Isn’t justification by faith alone?
Question: Isn’t justification by faith alone? Answer: It is common for people to approach the Scriptures with blinders on, seeking to prove their point by selective use of passages from the Bible. I find it amazing that when I state that justification is not by faith alone that people turn this around and claim that I’m…
Read MoreIsn’t long hair on men a sign of rebellion only since the 1960s?
Question: In regards to “Why do even non-Christians look down on men with long hair?”, your quote associating long hair with a rebellious attitude is only a post 60’s statement, only. I don’t know of another time when long hair was a sign of ‘rebellion’ outside of the era of the ’60s. Many of the…
Read MorePromises, Promises
Text: Matthew 23:16-22 I. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to a old and seemingly popular statement – Matthew 5:33 A. This and the other five quotes are introduced by the phrase “You have heard it was said to those of old” 1. This is not the usual way that Jesus quotes from the Old…
Read MoreDisciplining Children
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 12:4-13 I. It appears that at least some people realize that modern child-rearing philosophies don’t work. From our website people are continually looking for answers to questions, such as A. What kind of consequence or punishment should you give a child who lies, steals, is rebellious, is disobedient, is using…
Read MoreDo members of the church of Christ believe they are the only ones going to heaven?
Question: Does the church of Christ believe they’re the only ones going to heaven? My brother married someone that goes to a church that’s a hard-core church of Christ. He’s going nuts. He will hardly look at my family and argues all the time about baptism before salvation. He has given up on the family…
Read MoreIs “body of Christ” more proper than “church of Christ”?
Question: I was recently given some materials about using “church” in the name “Church of Christ”. Apparently, this information came from another congregation, whose minister has been known to be very determined to prove a point or very legalistic. The congregation is also the “Church of Christ”. The question is using “church” instead of “body…
Read MoreWhen should I leave a church?
Question: I am looking for guidance on where I should worship in general and more specifically: If there are multiple sound congregations nearby, must I worship with the most local? Am I free (in God’s eyes) to change which local congregations I worship with as I please? When must I leave or disfellowship a congregation?…
Read MoreDidn’t the Christians in Troas worship on the Sabbath?
Question: You will realize that in Acts 20:7 the meeting and breaking of bread were done in the night, meaning, or if we may presume, that these people had been worshiping together on the Sabbath. Since we know that a day then started at sunset, so Paul did preach to them. just as we Christians…
Read MoreIs Assyria the same as Syria today?
Question: Is Assyria the same as Syria today? Answer: Assyria was an ancient empire whose capital city was Nineveh (II Kings 19:36). It was primarily located in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the western end — roughly where Iraq is currently located. Syria was kingdom located at the northeast corner…
Read MoreProphets Today? Think Again!
by Garreth L. Clair Kenneth Copeland “Copeland’s Prophecy Fails” by Bill Dillon False prophets are in abundance in today’s world and occasionally these religious pretenders over play their hand and say too much. Kenneth Copeland did on December 12, 2001. At a dedication service Copeland asserted that one billion Muslims would be converted in the…
Read MoreThe Great Giveaway
Text: Luke 14:25-33 I. A Christian came to me and handed me a note one which was written “Luke 14:33 cannot be a disciple unless give up possessions. Why? 2 Cor. 8:14 for equality” A. I immediately told him he was wrong. B. His reply was how can he be wrong, he just quoted what the Bible…
Read MoreThe Development of the New Testament Text
by Jim Snapp II The history of the development of the New Testament begins (of course) with the original text. The first document to contain the original text is called the “autograph.” That is what the “A” in this box stands for. By “autograph,” I do not necessarily mean the text written by the main…
Read MoreWhat is a lady?
Question: What is a lady? Answer: In England, a lady was a woman who was married to a lord. Thus over the years, the term has become a polite way of addressing woman, such as “The nice lady at the book store helped me find a good Bible.” Its complement is calling a man a…
Read MoreWhat was the climate like in Jesus’ time?
