Can the Greek word translated “himself” in James 1:27 also be translated “themselves”?
Question: While reading a book by Basil Overton, I ran across this argument, “Some have argued that the church cannot help orphans but the individual Christians must do this. They say James 1:27 is addressed to the ‘individual. James 1:27 is not addressed to the individual. “Himself” of the text is a third person pronoun.…
Read MorePermission and Promotion
by Marita Crozier I recently read Lessons from the Classroom: 20 Things Good Teachers Do by Hal Urban. Don’t be fooled by the title into thinking that this book is only for educators and thus not for you. On the contrary, this is one of the best books I have ever read about life in general. There…
Read MoreA People of Principle
by Tim Nichols Christians, above all others, are to be a people governed by principles. The world may not yield to an obvious code of conduct, but God’s children recognize that the distinct teachings of God’s Word give us higher and better rules than our own to guide us through life. Just as Luke wrote…
Read MoreHow old was Isaac when he was offered up to God?
Question: How old was Isaac when he was to be sacrificed? Answer: The Bible does not give a specific age, but there are events surrounding Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac which gives us clues. Most scholars believe that Isaac was in his late teens or early twenties at the time of the offering. At the time…
Read MoreOrigin and Meaning of Antichrist
by Garreth L. Clair The English word Antichrist is taken from the Greek ἀντίχριστος (antíkhristos), which literally means “instead of Christ”. The words “Antichrist” and “Antichrists” appear only five times in the Bible – in two of the Apostle John’s three letters in the New Testament, I John and II John: Who is the liar but he…
Read MoreOn Being Noble-Minded
by Roger M. Hendricks via The Graphic Evangelist, Vol. 21, No. 8, April 19, 1981. It is affirmed of the Jews in Berea that they “were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scripture daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).…
Read MoreThe Local Church Treasury
by Robert F. Turner via Guardian of Truth XXX: 15, August 21, 1986, pp. 486, 505 My first experience with one who questioned a “church treasury” was in 1943, in Phoenix, Arizona. While taking some exercise, I made a chance acquaintance with an elderly gentleman and we walked along together. When we passed a small church building…
Read MoreNow Concerning the Collection: I Corinthians 16:1-2
by Wayne S. Walker Through the years some have been heard to ridicule the idea of “five acts of worship.” When we understand that the Biblical concept of “worship” involves “an act of homage or reverence to God” (see W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. IV, p. 235) then we can…
Read MoreNo Sense in Pretense
Author Unknown via Of America, Volume 1 (copyright 1999 Pensacola Christian College), page 224 You tell what you are by the friends you seek, By the manner in which you speak. By the way you employ your leisure time, By the use you make of dollar and dime. You tell what you are by the things…
Read MoreNew Carts
by Homer Hailey via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 6, April 1952. A constant threat to man’s spiritual life in every age has been the disposition to substitute human wisdom for the divine and to do God’s work in man’s way. When God tells man what to do, but does not tell him how to do…
Read MoreThose “Strange” Macedonians
by Bonds Stocks via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 12, October 1952. “Moreover, brethren we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their…
Read MoreMore About Those “Strange” Macedonians
by Bonds Stocks via The Preceptor, Vol. 2, No. 1, Nov. 1952. “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For…
Read MoreMisconceptions About the New Birth
by Dick Blackford Guardian of Truth Volume XXIX: 5, pp. 144-149, March 7, 1985 I receive the Sword Of The Lord, a Baptist publication that claims to be the largest religious weekly in America. In a recent article on the new birth, the above caption was highlighted in the middle of the article. It jumped out…
Read MoreCan suicide be forgiven?
Question: I had a friend that took some pills and committed suicide. But right before he died he asked for forgiveness. I was just wondering if that is a forgivable sin since he asked for forgiveness or even though he asked for forgiveness is he not forgiven? Answer: I am so sorry about your loss,…
Read MoreWhy were the Ten Commandments written on stone and the ceremonial laws written on paper scrolls?
Question: Why did God write the Ten Commandments with His own finger on stone? And why did He allow Moses to write the ceremonial laws on paper scrolls? Answer: Peter instructed Christians, “Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God.” (I Peter 4:11) As a teacher of God’s word, I am…
Read MoreWhere was God’s protection for those caught in the September 11th tragedy?
Question: I recently read a piece lauding the blessings of the people who were supposed to be at the World Trade Center the morning of September 11, 2002, but in small ways, they were detained by the mishaps of life, faulty alarms, children dallying, traffic, etc. These people were saying how good and protective God…
Read MoreThe Lord’s Church: Means or Result of Salvation?
by Robert F. Turner via Plain Talk About God’s Church, pages 77-80 When followers of Christ are likened to a physical body, Christ is the head, and the saints are the members of that body, the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). All who are in Christ are, by this figure, considered members of His body. We ignore priorities…
Read MoreWere the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus?
Question: Were the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus? Answer: Right after telling Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom unless they are born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5), we read in John 3:22, “After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with…
Read MoreWere Adam and Eve covered in light and did they have precognitive power?
Question: Were Adam and Eve covered in light and did they have precognitive power? Answer: Light is a characteristic generally associated with God. For example, Jesus, when transformed, was described as “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). This is because light represents righteousness and…
Read MoreCan a man be saved without baptism?
