Drinking in the Bible
Grapes Matthew 7:16 Old Testament Sermon with Audio: Drinking in the Old Testament Article: Old Testament Beverages New Testament Sermon with audio: Drinking in the New Testament Article: New Testament Beverages
Read MoreIt Is Scriptural to Pay Preachers
by Billy Moore via For a Better Understanding, March / April 2010 “..the laborer is worthy of his hire… ” (Luke 10:7). “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:14). “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all…
Read MoreWhy do I feel used by the guys I had sex with?
Question: Hello. I am glad I found this web site. Now I know that prayer is the answer to this question, and I have already prayed many times, but I need to post this. I am in my late twenties. I was a virgin until three years ago. I had never even kissed a boy,…
Read MoreMust you be baptized even after saying the prayer of salvation?
Question: I was wandering if you had to be baptized, even after saying the prayer of salvation to be completely saved. Answer: Just one small problem — there is no mention of salvation coming through prayer in the Bible. To claim to be saved by saying a prayer, then, is to make up your own…
Read MoreThe Importance of Covenants – Part I
The Importance of Covenants – Part 1The Importance of Covenants – Part 2 Text: Genesis 9:9-17 I. People have lost their understanding of covenants. People really don’t understand them or their importance. A. In part, it is because we don’t honor our word as we once did as a people. 1. Like New Year resolutions, they only…
Read MoreSince the church isn’t the building, you can’t make rules about how the building is used
Question: You are right in that you say the church is not to be an entertainment organization. But the picture you put on that site is not the church! You started out by saying that the church (Did you mean that building in the picture? That isn’t the church!) had no kitchen, etc. But, I…
Read MoreHypothetically Speaking
by Chad Sychtysz via Biblical Insights, v. 10, no. 11, November 2010 Perhaps you have been in the following situation. You are sitting down with a non-Christian friend and an open Bible. You explain the need to be obedient to the gospel and what this involves. You talk about the need for belief and repentance; so…
Read MoreHow do you handle a violent father?
Question: I am really disturbed. My dad who has been very violent since my mum joined him in a foreign country. He was broke and moved to this new country for business. Several years down the line, my mum came and joined him, but he has become proud and arrogant. Worse still there are rumors…
Read MoreThe Law and the Gospel (Kiser)
by M. W. Kiser via, The Sower, Vol. 53, No. 5, Sept/Oct. 2008. “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they…
Read MoreTen Commandments
by Carl A. Allen In a home Bible class, I was told, “All you have to do, to be saved, is to keep the Ten Commandments!” I looked at the lady and said, “You do not believe that.” She responded, “Yes I do!” I posed a question, “Must one believe in Jesus to be saved?”…
Read MoreWhat about the Ten Commandments?
by Jerry Blount It seems a constant source of confusion among Christians to determine our relationship to the Ten Commandments. How do we sort all this out? On the one hand, Paul said, For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing…
Read MoreWill the summer and winter seasons switch just before the end of the world?
Question: Thanks for clearing up many questions I had regarding the Flaws in the “Iraq – Interesting” E-Mail. I received it yesterday and knew it was incorrect but didn’t know where I could get some answers without extensive Bible study. I’ll check your site often to read your articles. I have a question: I’m told that in the Bible…
Read MoreWhat if the husband is convinced of the head covering, but his wife isn’t?
Question: What if the husband is convinced of the head covering, but his wife isn’t? Answer: Since the head covering is a sign of submission, the answer is no different from a husband who is convinced that his wife should be submissive, but she isn’t. The command: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to…
Read MoreIs a spouse texting people of the opposite sex, is that adultery?
Question: If you are married and your spouse is texting other people outside the marriage of the opposite sex, is that a form of cheating or adultery? Answer: No. Adultery is having sex with someone when either is married to someone else. People talk with other people all the time and texting is a modern…
Read MoreThe Spiritual Significance of Baptism
by Mark Larson via Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 6, Feb. 8, 2009. “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the…
Read MoreThe Jews Find Their King
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/JewsFindTheirKing.mp3 by Steve Brewer
Read MoreDoes the Bible say the earth will be renewed at Jesus’ coming?
Question: Once again I have a question that I dealing with. I recently had a friend of mine converted to Seventh-Day Adventist religion. He has been studying with them and basically accepted a lot of their beliefs that they are teaching. He has even provided me the events surrounding the second coming of Jesus from…
Read MoreKings During the Divided Kingdom
From I Kings Judah Israel Prophets Solomon (Mostly Good) 40 years I Kings 1-11 Nathan I Kings 1 Ahijah I Kings 11 Iddo Rehoboam (Evil) 17 years I Kings 12:1-24; 14:21-31; 15:6 Jeroboam (Evil) 22 years I Kings 11:26-40; 12:1-14:20 Ahijah I Kings 14 Shemaiah Iddo Abijam (Abijah) (Evil ) 3 years Started 18th year…
Read MoreDoes the fact that the wise men followed a star mean that astrology is acceptable?
Question: The wise men saw the star and came to Bethlehem. My Hindu friend said that he believes in astrology. He says because the wise men saw the star. He concludes that Christianity depends on the stars. But in the Bible you should not go to astrologers, so why did the wise men watch the…
Read MoreIf the Righteous Scarcely Be Saved …
by George Hutto “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let…
Read MoreIf I Had More I Would . . .
by Van James The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, is full of all sorts of information about us. I saw some figures from it the other day that I thought were interesting. They told us how much of our income was used for “charitable contributions.” In the…
Read MoreIs every divorce that is not for fornication a sin?