Question: I am doing an assignment on Jesus. Two questions which I am really struggling to find information on are: What was the weather like and what was the climate like in Jesus’ time? What crops were grown in Jesus’ time? If you have any information about any of these could you please let me…
Read MoreA co-worker isn’t speaking to me. Should I ask her what is wrong?
Question: I have a question that relates to a fellow co-worker. We once had a very nice relationship where we could talk about stuff, and recently it has changed for the worse. I have pondered why it has gone this way for a while and now we are at the point where we do not…
Read MoreIs Our Fate Predetermined?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Trying to grasp the concept of an infinite God sometimes causes finite man to make mistakes A. Consider this statement from the Presbyterian Confession of Faith (chapter 3, section 1): “God, from all eternity, did by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever come…
Read MoreIs Jesus About to Return?
Text: Matthew 24:36-42 I. There was an advertisement in the local paper not too long ago titled “8 Compelling Reasons Why: Christ Is Coming Very Soon!” A. It starts out saying, “The evidence for the soon return of Jesus Christ is overwhelming. It could be any moment. One scholar lists 167 converging clues just in the…
Read MoreWhat new law was given concerning the Passover in Numbers 9?
Question: Maybe you can help straighten me out. I have been asked to teach the book of Numbers so I decided to use David Padfield’s lesson on it, had pamphlets of it made up for each member in the class before studying it thoroughly as I should have and find myself really struggling to find…
Read MoreHow did Sabbath day worship get turned into Sunday worship?
Question: How did the Sabbath day (Saturday) when we worship together turn into Sunday? Can you tell me where it is in the catechism’s doctrine? I know a little about the Council of Trent but cannot find where this issue is addressed. Answer: The change in the day of worship came with the changes in…
Read MoreWhy did you use non-biblical sources in your answer on the Sabbath?
Question: I’m surprised that all your quotations about the observance of the sabbath are not biblical, so what is it you are trying to teach us? Can you kindly use the scriptures and not those the Holy Spirit denied being included in the Bible because of their contradictions? Answer: I’m assuming you are referring to…
Read MoreCan anyone be saved who wants to be saved?
Question: Would you say that anyone who wants to be saved, or chooses to repent, will be saved? Is there a Bible passage, or multiple passages you can point me to about that? Answer: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but…
Read MoreMy map shows Baal Zephon to be on the Mediterranean Sea, so doesn’t this prove the crossing of the Red Sea to be allegorical?
Question: I found an old map in my Tanach that shows Baal Zephon was on the Mediterranean with a thin ridge to the east. I note that both the Torah and the King James Version gives “the sea” for the crossing. This indicates to me that in the subsequent verses that hold “Moses brought us…
Read MoreHow do I stop repeating sins?
Question: I have been struggling with my past and with sins that I seem to repeat. I know that Jesus died and is forgiving of sins when we repent. My problem is that I was baptized and then slipped into a path of sin and lust. I truly want Jesus to be in control of…
Read MoreThe Holy Spirit’s Work
I. We have noted that the third person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is often misunderstood. A. People have let the imaginations run wild in regard to who the Spirit is and especially in how He operates. B. Many of the incorrect beliefs are based on phrases found in the Bible, taken out of context of the…
Read MoreWhere Do You Live?
I. Where a person spends his time reveals a lot about their character A. Which country or region a person comes from B. The kind of home they select or the people they live with C. But we are interested in spiritual things here. Where can I find your tent, among God’s people or Satan’s followers? D. The Bible…
Read MoreJohn Hus: The Pre-Reformer
by Jeff Young published in Biblical Insights, December 2005 In the middle of Old Town Square, in the heart of Prague, Czech Republic, stands a large discolored statue of John Huss (ca. 1370-1415). The Czech spelling is Jan Has – pronounced “yan hoose.” Appropriately, Hus rhymes with the English translation of his last name – “goose,” a…
Read MoreIf you weren’t a part of the rapture and had to face the tribulation, would that shake your faith?
