Why are all nations judged when all were not involved in the oppression?
Question: Greetings! In Joel 3:2, why are “all nations” judged when not all nations participated in the oppressions? Or is this eschatological? Thanks. Answer: “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley…
Read MoreDid Jesus pay a ransom to Satan to free us from his domain?
Question: Did Jesus pay a ransom to Satan to free us from his domain? Answer: “No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him– for the redemption of his soul is costly, and he should cease trying forever– … But God will redeem my soul from the…
Read MoreHow much do our genes influence our behavior?
Question: I have a question that has baffled me. How much of our behavior is genetic, and how do we understand this in light of free will? My family has a history of adultery, alcoholism, and abuse on both sides. I was told by someone that genetics may explain this. How do we understand this?…
Read MoreAm I binding too much on myself?
Question: Hello brother, I’ve read many of your articles relating to Religious OCD. After reading your articles, I feel convinced I have suffered a bit of this. I’ve been baptized three different times. For some reason, my mind wonders and thinks I didn’t do something right or that my heart wasn’t in it like it…
Read MoreWhy don’t I feel faith?
Question: Hello, I have a question that I really have not been able to find answers to, and I do not dare to talk to anyone about it. Several years ago, I started going to a church because I was really convinced that God was sending me to do it. I had a lot of…
Read MoreDo you have to say amen at the end of a prayer?
Question: Does the Bible say you must say amen at the end of a prayer? Answer: Many prayers are recorded in the Bible, but not all end with “Amen.” Hannah’s prayer in I Samuel 2:1-10 Solomon’s prayer in I Kings 8:23-53 Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19 Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1-26 Thus, it is not…
Read MoreRational Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton The faith we are to have in Jesus is based on testimonial evidence that has stood the test of time since it was first scrutinized in the first century. Each gospel writer (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) was quite aware of the scrutiny they were under when they wrote. John starts…
Read MoreMatthew, Mark, Luke, and John: Old Testament or New Testament? (Robinson)
by Garland M. Robinson If you reject the Gospel records of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (including Acts 1) being any part of the Lord’s New Testament, then you have to accept the conclusion that nothing the Lord said or taught while on earth is valid for the church today. That makes everything the Lord…
Read MoreNarrow-Minded Beliefs
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Narrow-Minded-Beliefs.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Micah 6:1-8 I. At times when I study with someone, I’m told that taking a firm stance on certain matters is legalism. People believe that religion is supposed to be about accepting other people, no matter what they believe (well, within reason). A. When you insist that only one way…
Read MoreTake Heed
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Take-Heed.mp3 by Jeffey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 4:6-16 I. The books of I and II Timothy and Titus are instruction manuals for preachers A. If you think a moment, there isn’t another role in the church that is discussed at such length 1. And this is besides the numerous comments regarding preaching that appears in the…
Read MoreStandards (Moyer)
by Doy Moyer Standards are common. The term can refer to a commonly accepted value, a recognized authoritative model, or something acceptable though not top quality (dictionary). In all these cases, there is a recognition that expectations of some kind are to be met and accepted by more than just an individual who might arbitrarily…
Read MoreHeaven
by Mark Chatfield via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 Several years ago, I saw a show on TV; it may have been Twilight Zone or something similar. A man died, and the show was about his afterlife. The program caused a good deal of thought about what heaven might really be…
Read MoreMay Women Serve as Priests?
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 The priesthood of the Mosaical dispensation was a special priesthood limited by the Law to certain males of the tribe of Levi. These ordained representatives of God had the exclusive right to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. Today, no such…
Read MoreThey Wish You Would Help
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (I Thessalonians 5:14). In so doing, the church of our Lord is the finest “support group” on the face of the earth!…
Read MoreWe’re Having So Much Fun … There’s No Reason to Be Religious!
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 Have you attended a religious service lately? Was it a service dedicated to preaching the gospel and edifying the saints, or did it more closely resemble a rock concert? Modern church services often appear to constitute little more than carnal entertainment. Can…
Read MoreTwo Essentials for Assurance
by Mark Nitz via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 One of our greatest needs in serving God is a feeling of confidence regarding our present acceptance by God and future home in heaven. Unfortunately, this assurance is sadly lacking among many of God’s people. Extremes are taken in both directions (“once…
Read MoreThere are some translation errors
Question: Dear friends! As I was researching the book of Ruth on your church’s website, I noticed a reference in the text to verse 14 of the first chapter of the book: “Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and Ruth clung to her (Ruth 1:14).” This is…
Read MoreDo churches decide where preachers should teach?
Question: Do preachers have to be sent out by churches according to Romans 10:15? Answer: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How…
Read MoreYour Preaching Is Offensive to Me
by Tom M. Roberts via Truth Magazine, Vol 43, 1999 “Then His disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?’” (Matthew 15:12). The history of speaking “the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11) is a history of controversy. There is an inimical and hostile…
Read More“How Beautiful Are the Feet” (Romans 10:15)
by Tom M. Roberts via Truth Magazine, Vol. 43, 1999 God did not entrust the gospel to angels, to supernatural beings, to higher life forms without foibles and feet of clay. Indeed, he entrusted the gospel to men. As an objective fact, this is rather astounding. The message of salvation is in feeble human hands!…
Read MoreA Work in Progress
by David Gibson “And I am sure of this,” Paul wrote, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). If we belong to Christ and grow in him, each of us is a work in progress. God is currently at work…
Read MoreWhy Not Use Both?
by Matthew W. Bassford Several weeks ago, I encountered an article called “The Devolution of Christian Congregational Worship.” [https://www.patheos.com/…/the-devolution-of-christian…/] Judging from the title, I predicted that it would be another grumpy get-off-my-lawn rant about contemporary praise songs and the damage that they are doing to Christianity. I was not wrong. As always, I am struck…
Read MoreGod’s Plan for Our Salvation
by Stephen Harper God, “according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (II Timothy 1:9), had a plan for our salvation, and Jesus Christ “was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (I Peter 1:20) as the sacrifice for our sins. This plan, though, was…
Read MoreShould baptism be refused?
