The Dead in Christ Shall Rise First
by Ron Daly via Guardian of Truth XLI: 4 p. 10-11, February 20, 1997 Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians, that when the Lord descends from heaven, “the dead in Christ will rise first” (I Thessalonians 4:16). Apparently, Paul had reason to be concerned that some of the Christians in Thessalonica were uninformed…
Read MoreCome Ye Out from Among Them
by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 27, July 3, 2009. The October 2002 issue of “The Legal Alert” from the Christian Law Association lists nine cases in this country of Christians being opposed or restricted in one way or another in the practice of their faith. I’m sure that the number has risen…
Read MoreThe Christian’s Sabbath
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton based on an ad by Floyd Chappelear Some people teach that the Ten Commandments are a set of permanent laws established by God at the creation of the world. They believe that Christians are still supposed to be in obedience to these laws, including the law of observing the Sabbath on…
Read MoreWhy is Jesus referred to as the son of David more than as the son of Abraham or of Noah?
Question: Why is Jesus referred to as the son of David more than as the son of Abraham or of Noah? Answer: Jesus was born into this world, which meant that he was a descendant of Noah, just as everyone else in the world since the flood has descended from Noah. “Now the sons of…
Read MoreAre Christians to tithe?
Question: Is tithing a New Testament standard? In other words, is it our responsibility to tithe or just to give what God purposes in our hearts? Answer: The concept of tithing is giving ten percent of your profits to God. It was a requirement for the Israelites living under the law of Moses to give…
Read MoreShould a woman stay home and not work to take care of the children?
Question: Should a woman stay home and not work to take care of the children? Answer: I find your question perplexing because I don’t know of a greater work or a more difficult work than that of raising children. One of the tasks assigned by God to women is that of home management. “That they…
Read MoreShould women use head coverings when praying?
Question: Should women use head coverings when praying? Answer: Consider also this similar question: Is it proper for a man to pray while his head is covered? The overall point in I Corinthians 11:1-16 is a discussion concerning authority, leadership, and submission. Paul states, “I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ,…
Read MoreChanging the Label Makes Sin More Dangerous
Author Unknown One of America’s great needs is to recognize sin for what it is. We are too prone to explain it away, or to soften its horrors. Wilbur Chapman tells of a distinguished minister who preached on sin, and one of the leading members came to talk to him in his study. He said…
Read MoreAre tongues still in existence today?
Question: Are tongues still in existence today? Answer: When the gift of speaking in tongues was first mentioned in the Bible, the people found it a wonder. “And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” (Acts 2:8). Hence, the proper definition of “tongues” is “languages.” By…
Read MoreBut He Never Enlisted!
by Sewell Hall He served in the army but … “he wasn’t a soldier.” We believe there is a lesson in the following Associated Press report: “An Army spokesman said Friday that 15 year old Walter Lee Martin is not recognized as a soldier — despite two periods of serving in Vietnam, because he did…
Read MoreThe Work of Baptism
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 6:1-11 I. A frequent objection raised to baptism is that it is a work A. “We are not saved by works.” we are told. 1. Romans 4:4-5 – Faith justifies 2. Ephesians 2:8-9 – Saved not as a result of works B. Now certainly baptism is something done, hence it is a work.…
Read MoreHow can I get my 8-year-old son to stop wetting his pants?
Question: We have a strong-willed eight-year-old son that occasionally wets his pants (once every two to three months when he’s too busy playing and the like). Recently, after a wetting episode, I decided to discipline him by diapering him. My wife felt it was not appropriate, and that I should just increase the severity of…
Read MoreShould a child’s pants be taken down for a spanking?
Question: I want to ask, please, if it’s good to take down the pants of a seven-year-old child for a spanking. Answer: When disciplining a child, spanking is not the only option available to a parent. Often, when parenting is done well, spankings are needed only infrequently. Raising a child well also involves teaching them…
Read MoreDoes the phrase “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” have a different meaning in Aramaic than in the Greek?
