Is it wrong to get married when the bride-to-be is pregnant?
Question: Good day, preacher, I have a question for you and need your help. I met a lady I love, and we plan to get married next month. The date is set, and flyers are distributed. Unfortunately, we found out that she is pregnant. Should we proceed with the marriage, or is it wrong to…
Read MoreIs it a problem that the divorce papers don’t mention adultery?
Question: Hello sir, I have a question for you regarding my brother. Right out of high school, my brother was married at a young age, with no children for 2 years. His wife allegedly began having an affair. At the time, there were many signs of cheating but no admission from her or proof that…
Read MoreTrue Riches
by Terry Wane Benton In Luke 16:11, Jesus speaks of “true riches” as opposed to the world’s material riches. True riches are the real riches. We’ve known many of those millionaires who were poor and miserable on the inside. They don’t have “true riches.” True riches are things inside that make you content, thankful, happy,…
Read MoreI’m tired of sinning sexually
Question: Good evening, I write to you because I am tired of sinning sexually. When I think I have overcome it, I fall again, and I sin with prostitutes when I know that I am a minister. I have a relationship with the Lord, yet I continue to sin and look for someone to sin…
Read MoreJesus Had Every Excuse and Reason, But …
by Perry Hall If anyone was too busy, it was Jesus (Mark 1:29-34, 38-39, 1:40-42, 45; 2:1-2; etc.). If there was anyone who could worship anywhere, it was Jesus (Mark 1:35; Luke 22:39). If there was anyone better than those hypocrites, it was Jesus (Mark 1:23-26; 2:16; 3:2). If there was anyone who, as a…
Read MoreIs Baptism a Symbol?
by Terry Wane Benton “Jesus’s blood saves us. It has nothing to do with baptism. Water baptism is symbolic of what happens to us when our sins are washed away by His blood.” Answer: Why do we need a symbol? If the real thing happened, it happened. How does baptism have any value if it…
Read MoreThe Crutch of Self
by Doy Moyer We sometimes hear unbelievers argue that religion is a crutch (something on which we heavily rely) or that we believe in God and the Bible because it just makes us feel good and thereby gives hope that is, to them, false. We are told that we believe because it’s what we want…
Read MoreYour arguments against Mormonism were just copies from an old binder
Question: Hello, There is an article (You don’t understand. Joseph Smith didn’t contradict himself) on the La Vista church website that dates to 2009. And funnily enough, I had a conversation with a church of Christ pastor back in 2008 about that very subject. He had a binder on Mormonism and just read objections about…
Read MoreDivisive
by Chadwick Brewer “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the…
Read MoreThe SAME as They
by Terry Wane Benton “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are” (Acts 15:11). The Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way by the same gospel (Romans 1:16-17). There is no difference between the gospel to the Jews and the…
Read MoreWhy didn’t Jesus mention baptism to Nicodemus?
Question: Why didn’t Jesus mention baptism to Nicodemus in the gospel of John when he asked? Answer: Great question. I love Nicodemus’s story, and I believe it can help us understand the need for water baptism. Firstly, I would like to say we don’t see the whole story of Nicodemus played out. All we see…
Read MoreNot Put into Practice
by Zeke Flores How many times have we heard a sermon, yawned, and went on our way unchanged? For the Israelites, it’s not like they didn’t hear the words; they just weren’t listening with their hearts. They knew what God expected yet didn’t do anything about it. And they paid a heavy price for it.…
Read MoreDoes I Corinthians 7:5 mean masturbation is a sin?
Question: Hi Pastor, Paul says that married couples should not deprive one another, but they should rather come together for intimacy. How does his reasoning work if masturbation is not a sin? Wouldn’t the man and woman simply meet their own needs individually? I may be missing a way to harmonize these two ideas. Thanks…
Read MoreThe Master Craftsman
by Chadwick Brewer “And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God’” (Zechariah 13:9).…
Read MoreMan after God’s Own Heart
by Terry Wane Benton God accomplished great things through David while his faith was steady and strong. One feature of the Bible is that it does not make a man look better than he actually is. With all of David’s victories and moments where his faith shined, inspiration demanded we learn about his weakness as…
Read MoreIs abortion acceptable for married women?
Question: Hi Minister, good day. I am a child of God and would like to know if abortion is a sin for a married woman to do. I have four young children, and recently, I got pregnant. We are done having children, and this one came in. We are considering removing it since it’s barely…
Read MoreWe Depend on God’s Grace for Salvation
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/We-Depend-on-Gods-Grace-for-Salvation.mp3 by Raymond Warfel [The first passage was Acts 15:6-11]
Read MoreWas I wrong to withhold my blessing?
Question: Dear Sir, My adult daughter is living with a guy twice her age. They want to get married, and it appears he wants my blessing. However, he doesn’t have a vehicle, can’t keep a job thus far and just started a new job a couple of weeks ago, doesn’t have a credit card, which…
Read MoreLove for the Brethren
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Love-for-the-Brethren.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreKnowledge Without Wisdom
by Terry Wane Benton In Colossians 1, we find Paul writing to a group that heard “the word of the truth of the gospel” (Colossians 1:5), and it produced faith, hope, and love (Colossians 1:4-5) in them. Paul was thankful, but he went on to pray that they would be “filled with the knowledge of…
Read MoreLove or Hate
by Terry Wane Benton If the Law said to “hate your enemies” (via Matthew 5:43), and Jesus was obligated to uphold the Law, then Jesus was obligated to hate His enemies, and He would have sinned if He did not hate his enemies. No! That will not work! Jesus does not contrast His own new…
Read MoreIs it right to be paid to clean a church building?
