Why doesn’t God prevent innocent children from being harmed?
Question: A man was baby sitting the seventeen month old son of his girlfriend when he struck and killed the infant for acting like a girl. The man is charged with first-degree manslaughter after he allegedly hit the boy “several times throughout his body with closed fists.” Apparently, he then grabbed the infant by the…
Read MoreWhere do you draw the line with sinful relatives?
Question: My husband has a relative that is a practicing Wiccan doing witchcraft and ‘spells’ and always wears her ‘Wiccan necklace’ that she’s proud of. She was raised to know about Jesus and God. But in her early teens, she got caught up in witchcraft. My husband’s question is: is it wrong for all his…
Read MoreAm I committing adultery by looking?
Question: I have a question maybe you can answer because I think I’m in a very strange and confusing situation. Since very young I like women, very much. I also did watch a lot of pornography but not anymore. So I did and sometimes still look at women a lot. I’m married now, and I…
Read MoreDid Jesus have a choice about dying on the cross?
Question: I have a question that I hope you can help me with: I was raised in the church of Christ, but in my twenties, I quit attending. After three decades, I returned and am now a faithful member. A lot of things changed in the years that I was away. One thing that really…
Read MoreGod didn’t keep my wife from leaving me, so I give up following God
Question: I desired to follow God the best I could. I stopped my wayward ways in the world. I got married. In fact, my now ex-wife became a Christian first and I have to say she was a good wife. I just don’t know what happened. I didn’t see this coming at all. It took…
Read MoreWhat Boys, Girls, and Their Parents Need To Know
by Wendi Capehart The following is adapted from an old post the good blogger at Wit-nit wrote. He wished to illustrate just how heady and disorienting a brew lust can be, how dangerous in the hands of the immature, but he is not a believer and he wrote an R-rated post. He allowed me to…
Read MoreCan you explain Zechariah 13:1-5? I don’t see how it talks about the ending of prophecy and demons
Question: Could you explain to me the passage in Zechariah 13 where it talks about the prophets, the idols, and the unclean spirit? Because if God removed the unclean spirit, why is the devil still here tempting Christians? And what does “from the land of Israel” mean? Is it actually the place Israel or is…
Read MorePeople are really bashing the Bible and Jesus’ teaching in attempting to forbid the eating of meat
Question: I’m a hunter who’s also a Christian and I see no problem with providing food for my family. People are really bashing the Bible and is twisting Jesus’ teachings to their liking. I read the ‘Was Jesus a Vegetarian?’ and I loved it! Answer: Thank you for your kind words. Yes, there are all sorts…
Read MoreYour sermon on modesty was just what I was looking for
Question: I have been asked to do a split session with our teen girls on modesty. In my internet searching for illustrations, I stumble across your sermon. I have books, printouts, and many other sources, and needed help consolidating. What you have put together is exactly what I was looking for. You gave good illustrations…
Read MoreI don’t see how Zechariah 13:1-5 talks about the ending of prophecy and demons
Question: Could you explain to me the passage in Zechariah 13 where it talks about the prophets, the idols, and the unclean spirit? Because if God removed the unclean spirit, why is the devil still here tempting Christians? And what does “from the land of Israel” mean? Is it actually the place Israel or is…
Read MoreCan you explain what “if we sin willfully” in Hebrews 10:26 means?
Question: I am confused at what I am reading in Hebrews 10:26-27: “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (ESV). I am confused because I know…
Read MoreHow could “out of Egypt I have called my Son” be about Jesus?
Question: About the “from Egypt I called my son” prophecy: Was God applying the same thing to Jesus and to Ephraim? Answer: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son” (Hosea 11:1). Egypt was a nation given over to idolatry. Hence, when Israel left Egypt they also…
Read MoreWhat if the used software I bought doesn’t allow for resale? What should I do?
Question: Hi. This may seem like an odd question. In the past, I have bought used computer games, sold computer games, and installed computer games on my computer. My brother bought and games that were my stepdad’s. According to the terms of agreement in many computer software, you do not own the software and are…
Read MoreIf eating meat is right, then why did Paul say he would never again eat meat?
Question: This may be an old issue, but doesn’t Paul also say that if someone is offended he would ‘never again eat meat’? Also, I wonder how you could write that God would consider killing animals lightly because that is not the impression I get from Isaiah. Answer: I always wonder about people who make…
Read MoreCarey Scott’s article was very interesting and informative
Question: Shalom, Just wanted to say I found the writing about Exodus 4:25-26 by Carey Scott very interesting and informative. Thank you. Answer: Happy to be of service.
Read MoreHow do I stay out of the trap of pornography?
Question: Dear sir, I need your help. I’m fighting hard to remain sexually pure. At one time I was trapped by pornography, but I want to remain pure until marriage. It’s really hard for a twenty-seven year old. I have such a burning desire. Answer: It depends on how you look at the situation. You…
Read MoreHow do I get out of a forced marriage?
Question: I was forcefully married; there was no court wedding. Now, I no longer want the marriage. What do I do? Answer: A statement doesn’t establish the truth. You said you were forced into marriage, but you didn’t say how this oddity happened. You even imply that you had in the past accepted the marriage,…
Read MoreWould it be wrong to make up a mythology for a fantasy story?
Question: Would it be bad to make up a mythology for a fantasy story? I have thought hard about it, and realize that I could try and make the story cleaner (no pre-marital sex, no details of sex, no extreme violence, no profanity), but because it is a different universe, it will have a set…
Read MoreAre all violent video games wrong?
