreShould I divorce my husband of less than a year?
Question: I came across your website by chance while searching for information on divorce and separation. Below is my question: I have been married since earlier this year and separated from my husband only a few months later. I am older than my husband, and unfortunately, we didn’t date as long as we should. I…
Read MoreWhy do the Jews teach different doctrines from the New Testament?
Question: I was wondering why the Jews think Satan isn’t evil and of God to test people. They think that hell isn’t eternal. And that the Messiah will be a normal man, not the Son of God, who will rebuild the church in Israel and bring people back to Judaism. If the New Testament doesn’t…
Read MoreHow does the Holy Spirit testify to people today?
Question: Hello, I was reading your page and I was wondering if you thought that the Holy Spirit testifies with people today. I can see what you mean by churches making a following off these emotional responses but are you saying that God doesn’t have a way of testifying with us to let us know…
Read MoreHow could I, as a Christian, have committed adultery when I knew it was wrong?
Question: I was baptized at 18. I know I honestly wanted to live for God and to commit myself to Him. Fast forward to age 25 when I got married and only shortly after getting married I found myself actively participating in an adulterous sexual relationship. I knew it was wrong I even told the…
Read MoreYour articles are enjoyable as well as a learning tool for me
Question: Greetings! I have been reading the articles consisting of different topics on your website. It has been an enjoyment as well as a learning tool for me personally. I greatly appreciate it for sharing with everyone the articles. Answer: I’m happy to be of service.
Read MoreCan Christians receive massages?
Question: Can Christians receive massages? Answer: It would depend on the purpose of the massage. There would be nothing wrong with a massage to loosen sore muscles, but a massage that arouses sexual feelings would be wrong. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each…
Read MoreDo I have to give up my girlfriend to become a Christian?
Question: Hello, I am a 19-year-old young man studying with a church. I have been studying for over a year and a half and now I am ready to get baptized. I have made it my effort to not only learn the word of God, but to also apply it to my life. I pray…
Read MoreIs staying home because of an illness “forsaking the assemblies?”
Question: Hello, I read a section of your website that had to do with “not forsaking the assembling.” Could you give me your thoughts considering the following: Because I have been very low physically (adrenal fatigue State II and related diagnosis of hypoglycemia and extreme hormone imbalance) I have not attended church these last two…
Read MoreShould Christians fill out census forms?
Question: I would like to know how a Christian should react to government requests to fill out census forms. Answer: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of…
Read MoreWhy can’t I repent of my fornication?
Question: I’m a 26-year-old female. I got saved at the early age of 10. My grandmother is the one that first took me and my sisters to church, taught us how to pray and read the word of God. I learned from that early age that as a woman I had to stay pure until…
Read MoreWhy do we need both redemption and forgiveness?
Question: I’ve read The Living Redeemer article. But why do we need redemption and forgiveness? (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). Is redemption not enough? Kindly explain. Answer: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness…
Read MoreDid Jesus physically arise?
Question: When Jesus rose from the dead, what form (human, spiritual, or something else) was he in when he appeared to the women and the apostles? Upon death, He gave up his spirit (Matthew 27:50) or his soul (Isaiah 53:12) but yet he did not want Mary to “cling to me”. Some apostles saw Him…
Read MoreHow do you honor a bipolar mother and an autistic brother?
Question: I’m trying to follow the whole honor thy mother and father thing. My father is not around and my mom is hard to deal with. She and I argue sometimes, but she is also skitzo and bipolar. She seems like she’s a normal person, but she told me I have no idea what she…
Read MoreI’m not sure I understood the purpose of baptism when I was baptized. Should I do it again?
Question: I was baptized when I was eleven years old (I am sixteen right now), but I am not sure that I completely understood what the purpose of baptism was. It was my choice to be baptized, but at that age, I was aware that baptism brings me to God, but I was not aware…
Read MoreI’m living with my fiancee, but we are not having sex. Am I living in sin?
Question: Hello, I’ve been a newborn in Christ for about three years. Jesus 180’d my life. My problem is that I’ve been with my fiancee for ten years now. She is starting to get closer to God but not convicted as I am yet. She wants that relationship I have with Jesus. The problem is…
Read MoreFood, Gimmicks, and Recreation
by Jeff May Problems arise as we strive to serve God faithfully, but God has given us a tree – the tree of Calvary, to be used in such situations, just as Moses cast in the tree at Mariah to resolve the problem of the bad water (Exodus 5), and Elisha cast in the tree…
Read MoreWhat do we do if he can’t afford the dowry (Lobola)?
