Precious Things
by Leon Mauldin via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 The Word of the Lord I Samuel 3:1 gives the setting for God’s initial calling of young Samuel to the prophetic office: “And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was…
Read MoreWhat This Woman Has Done
by Zeke Flores Writing these words this morning is a privilege as, one more time, I am proving Jesus’ prediction true. In Matthew 26:6-13, Jesus was visiting a leper (!) and was anointed by a woman using very costly perfume. Matthew doesn’t give her name, background, what moved her to get that jar of ointment,…
Read MoreThe Difference
by Terry Wane Benton The difference between Christians and non-Christians is not that Christians are perfect. Sometimes, you find a Cornelius (Acts 10) who is morally just as upright as Christians. The difference is that one person has forgiveness through Jesus’ blood, and the other does not. Forgiveness is available to all, but only some…
Read MoreIn Matthew 26:29, what does “new” refer to?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, In “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29 NKJV), what’s the “new”? And what is “that day”? How can we drink the new cup with…
Read MoreThe Lord’s Supper
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Lords-Supper.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 11:17-34 I. It is a covenant meal A. Luke 22:19-20 – The cup is the new covenant B. A covenant that is taken with us in the kingdom – Matthew 26:28-29 C. Covenants were often sealed with a meal shared between the two parties. 1. Jacob and Laban’s covenant…
Read MoreThe “Time of Reformation” Prophesied
by Terry Wane Benton In Hebrews 9, the Holy Spirit tells us that the tabernacle and its furnishings were imposed “until the time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:10-11). The physical items used were merely teaching items to illustrate the spiritual things that would come into play in a new and better system. So, are there prophecies…
Read MoreAn Introduction to the Ten Commandments
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/An-Introduction-to-the-Ten-Commandments.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Exodus 20:1-18 I. Thousands of years ago, God gave Israel a law that has impacted the laws of mankind ever since. A. John Adams wrote, “As much as I love, esteem, and admire the Greeks, I believe the Hebrews have done more to enlighten and civilize the world.…
Read MoreWhich New Testament translation should I read?
Question: Good morning. I wish to ask you which New Testament to read: one written by a Catholic publisher or one written by a Protestant publisher? Thank you very much. Greetings from Argentina. Answer: It isn’t as much a matter of who printed the pages as it is the accuracy of the translation. The Roman…
Read MoreIt’s good to know we are not alone
Question: Hello, I was delighted to read your comments on Is it a sin to divorce a non-believer? The current liberal trend in the church, led by Christ, to allow divorce and remarriage, is a disgrace and is costing the church dearly. One preacher asked me if a divorced person was not allowed to be happy!…
Read MoreChurch Shoppers
by Chadwick Brewer “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:10-11). Some areas in the world are blessed with multiple congregations in close proximity. What a blessing it is to have so many Christians in one…
Read MoreWhere is God’s love, mercy, and compassion if baptism is necessary for salvation?
Question: My question concerns the role of baptism and whether it is necessary for salvation. I have heard explanations of how it is necessary to get baptized to be saved, yet they both make sense and don’t make sense to me. I have heard some people from the Church of Christ preach about water baptism…
Read MoreIs it a sin to divorce a non-believer?
Question: Hello! I have read much on your webpage about divorce, and I appreciate all the hard work you put into answering these questions. I pray God continues to give us all wisdom through His word. In I Corinthians 7, we have the situation where a believer departs from another believer. We see a situation…
Read MoreWolf Creek Church of Christ
by Floyd Chappelear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 From the Belmont Bible Banner. Paul Caldwell, editor, November 19, 1974, we reprint the following: “‘For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called’ (I Corinthians 1:26). Based on…
Read MoreThe Growth of the Church in Jerusalem
by Dudley R. Spears via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 No period in the history of the Lord’s church records a greater numerical growth than the first century. There are repeated references to the reason why such phenomenal growth occurred. Men of faith claim the reason was the preaching of the apostles.…
Read MoreFaith in . . . Faith?
by Lance Cordle Recently, I reached into a closet to get some trash bags. I was in a hurry, so I did not bother to turn on enough light to see the bags. I remembered that I had placed them on the top shelf of the closet, so I reached upward for them. To my…
Read MoreJesus and Psalms 110
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus is very definitely the figure described and intended by the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1 is making the argument that Jesus is “so much better than the angels” (Hebrews 1:4) and has “a more excellent name than they.” The Holy Spirit applied Psalms 2:7, 45:6-7, and 110:1f to Jesus. Psalms 110…
Read MoreBy What Authority? (Bowman)
by Russ Bowman From my Daily Bible Writing, for you to chew on… “Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, ‘Tell us, by what…
Read MoreWhy Is Your God the One?
by Terry Wane Benton Many gods have been claimed and worshipped all over the world. Why is your God the One? Isaiah gives good reasons to dismiss all the gods invented by human desire and imagination and settle on one true and living God. Take a look at Isaiah’s God: Isaiah said there is none…
Read MoreCan names be removed from the Book of Life?
Question: Hi! Google directed me to your website, and I noticed an error. In “What are the books opened in Revelation 20:12?” you said, “Names written in the book of life can be removed (Revelation 3:5).” It should say names cannot be removed. Just thought I’d bring it to your attention so others who don’t know…
Read MoreIs it immodest for a man to wear a tight t-shirt?