Question: I have a question for you concerning the rapture. I have been thinking about this a long time and I was wondering what you thought of this. With all that is happening in the world today, we all know the end of the world is at hand. My question is this: Suppose some catastrophic…
Read MoreWhat is the punishment for the unrepentant sinner on Judgment Day?
Question: I wanted to write and ask you what you teach the punishment for sin is for unrepentant sinners at the final Judgement. Answer: “… and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who…
Read MoreAre Christians predestined to go to heaven?
Question: I was looking at your website and it is very informative. Will you please answer the following question? Are Christians predestined to go to heaven? Answer: See: The articles “Can I Lose My Way to Heaven?” and “Predetermined Destiny.” And also the sermon “Being a Christian Will Not Save You.”
Read MoreLegalism: The Un-Sin
by Steve Klein Since the church began, the devil has concocted any number of diabolical schemes to ensnare God’s people. One of his most successful gambits has been the invention of the pseudo-sin commonly called legalism. More people consider legalism to be a sin than consider 7-UP to be a cola, but they are all…
Read MoreCould you explain Matthew 24:30?
Question: I have a question about Matthew 24:30. (I believe it is about the second coming of Christ.) I have been doing some personal study and discussed it with a fellow brother. Basically, it refers to symbolic events similar to instances of God’s judgment on mankind or nations. Would like to get feedback from you…
Read MoreAre there passages that refer to THE Lord’s Supper?
Question: We have been studying the Lord’s supper issues and one of our main concerns is about a second offering in which only a few partake, for the reasons you listed in your article (not doing it together). We have been questioning the idea of everyone taking it a second time. We have been cautious…
Read MoreDo you employ a full-time leader?
Question: We found your site by accident during a Google search on Edom. We are non-denominational believers based in Indiana. We were pleased to note an emphasis on the spiritual and an avoidance of worldliness in your assembly. We feel called to fellowship with other believers, but we find that very few organizations today manage…
Read MoreIs it possible for a person to blaspheme today?
Question: Thank you for that comprehensive answer regarding blasphemy. That makes a lot of sense. I see what you mean about seeing a miracle and still rejecting God. Does that mean no one could commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit today unless they had a near-death experience or something like that? So just saying or…
Read MoreShould teens be spanked with a switch?
Question: Regarding: How do we start biblical discipline when our children are already older? Spanking teens with a switch? Yeah right. I hope you burn in hell for this kind of advice to parents. You are a fraud and certainly not a man of God. Answer: I certainly noticed how empty your note is of content,…
Read MoreIs this spanking normal?
Question: This afternoon I was at my girlfriend’s house, and she has a 7-year-old son. He was not putting his toys away after he was done playing with them. My friend Gina asked him to please put his toys away, and he said “no” and back talked her. She grabbed him by the arm, told…
Read MoreDoes a marriage begin when it is consummated?
Question: I have a friend who claims that only virgins can get married. If a couple is were not virgins at the time of their marriage, he says it is not a legitimate marriage and they must separate. His reasoning is that a marriage begins when a man and woman have sex. Therefore, the first…
Read MoreWhat about prophecy in the church?
Question: What about prophecy in a church? Should the prophet ask the minister to check the word before it is given? Should a prophet first be ‘released’ into the ministry of prophets before they are free to prophesy or give words in a meeting? Answer: Just because a role was mentioned in the New Testament,…
Read MoreAre homosexuals going to hell because they found themselves to be homosexual, yet remain chaste?
Question: When Jesus said to love your neighbor, he did not distinguish between gay and straight, sinner or saint. He said to love your neighbor. I have gay and straight neighbors. Jesus himself welcomed “sinners.” The article treats homosexuals as if they were a great downfall to society. I know of homosexuals who choose to…
Read MoreShould married couples stay in touch on a regular basis with an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend?
Question: Should married couples stay in touch on a regular basis with an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend? And what if the friend is also married? Answer: Does a person’s likes and dislikes in particular personalities change just because they become married? If I really enjoyed golf and had a group of friends with whom I golfed,…
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