Question: I would like to comment on the use of Aramaic in Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. It’s not the Greek word and its meaning that’s in question or the crux of the argument. The Aramaic is the problem. The Aramaic word that the Greek word was translated from was supposed to have more than one meaning…
Read MoreWhen Children Go Wrong
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The raising of a child is a fearful responsibility. A. God entrusts you with the care of a precious soul wrapped up in a tiny body. B. All souls belong to God – Ezekiel 18:4 C. Each child is a precious gift 1. Jacob understood this – Genesis 33:5 2. The Psalmist so stated – Psalm…
Read MoreWhat Is the Law? (Hamilton)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 19:7-11 I. Frequently, when people try to force an odd interpretation on the Scriptures or desire to ignore a portion of the Writings, they declare “Oh, that is part of the law, but I’m not under law. I’m under grace.” A. Seventh-Day Adventist divide the Old Testament into civil and…
Read MoreWhat is Salvation?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 51 I. The question seems almost ridiculously trivial, but in the years that I have talked with people about their salvation, I’ve come to realize that some of the misinformation out there is rooted in the fact that people don’t know what they are talking about. A. There is a…
Read MoreWhat Comes Out of Your Mouth
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: James 3:1-12 I. People are not known for their consistency II. What we say does not match what we do A. The Pharisees talked about doing the right things, but they did not put them to practice in their own lives – Matthew 23:1-4 B. Claim one thing, do something else – Titus…
Read MoreThree Kingdoms
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. John 3:1-21 A. In this teaching to Nicodemus, Jesus alludes to three different kingdoms. One directly and two indirectly 1. The kingdom of the flesh, or the world. 2. The kingdom of God, or the Spirit 3. The kingdom in heaven B. One preacher, Alexander Campbell referred to these three kingdoms as the kingdoms of nature,…
Read MoreHow do you prevent teenagers from having pre-marital sex?
Question: How do you prevent teenagers from having pre-marital sex? Answer: “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver; but if she is a…
Read MoreWhen did Saul reign in Israel?
Question: When did Saul rule Israel? How long was his reign? Answer: While the information given in the Bible has been repeatedly proven accurate, dates have been a particular challenge because earlier cultures did not use fixed calendars as we do. Instead, time was measured based as elapsed from certain major events or significant person.…
Read MoreWhat does the Bible say about employment?
Question: What does the Bible say about employment? Answer: During biblical times, people were self-employed, contract laborers, or servants obligated to long-term service. A contract laborer is seen in the parable of the field hands who were hired to harvest grapes (Matthew 20:1-16). Servanthood, or slavery, was generally entered through some obligation: a person might…
Read MoreThat Church Isn’t Doing Anything!
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:24-30 I. Periodically criticism is leveled at a church – not just this church, I’ve heard it said against many churches – “That church isn’t doing anything!” A. I will admit that there is always room for improvement. 1. There are many things I wish we had accomplished. 2. I sure there…
Read MoreSubstitutions
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. One of the local restaurants used to make wonderful chocolate-chip cookies. They were a bit expensive, but I would buy a dozen or sometimes more for the family. I used the past tense, because they changed their recipe. I suspected it the first time I saw them. I knew it as…
Read MoreA Study of Romans 14
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. I remember the shock I had a number of years ago to learn that Wayne Gretsky, the hockey player, was younger than I was. Somehow, I always thought that sports heros were older than me. A. Oh, we know we are growing older, but sometimes all the ramifications of maturity doesn’t hit…
Read MoreA Sin Leading to Death (Sermon)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. I John 5:16-17 A. Some sins lead to death, but others do not B. We should pray for those who sin which does not lead to death. C. We are not to pray for those whose sin leads to death II. How do we tell which sin leads to death? A. Which kind of death? 1. Physical…
Read MoreSin in Action
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. I’ve been telling my wife that clearly I need to lose some weight. A. Teasingly I’ve pointed out that the concerns of the last few weeks have some benefit, I’ve lost my appetite and dropped a few pounds. B. Perhaps I can keep that going. I’ve heard: 1. If you eat something and no…
Read MoreSir, We Would See Jesus at His Death
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 1:18-20 I. Certain Greeks once came to the disciples asking for the privilege to see Jesus – John 12:20-21 A. We don’t really know anything about the physical characteristics of Jesus. 1. We know that it was prophesied that he wasn’t handsome – Isaiah 53:2 2. But the reality is that they…
Read MoreThe Second Death
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Rev. 21:7-8 A. A sample of those who are going to die the “Second Death” B. Not a complete list, but it gives us an idea of the practices God views as punishable. II. What is the second death? A. First we need to answer, what is the first death? 1. All men have an appointment…
Read MoreThe Rights of God
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 11:1-18 I. When Peter returned to Jerusalem after the conversion of the Gentile, Cornelius, he met with opposition. A. He was accused of associating with unholy people – Acts 11:2-3 B. Peter recounted the events that led him to Cornelius’ house and the miracle that was done there. C. But the key…
Read MoreResolved!