Question: I have been dating this man for the past three years, and I love him so much. We grew up together in the church but we started dating when I was in my early twenties. He was supposed to pay a dowry (lobola) but he lost his job. This happened again this year, but…
Read MoreCarnal Appeals
by Greg Gwin Free pizza, clowns, hot air balloon rides … you name it, and some religious group has tried it as a scheme to draw folks to their services. These things are fun! Who wouldn’t like to play ball, eat good food, and be entertained? But, here’s the problem — these things all appeal…
Read MoreAmen
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Amen.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 27:14-26 I. Deuteronomy 27:14-26 A. What did it mean when the people said “Amen?” B. Amen started as a Hebrew word 1. It was transliterated into Greek and then eventually into English 2. Same pronunciation, but with an English spelling 3. It also retained the original meaning. 4. Interestingly, it is nearly a universal…
Read MoreWas Paul a false apostle?
Question: I have recently stumbled onto some information. Apparently, some Christians think that the apostle Paul was a false apostle and false teacher. They say that he taught Jesus “faith only” while Jesus himself clearly taught faith + works. I am deeply troubled by this and feel my world has been turned upside-down just when…
Read MoreShould Gay Rights be Voted On?
Source: Juan Perez Jr and Erin Golden, “Churches push to get Omaha vote on gay rights,” Omaha World-Herald, 14 October 2012 This is an issue local to my region, but arguments reflect a national trend. The Omaha city council last spring, by a close vote of 4 to 3, passed a measure that gave lesbian, gay,…
Read MoreMy best friend has started to smoke. How do I make him stop?
Question: I’m 14 years old and female. My best friend (who’s a guy) has just started smoking cigs and will start smoking weed soon. He doesn’t know how much I care about him. Since I am an only child, I view him as my older brother (he’s older than me by half a year). I…
Read MoreHow can you discount things like radiocarbon dating and fossils?
Question: First, what does this mean: “Faith is the demonstration of your prejudice”? Second, how do you discount things like radiocarbon dating and fossils? If God created Adam and Eve as the first humans, then where did everyone else come from after them? Was incest acceptable back then because if there was only Adam and…
Read MoreWhy is it so hard to get over an ex-boyfriend?
Question: Why is it so hard for me to leave my ex-boyfriend alone? I was involved with him at one time, but I came back to the Lord, got baptized, and am focusing more on Jesus. I thought I was delivered and set free it. There had been times I could do good when I…
Read MoreIf I dream a woman wanted me, does it not mean we are married?
Question: I was in a dream one night and saw a lady in my church trying to sleep with me. I ran away from her but she was desperate. Her younger brother, with her in that dream, was asking me why I don’t want to marry his sister. Physically, she was not the one I…
Read MoreHave I sinned sexually by grinding with my boyfriend? Should I stop wearing my purity ring?
Question: I don’t know if I feel guilty or not. Should I be wearing my purity ring? I am dating a man quite a bit older than me. We have known each other for nearly three years but have only begun dating in the past two months. I really liked this guy for a good…
Read MoreHow can I glorify God in everything I do but still have fun in the process?
Question: I’m a 14-year-old guy. Most guys like to play sports, games, computers, etc. Well when I’m taking part in these activities, I’m thinking to myself, “stop idolizing this stuff, you could be reading the Bible instead.” In other words, whenever I am doing something fun, it feels like I should be reading the Word…
Read MoreBelieving the Bible’s Creation Account is Called “Pagan Superstition”
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day” (Exodus 20:11). WorldNetDaily released an article on May 6, 2006, titled “Bible literalism ‘pagan superstition’?” In it are quotes from a Vatican astronomer, Guy Consolmagno. For…
Read MoreOnce again your articles are super helpful
Question: Once again your articles are super helpful. Today I was studying Romans 9. Thanks for all you guys do! Answer: It is good to hear that the efforts here are helping others.
Read MoreHow do I find a church?
Question: Hello, I really want to become a Christian and be saved, but my problem is finding the right church. By the way, to whomever this is going to, I found this website and don’t know how I have forgotten but I love it. I started to cry and I cry all the time when…
Read MoreMy boyfriend has been cheating on me, but now he wants to get married and I don’t know if I should
Question: How do I continue with the father of my two children, with whom I’ve been in a relationship for 13 years and just found out he might be the father of a baby whose mother is the person I found him cheating on me with two years ago? Do I believe his story about…
Read MoreBefore You Click “Forward”
by Bryan Matthew Dockens Before forwarding that next e-mail, consider the following: Is It Morally Correct? Inasmuch as “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance” (Proverbs 15:13), it is nice to send and receive jokes and humorous stories, but care must be exercised in doing so. The Scriptures describe “coarse jesting” as behavior that should…
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