Question: “How it is possible for a requirement that if a woman divorces her husband, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband (a command by the Lord according to Paul) if the only allowed cause for divorce is fornication which gives by implication the non-fornicator the right to remarry?” Paul is repeating…
Read MoreIf God doesn’t tempt with evil, then why did He send Saul an evil spirit?
Question: Can you explain what the evil spirit is in I Samuel 16:14 that was from the Lord? I don’t understand what this could be in light of passages such as Romans 2:11, James 1:13, etc. Answer: “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him”…
Read MoreHow do I handle a Christian on my campus team who is repeatedly intoxicated?
Question: At the college I attend, “team housing” is offered, meaning that students who are on an academic or athletic team are housed together in one house (with separate wings for male and female students). I am the president of the academic team I live with, and I am having a problem with one a…
Read MoreI found a few mistakes in your answer about Galatians 5:12
Question: Hi there, I was doing a little research into Galatians 5:12, where Paul wishes that those who unsettle the Galatians would emasculate themselves. I came across your article, “In Galatians 5:12, is Paul actually wishing that some would emasculate themselves?” Thank you for the article, I appreciate you taking the time to write it.…
Read MoreHow do you handle questions you can’t understand? Does it cause you to doubt that God exists?
Question: Have you ever doubted if God really exists? Have you ever been bothered about Eve coming from Adam’s rib or the apes theory? Or just anything science comes up with? Because I have. I don’t know how to get rid of it because I honestly don’t want to be an atheist. I think my Bible…
Read MoreI made a mess of my marriage, having a child out of wedlock. How do I go about repairing the damage?
Question: I am in some distress. I desire to go back to the Holy Eucharist, but I have messed up my marriage with an out of wedlock son. I have made my wife cry a lot, but she doesn’t know about the child. She does know about the child’s mother. I am hating myself and…
Read MoreIf someone catches me hurting myself, would God use that against me?
Question: What happens if I disobey Jesus right now? Like for example, if somebody catches me hurting myself would God use that against me? If somebody caught me hurting myself, would Jesus use that person to stick me under a suicide watch at a hospital? Answer: If you thought someone you loved was about to…
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Concerning One’s Knowledge Before Baptism . . .
How Much Is Enough?
by Jim King How much should a person know before being baptized into Christ? It’s a good question, and one we need to consider as we teach people the gospel. On the one hand, some accounts of conversions in Acts seem to imply a very introductory understanding of the facts about Jesus. Cornelius (Acts 10)…
Read MoreThe Sunday Supper
by Gary Eubanks It is a question of critical importance whether the Scriptures require members of a local church to assemble to partake of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, or Sunday. If they do not, the frequency of church assemblies then becomes a discretionary matter and churches may arbitrarily choose…
Read MoreWhen It’s All About Me
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/WhenItsAllAboutMe.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 12:13-21 I. Peter once tried to hide the fact that he followed Jesus. A. Despite repeated accusations that he was seen with Jesus, he denied the truth. B. But one servant called his bluff, pointing out “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you” (Matthew 26:73).…
Read MoreDoes the baptism of the Holy Spirit give you the power to fight sin?
Question: Hi! Does the baptism of the Holy Spirit give you the power to fight sin? Does the baptism of the Holy Spirit give you the power to overcome sin? Answer: Peter was baptized with the Holy Spirit: “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but…
Read MoreSelfish Christians
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/SelfishChristians.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 18:23-35 I. Some people are quick to tell you what you need to do, but they can’t see anything that needs improvement in their own lives at the moment. A. I had a phone call that had me thinking about this. 1. A woman was looking for a haircut for…
Read MoreIs all sarcasm sin?
Question: Is all sarcasm sin? Answer: Sarcasm is defined as “witty language used to convey insults or scorn.” Generally, sarcasm appears to be praise, often over the top, which actually conveys disapproval. Sarcasm, considered by itself, is not sinful. It is a language technique that can get a person to sit up and take notice…
Read MoreIs it possible to step back after you think you are going too far?
Question: I’ve been reading this site and you give such meaningful advice to people, so I wanted to ask a question of my own: Is it possible to take a leap backward after you feel like you and your boyfriend have gone too far physically? We haven’t had any sexual contact, but I’m afraid that…
Read MoreDidn’t Jesus say we should tithe?
Question: I’d advise you to change your stance toward tithing. I think there is a passage in the New Testament where Jesus says, you tithe your mint, rue, and spices but you don’t practice justice. You should as you do the latter and you shouldn’t forget the former. Be blessed, man of God, and if…
Read MoreAre you supposed to acknowledge that you are quoting from the NKJV?
Question: If you quote from the New King James Version aren’t you suppose to include a proper acknowledgment? I think it can be found near the preface if there is one in your NKJV. If you don’t include the proper acknowledgment they want is that not breaking copyright law? Answer: Thomas Nelson Publishers ask: The…
Read MoreWhen Jesus was dying on the cross and called out Father why have you forsaken me, how could Jesus be God at this time?
Question: I was given a question that I really don’t know how to answer or at least the young man doesn’t want to accept my answer. His question was: “When Jesus was dying on the cross and called out Father why have you forsaken me, how could Jesus be God at this time?” Please help…
Read MoreAm I married?
Question: OK. Well, let me provide some background information. I am a believer. I met a girl who is also a believer. We became boyfriend and girlfriend. During the relationship, we would talk about marriage and getting married and the intent of the relationship was to one day get married. We would say things like…
Read MoreI’m sorry for the adultery I’ve done, but my wife is leaving me and I don’t know what to do
Question: I have been married for a few years. My wife and I have several children. About two months ago she filed for divorce, and it’s destroying me. I’m searching for God. I spoke to the Lord now and prayed that He may give me a word. He did: Proverbs chapters 2 to 5. I…
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