Question: Hi Jeff, Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I would need your insights on two questions. We are currently studying baptism, which may seem an unlikely topic for members of the Church of Christ. However, we aim to target some young people who may have lost interest in becoming…
Read MoreChanging Clothes
by Perry Hall Notice how Colossians 2-4 has many parallel thoughts to Zechariah 3. Satan Accuses Joshua “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him” (Zechariah 3:1). Colossians 2:14 mentions a certificate of debt caused by our failure to…
Read MoreThe Voice of Experience
by David Gibson Bible Thought: “O fear the LORD, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want” (Psalm 34:9 NASB). Among the Bible passages I recall my dad mentioning is David’s statement, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or…
Read MoreHow Many Facts in “Faith Only”?
by Terry Wane Benton Those brethren who now teach that salvation is at the moment of faith before repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins (they say that is “faith plus works”) never seem to get around to telling us what all is included in their “faith only” concept.…
Read MoreAm I doomed?
Question: Hello, I beg you to answer this question: Did I commit an unforgivable sin? I know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. I have done despicable acts that I deeply regret and beg God’s forgiveness. This in no way excuses what I have done, but I should mention that I have had depression…
Read MoreWhy Didn’t He Save?
by Chadwick Brewer Often, we hear people lament the loss of a loved one. They are hurting and mourning the loss of those they hold dear, and they struggle with the question of why Christ would not take away the pain, suffering, and loss – especially when He had done so for others while He…
Read MoreThe Babe and Child
by Terry Wane Benton Luke, a first-century physician and an inspired historian, lets us see how an unborn and born baby are fully human, whether in or out of the womb. In other words, birth is not the moment of becoming human and now worthy of life-support! When John the Baptist was still in the…
Read MoreWould my partner get back on track with God after we have a child together?
Question: Hello, I appreciate that you are taking my question. I’m unsure how I found this website, so I’ll take it as a good sign. I’m dating an inactive Jehovah’s Witness. We’ve been together for several years, and we live in the same house. We’ve made a lot of progress together, and from time to…
Read MoreDo I tell her husband?
Question: I am a married man. A number of years ago, I was dating the woman who eventually became my wife. At that time, I served in the church, but I had inappropriate conversations with a married woman in the same church. She sent me a photo that I asked for that showed indecent cleavage.…
Read MoreEscapism
by Chadwick Brewer “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalms 57:1). So much of the world around us revolves around escapism. In the extreme examples, people escape…
Read MoreThis Generation
by David Gibson Bad News! Jesus assessed the Jews of His day as “this adulterous and sinful generation” (Mark 8:38), “this evil generation” (Matthew 12:45), and “O faithless and twisted generation” (Matthew 17:17). Note the pejoratives: adulterous, sinful, evil, faithless, twisted. The Great Physician has pointedly and accurately diagnosed the fatal malady of our fallen human condition,…
Read MoreUnwritten Pains
by Chadwick Brewer “And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets” (Mark 1:19). In Scripture, there is not much exploration of the bond between James and John. That is not to say that nothing is implied or understood…
Read MoreDid I marry her?
Question: Hello, pastor! I’m in my early twenties. Since last year, I’ve had a doubt that eats away at me. I dated a girl (whom I believe to be a virgin) two years ago. As the relationship progressed, we started to misbehave. More specifically, I touched her breasts with my hands and mouth, as described…
Read MoreThank you for being unafraid to answer difficult questions
Question: I want to thank you for everything you do and offer on your website. Many young people don’t have someone to answer their questions, and they aren’t afraid to answer embarrassing questions or things that may seem common sense to someone with a good upbringing. Your answers are very valuable and show the love…
Read MoreWith All Your Heart
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/With-All-Your-Heart.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 119:9-16 I. It is frequently stated that the difference between the Old and New Testaments is that the Old emphasizes the physical and the New the spiritual A. In part, it comes from passages like 1. Romans 2:28-29 – The true Jew is inward, not outward 2. Romans 7:6 – newness…
Read MoreThe Gall of Bitterness
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2004/09/The-Gall-of-Bitterness.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Reading: Acts 8:14-24 I. Hebrews 12:14-15 A. Bitterness is “characterized by animosity; harshly reproachful, caustic, disagreeable; to have a ‘sour’ disposition toward others over things that happened, whether real or imagined.” B. Few people want to be bitter, but many slide into it over the years. II. Causes of bitterness A. Pride and arrogance…
Read MoreHow do I deal with a boyfriend who won’t respect boundaries?
Question: Dear brothers in Christ, I am writing to you because I need your advice. My soul is weary, and my heart is exhausted. I am a Christian girl in my mid-twenties. I worship in a church of Christ. I grew up in a Christian family. Only one of my siblings didn’t become a Christian.…
Read More