Question: Would it be immodest for a Christian man to wear a t-shirt that shows his biceps or is tight-fitting so that the muscles can be seen? I believe the kind of attention a man wants to draw to himself will reveal where his heart is, so perhaps I’ve already answered my question. Answer: The…
Read MoreDesensitizing Our Moral Outlook
by Terry Wane Benton I remember that early TV entertainment had some moral guidelines. In the 1950s the Dick Van Dyke Show was your average TV viewing. The couple was presented as married, but bedroom scenes were of two separate single beds. Later, in the 1970s, you began to see more of the “live-in” arrangements…
Read MoreWhat Was so Different About His Teaching?
by David Gibson “No one ever spoke like this man!” So said the officers sent by the Pharisees to arrest Jesus, but who came back without Him. After hearing Him teach, they could not bring themselves to take Him into custody. Many people noticed Jesus’ teaching differed because He spoke with authority (Matthew 7:28-29; Mark…
Read MoreGnats and Camels
by Zeke Flores You must admit, some of Jesus’ word pictures are pretty funny. It’s humorous to imagine someone trying to filter out a tiny insect so their food will be clean, but open their mouth wide for a whole camel! But the lesson in that funny image isn’t funny at all. For the Jews…
Read MoreLet’s Not Be Narrow
by Roy E. Cogdill via Gospel Guardian, June 9, 1955 One of the most dreadful things many people can imagine is that they will be accused of “narrow-mindedness” in religion. That scares them to death; the very thought that they might be considered narrow drives them completely away from the truth. Yet it should not.…
Read More“That Which Is Perfect” Does Not Refer to the Second Coming of Christ
by Dylan Steward via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 5 No. 2, April-June 2025 Almost all Bible believers agree that 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 teaches that miraculous spiritual gifts will cease “when that which is perfect is come.” The problem, however, is disagreement over what is meant by “that which is perfect.” Many claim “that which is perfect” refers…
Read MoreIs it wrong to bow to a crucifix?
Question: I attend a Catholic school, and because of that, I was posted to a Catholic hospital. It’s mandatory to attend mass on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The priest asked me to take their reading on Friday. I tried to avoid it but all efforts proved abortive though I stood on one ground; that I…
Read More“I’m Not Included”
by Rickie Jenkins “I am just not included at church; I am given no part.” If true, that is sad. That’s not God’s intent. God designed a local church to depend on one another. He expects all to contribute to the good of the whole (Ephesians 4:16). Thus, in God’s design “every part may grow…
Read MoreHow could Peter be in Rome?
Question: I read from many early Church fathers that Peter was in Rome and preached in Rome. Still, in Galatians 2:7-9 at the Jerusalem Council, the agreement is made that Peter would only go to the Jews, not the Gentiles, so Peter would be breaking that agreement if he went to Rome and preached there.…
Read MoreEternal Existence
by James Sanders via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 The Words of John 1:1 Nothing shatters—nothing startles like the sound of thunder. Its voice is unmistakable. And nothing seizes our attention like thunder. Whatever we may be doing when the crash of thunder interrupts, we stop immediately and listen. Thunder cannot be…
Read MoreDrifting Away (Ellison)
by Kyle Ellison The Bible warns Christians that there is a reality of drifting away from the Lord if we are not careful. Have you ever been enjoying a day in the ocean only to look up and realize you are far past where you entered the water? Perhaps you didn’t even realize you were…
Read MoreAssurance in the Heart
by Terry Wane Benton Christians have some great things in their hearts that others lack but need. First, we have confidence that if we die, we are in a good place. We have a covenant with the Creator and Judge, and Jesus is the surety of the best covenant ever (Hebrews 7:12, 25). This covenant…
Read MoreGiving to God (Flores)
by Zeke Flores Often, financially blessed people will give significant sums for worthy projects. Sometimes, it’s for charitable reasons, and sometimes, it’s for new, wonderful buildings for public use. And often, these buildings display the names of the contributors, letting everyone know who was responsible for the generous gift. Luke 21:1-4 tells us that Jesus…
Read MoreIsaiah 53
by David Gibson Isaiah 53 is considered the greatest Old Testament prophecy of Christ. How could Isaiah accurately predict Jesus’ death in such detail seven centuries in advance? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit (I Peter 1:10-12; II Peter 1:20-21). Two Facts About Jesus Being innocent, He did not deserve the cruelty He…
Read MoreIgnorant Zeal
by Michael Davis via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3).…
Read MoreSilence, Beautiful Voice – Tennyson
by Mark Chatfield via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 Several of us were having light-hearted conversations after services the other evening. As it happens too often, I said a little bit more than I should have. There was a pause. A moment when no one knew just what to say. During that…
Read MoreThe Lines of Fellowship
by Owen McGee via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 Among churches of Christ, there is a broad spectrum of ideas concerning the nature of faithfulness to God. The failure to understand God’s revealed will has resulted in people binding where God has not bound and loosing where He has not loosed (cf.…
Read MoreIn His Footsteps
by Steve Roe via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 I was recently given the opportunity to go “on a pilgrimage” to the Bible lands. It was one of the benefits of being a member of the world’s second-largest fleet. I accepted the opportunity and opted for the longer, but still too short,…
Read MoreHappy Appearance Day
by Terry Wane Benton I am glad many people were at church on what the world (not God) has termed “Easter”. I am glad that people, who normally have very little spiritual commitment, let themselves get exposed to spiritual things at any time. Some have been convinced that this day, once a year, is very…
Read MoreA Question About Taxes
by Zeke Flores The spies who came to Jesus in Luke 20:19-26 must have thought they had him. Their question was ingenious! Either he’d have to side with paying Roman taxes and face the ire of the occupied Jews, or side with not paying Roman taxes, in which case he’d be in trouble with the…
Read MoreOnce a Child of God Always a Child of God?
by Terry Wane Benton If it is true that once you are a child of God, you are automatically always a child of God, then no one could ever become a child of the devil. Yet, the Pharisees had become children of the devil (John 8:44-47). All people start out being innocent children of God,…
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