Brother Lipscomb: Do the Scriptures say that no one can be saved without baptism, or is it only an inference? If an inference, are not all creeds founded on inferences? I have been reading your paper [The Gospel Advocate] for some time, and I like it very well. Lipscomb’s Answer: Inferences are of different degrees…
Read MoreIs the Bible male oriented?
Question: Of couse living in a world of patriarchy MAN wrote the bible !!!!! Hide behind your bible and justify mens disgusting behavior. I think your God is a sick one. If you think spousal rape is acceptable because “God” said women are to please her man and not “giving it” up is her sin,…
Read MoreJohn Clark’s Question
by Steve Moreland Brother John Clark will always remain in my memory for many reasons, the Gospel meetings he held, the graduate-level classes he taught at Florida College, etc. Perhaps the most memorable event was when I was a young preacher in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1979. The congregation was made up of a small group…
Read MoreThe “Jesus Came To Israel Only” Argument
by Terry W. Benton The Argument Stated: “MMLJ — before the cross — was taught only to the Jews of Israel.” I keep seeing the argument expressed that Jesus spoke only to the lost sheep of Israel, or only to Israel. The conclusion drawn from that fact is that “therefore” whatever He said to Israel…
Read MoreIs water baptism a work?
Question: Is water baptism a work? Answer: I have always been amazed at the dread shown by people toward the word “work.” You would think that it was a dreaded disease or something equivalent to sin. The word “work” by itself is neither good nor bad. It simply refers to something that takes effort. Faith…
Read MoreIt Was Only a Small Fib (Article)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I have concluded that much of the work of psychologists, psychoanalysts, and even philosophers is to help mankind remove the guilt and shame from their actions. People don’t want to hear that their actions are wrong; their conscience is bothering them enough, thank you very much! They want to be absolved;…
Read MoreIt Depends on What You Mean by “Is”
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton based on an ad written by Floyd Chappelear When a person is caught in an indefensible position, they will frequently argue over the meaning of words. If you can’t define your position, then you cannot hold them accountable. Even simple words suddenly become vague because the arguer will not accept any…
Read MoreIs Science the Source of Truth? (Article)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Mankind has long deluded itself into thinking it can accurately determine truth. In the past charlatans and deluded men thought they could divine truth by observing animal organs or through drug-induced trances. Eventually, the search for truth has given way to the use of human reasoning. It has been modified and…
Read MoreIs It Wise?
by Garreth L. Clair Many people today are living their lives a certain way because they have decided that is the way they want to live. Everyone lives a certain way today because they have made the choice to live that way. Environmental conditioning has played a part in the lifestyle of each of us even…
Read MoreIs Evangelism Dying?
by Lloyd Gale In a recent column of the Christian Science Monitor, Michael Spencer wrote; “We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billion dollars we have spent on our youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and…
Read MoreA Sin Leading to Death (Article)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness…
Read MoreDoes spousal rape constitute fornication?
Question: Does spousal rape constitute fornication, or sexual immorality, thus giving grounds for divorce and remarriage? Answer: Some questions are difficult – not because we cannot clearly state the truth, but because the way the questions are worded cause you to make assumptions that may not be true. A classic example is “Are you still…
Read MoreOrphans and Their Care
I. Orphans are not mentioned often in the New Testament, once to be precise, but many have developed unusual ideas about how to care for the orphans in our midst. A. Unusual, because their teaching does not follow the plain statements of the New Testament. B. The passage we will delve into is James 1:27. II. The Bible’s…
Read MoreDoes belief include anything more than trust?
Question: Does belief include anything more than trust? Answer: Belief or faith is of primary importance to a follower of God. The writer of Hebrews state, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who…
Read MoreShould baptism be done only in Jesus’ name?
Question: For many years the churches of Christ have used Matthew 28:19 as a baptism that adds to the church that was built by the word of the Lord that went forth from Jerusalem, a baptism that was not present when Israel was told to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.…
Read MoreHezekiah’s Comforting Words
by Lewis Willis via Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 6 p. 14, March 16, 2000 Bible students are aware of that time when the nation of Israel divided into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Samaria was the capital of Israel, and Jerusalem was the capital of Judah. Israel was very wicked, living defiantly against God. The Assyrian…
Read MoreCan the church sponsor the growing of tobacco to raise funds?
Question: Some people depend on raising tobacco for income. Is it good for the church to use the Lord’s money to sponsor this kind of agriculture? Answer: I found this question particularly intriguing because of the underlying assumptions. In order to answer the question well, I need to address several related issues. How may a…
Read MoreDancing in the Bible
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton We will divide the discussion of dancing in the Bible into two sections. The first section will include those Scriptures where dancing is spoken of in a favorable setting. The second section is where dancing is associated with wickedness. We will note the things that are similar within each section and…
Read MoreCan a hall used by a church for worship also be rented for a potluck by members?
Question: Our congregation meets in a rented hall. Would it be wrong to make use of the facilities available for a potluck gathering? I understand that the church doesn’t have authority to own a kitchen, but I was wondering why we couldn’t rent the facility where we happen to meet for a meal that is…
Read MoreDoes the Bible talk about asking a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage?
Question: Is there any biblical background to making sure someone who is dating or is going to marry someone must have the father’s permission of the daughter? Answer: In the course of recording the lives of various people, the Bible does mention how men and women came together to be married. Several of these did…
Read MoreDoes Acts 20:7 refer to a common meal?
Question: Do you think that Acts 20:7 was talking of a common meal? Why or why not? Answer: The text in question states, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7).…
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