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 3:7-14 I. The old year is behind us and a whole new year lies before us A. What does this year hold for you? 1. What would you like to do? 2. What will you actually do? B. Each day is unique 1. “Today is the first day of the rest of your life” 2. Today…
Read MoreWhy do some women not wear a head covering?
Question: Why do women in the church of Christ overseas don’t cover their heads during worship? Is there any difference between Nigerian women and your own people? Nigerian women who worship with your people discovered that they do not all cover their heads during worship. Answer: I’m not in a position to speak for all…
Read MoreWhat are your opinions about the Disney company?
Question: The Disney company presents itself as a producer of family-oriented products, but it appears to be simultaneously promoting immoral ideas. What are your opinions about the Disney company? Answer: Whenever you find a group of people working together, you are bound to find people of immoral character within the group. It is particularly disappointing…
Read MoreDoes a husband have the right to spank his wife?
Question: Does a husband have the right to spank his wife? Answer: Spanking is a form of discipline used by parents to correct their children, such as “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24). The rod is a reference to a slender branch used…
Read MoreIs homosexuality a race?
Question: Is homosexuality a race? Answer: According to my dictionary, a race is “a lineage; a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock; a breed or stock.” In other words, a race is a breed of mankind. When two people of the same race have children, characteristics of that race are passed…
Read MoreOur Father in Heaven
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 11:1-13 I. God calls us to be His special people – II Corinthians 6:16-18 A. If we will separate ourselves from the world, God will be our Father and we will be His sons and daughters B. Why did God pick the role of a father to describe His relationship with…
Read MoreDancing (Hamilton)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. A. It is difficult to be a Christian B. We live in a world that says it follows the Bible, but doesn’t care what the Bible says C. As result we face many temptations and those we know don’t recognize the sins. II. What do we do? A. Live like a hermit or monk? Withdraw from…
Read MoreBabylon Clay Tablet Confirms Jeremiah
by Ben M. Shropshire via Lifeline, 7/15/00 The recent discovery of a cuneiform clay tablet by an Austrian scholar at the site of ancient Babylon confirms the historical accuracy of the book of Jeremiah. The recently deciphered tablet, which dates from 595 BC, refers to an official in the court of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,…
Read MoreShould you only teach a subject once to a Christian who disagrees with you?
Question: Would I be wrong for preaching the whole Bible, even the parts that offend other people? I do not think so, but then again it would be nice to hear someone else on that. I mean I was thinking that the Bible said to preach to all of the Word, but they say that…
Read MoreNeutrality in War
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2004/10/Neutrality-in-War.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Obadiah 10-15 I. The book of Obadiah is directed to the nation of Edom. A. Edomites were related to Israelites through Abraham. B. While never fond of each other, they usually managed to live peacefully next to each other. C. When Israel fell, Edom did not make any overt move…
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