Question: A while back we discussed video games and movies, and I mentioned that my husband is an avid video game player. Anyway, I know the violence is wrong in games, but what if the characters that you are fighting in a game look more like animals or impossible-looking monsters, then is it still bad? It’s…
Read MoreDoes a wife have to stay with a hurtful and abusive husband?
Question: I don’t know what to do. I am a member of the church and I know that I have to be submissive to my husband, but he does some things that aren’t very nice. He only wants oral and anal sex. He says that I have to do it because the Bible commands it.…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to love the world?
Question: What does it mean to love the world? Answer: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of…
Read MoreHow do you quit drinking and smoking?
Question: How do you quit drinking and smoking? Answer: There is no magic involved. It really depends on your determination on what you want controlling your life, a box of leaves rolled up in paper, a bottle of liquid, or you. It won’t be easy because tobacco alters the chemistry in your body and alcohol…
Read MoreAre women less than men?
Question: Are women less than men? Because the Bible says it’s disgraceful for a woman to talk in the church. Seems like she’s something dirty. Answer: I wonder about the question because I don’t believe you think your mother or any other woman is inferior. It leaves me with the conclusion that you don’t want…
Read MoreLiving for God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/LivingForGod.mp3 by PJ Anderson
Read MoreHow can the prodigal son come back when it is supposed to be impossible for the fallen to come back?
Question: Doesn’t the prodigal son passage contradict the part in the Bible where it says that those who’ve fallen cannot be brought back? It’s confusing me. Answer: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the…
Read MoreDoes faith mean you never doubt?
Question: Does faith mean that you’ll never ever doubt something? I’ve been sad lately because there are things in the Bible that I don’t understand and these things have caused me to doubt Jesus. But when I doubted, I get sad because I think, “I’m not saved because I’m not believing in Jesus.” But then…
Read MoreIs it bad to kill bugs?
Question: This is probably going to sound like a very strange question, but is it a sin to kill bugs? Normally I try to save all the bugs that I can, even the spiders and transport them outside so they’ll be nice and safe and happy. My parents laugh at me because I try so…
Read MoreHow could the spirit Paul cast out be not from God when it told the truth?
Question: The Bible teaches how to recognize the spirits. It says that every spirit who denies Jesus Christ isn’t from God. But what about Acts 16:16-18? The spirit in this girl wasn’t from God, and it still said that Paul was saying the truth about salvation. Answer: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test…
Read MoreDo I let my son and his live-in girlfriend come for Thanksgiving?
Question: My son is in his late twenties, a college graduate, and in the military. He is very responsible and has had a Christian upbringing. He has just returned from deployment, and his wife has left him. He is now “serious” about someone else and living with her. Now says that he believes this is all…
Read MoreI don’t think I had that great of a need for baptism when I was 13. Should I get baptized again?
Question: Is it a biblical fact that those in the Bible recorded as being baptized are all in the context of being fully matured adults? If yes, is there any significance to this in regards to baptism? I was baptized at the early age of 13. I understood why, so thus I believe all was…
Read MoreThe Bible Alone Is the Standard
by David J. Riggs from Catholic Teaching Examined The apostle Paul said, “…How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of…
Read MoreWhy do you feel the need to say that other religions are wrong?
Question: Hi, I’m just wondering why do you feel the need to tell everyone else that their religions are wrong? How are you so sure yours is right? You don’t have any more proof then other religions do. I just think it’s ridiculous that you and other people feel it’s up to them to change…
Read MoreI don’t think I’ve said “thank you” enough
Question: I just wanted to drop a note about how much I appreciate the work you’ve done on the La Vista web site. I’ve taken advantage of it many times, but I don’t think I’ve often enough said, “thank you.” I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a moment wasted when I come here for…
Read MoreWho are the daughters of Jerusalem?
Question: Who are the daughters of Jerusalem? Answer: The phrase “daughters of Jerusalem” was first used in the Song of Solomon. These are the ladies of the court, the wives of Solomon’s political marriages, potential brides for future arrangements, as well as the wives of Solomon’s noblemen who attended him at court. Being leading ladies,…
Read MoreBaptized for the Dead
“Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?” (I Corinthians 15:29 ASV). From Queries and Answers by David Lipscomb, pages 49-50. To determine the meaning of a sentence, we must look at its connection, purpose, and scope. This…
Read MoreAre temporary meetings, such as at a remote military base, really a church?
Question: I have a question about a certain type of assembly that I am not sure is scriptural. During the invitation at the church building tonight, the speaker used Matthew 18:15-20 to distinguish between individual, group, and church. I agreed with the points he made. After the lesson, there was some lively discussion between the…
Read MoreDaniel’s Seventy Weeks
Seventy WeeksSeventy Weeks Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Daniel 9:20-27 A. Many ideas have been attributed to what was predicted by Gabriel in this prophecy and when these things would take place. B. I will not claim to be an expert on these matters, but I would like to examine this prophecy in detail so that…
Read MoreBack to Basics: The Kingdom
by Frank Jamerson Some who are teaching that there is no distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant are teaching an absolute distinction between the kingdom and the church. When those who profess to be teachers of God’s word say “the kingdom of God is not the ekklesia, the church,” it is time…
Read MoreBack To Basics: Covenants
by Frank Jamerson When brethren make such statements as: “Jesus did not come to establish a covenant which was different from any previous arrangements,” and “Jesus is the covenant victim, not a covenant maker or law-maker,” it indicates a dire need to get back to basics. When men are confused about the difference between the…
Read MoreI don’t think a preacher caught in adultery should continue without some disciplinary action
Question: I have been reading your many posts on marriage and relationships. I am somewhat confused in regards to your reply to “If a minister has committed adultery, should he step down even though he has repented of his sin.” It seems that you say that the preacher can continue in his ministerial service without…
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