Question: Hello! I have a question regarding the church treasury and its use. I’ve been going to an institutional church of Christ with my family, as I don’t have a driver’s license to attend the non-institutional church the next town over. I clean for the church. Is it proper for me to accept payment for…
Read MoreWrestling with God
by Doy Moyer The narrative of Jacob includes the intriguing account of Jacob wrestling with God (Genesis 32:22-32). Jacob had been out of the land for a few decades and finally returned. The night before meeting Esau again, Jacob was left alone, and the text says, “a man wrestled with him until the breaking of…
Read MoreThe Appeal of Catholicism Among Young Men and Lessons for Churches of Christ: Confronting the Vacuum Left by the Progressive Movement
by Gregory Alan Tidwell In recent years, an unexpected trend has surfaced: young men under thirty (Gen-Z) are increasingly turning to Catholicism. At first glance, this shift appears counterintuitive. With its traditions, hierarchical structure, and strict doctrines, Catholicism seems an unlikely refuge for a generation celebrated for its openness, diversity, and rejection of dogma. Yet,…
Read MoreAre the Souls of the Wicked Annihilated?
by Bill Pierce Some time ago, Mr. Garner Ted Armstrong, in a broadcast, stated that the souls of the wicked dead cease to exist. Besides using Matthew 10:28 as his proof text, he used cartoons to mock the idea of everlasting punishment. This is a favorite doctrine, not only for him but also for other…
Read MoreWas there a second covenant with Israel?
Question: How will you reconcile Deuteronomy 29:1, the additional covenant God made through Moses with Isreal at the land of Moab, and Exodus 19, the covenant on Mount Siani? Are they two different covenants? Answer: “These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in…
Read MoreBaptism, Grace, and Works
by Andy Belknap There are many people today who believe that baptism (immersion) is not essential to being saved. I truly believe this is one of Satan’s grandest lies that he has successfully spread throughout the ages. What greater way is there to snatch souls away from God than to sow deceit and confusion around…
Read MoreWhy were the Ten Commandments placed in the Ark but the Law was placed beside the Ark?
Question: Hi sir, I would like you to help me on this matter: Why were the Ten Commandments only placed in the Ark of the Covenant? Again, why was the Law in Deuteronomy 31:26 placed beside the ark of the covenant and not inside the ark of the covenant? I hope to hear from you…
Read MoreHow can the families of the earth be blessed through Abraham?
Question: Hi there! I hope you’re well! Romans 2:24, “Because of you, the Gentiles blaspheme My name.” Does this contradict Genesis 12:3? How could the blasphemers be not cursed if they are excused by Romans 2:24? Thank you so much. Answer: “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you…
Read MoreHis Dominion Will Be Vast
by Terry Wane Benton Isaiah 9:7 is interesting. Some brethren use it to teach that the kingdom on earth will keep “increasing” and never have an earth-ending moment and a transferal to heaven. But the “increase” is about the “prosperity” experienced rather than the kingdom growing on earth forever. The NET (New English Translation) says,…
Read MoreMorality from Molecules?
by Terry Wane Benton Atheists have a sense of right and wrong; as skewed as it is, it is an issue they cannot explain. Where did this sense of ought, moral right and wrong, come from? Do men get to make it up from within their own molecules? If so, then who gets the final…
Read MoreCan a congregation of only women worship God?
Question: Dear Brethren, I hope this message finds you well. I have a question regarding worship gatherings and would appreciate your guidance. There is one congregation in which only female members remain, as the sole male member who served with them had to (compelled) relocate for economic reasons. Given that there are now no men…
Read MoreI’m feeling guilty about cheating on my girlfriend
Question: Hello, I’ve been in a relationship with my girlfriend for three years now. When we met, she hadn’t been with anyone before, while I had multiple past relationships. Over time, I pressured her into being intimate before marriage—something she agreed to, perhaps out of love or other reasons. Recently, I was unfaithful to her…
Read MoreConviction
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Conviction-1.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 11:37-54 I. We live our lives avoiding disagreements A. We don’t like being told we are wrong B. We avoid causing other people to be upset with us 1. A Nebraska superintendent made the national news because she forbade references to Christmas in her school so as to not…
Read MorePersonal Sacrifice and Service
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Personal-Sacrifice-and-Service.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:17-18 I. Paul often discussed the topic of unity in his letters to the various churches. A. Unity based having the same goals and the same standards – Romans 15:5; I Corinthians 1:10; II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:1-3; I Thessalonians 5:11-15 B. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is…
Read MoreLegalism
by Terry Wane Benton What is it? Why do people fear it? It seems that the only opposite is “illegalism.” However, a better definition would probably be an attitude of self-deception, which is thinking we stand right with God with no need for mercy and forgiveness. We can stand on the legal side of justice…
Read MorePeace and Truth
by Doy Moyer There are people I genuinely like but with whom I have strong disagreements. Some are on opposite theological and political isles, yet I feel kindly disposed toward them. I cannot explain this. It’s just something that you either get or don’t. I suspect that this is true of most people. We have…
Read MoreRevisiting Bible Authority
by Andy Sochor via Plain Bible Teaching It is good and necessary to revisit certain topics from time to time. We do not want to “drift away” from what we have previously learned (Hebrews 2:1). Some topics are so foundational that they affect what we believe, teach, and practice – individually and collectively. One of…
Read MoreIs it a command to seek forgiveness of sin from a brother before worshiping God?
Question: Good day, brother Hamilton, I have a question. Does Matthew 5:21-24 always mean or dictate one must go to their brother whom they have sinned against before they can ask God to forgive them? Answer: “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be…
Read MoreCould the Galatians repent of their sins?
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, I have been reading your website for quite some time. I struggle with the unpardonable sin and have read your articles dozens of times. My question is: Could the Galatians repent of their sin of mixing the old and new covenant and return to Christ, or was there no hope for…
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