Why Blood?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Why-Blood.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Hebrews 9:15-22 I. Let’s look at Hebrews 9:22 A. Have you considered, “Why blood?” 1. If I wanted to clean something, blood is not the first thing that I would think of using. Blood stains are often difficult to remove. B. How is it that remission of sin requires the…
Read MoreIs loving God a process over time?
Question: I understand that the process of one becoming a Christian isn’t an overnight decision many times. Of course, it can happen that way, but many begin learning about God at an early age, and as they learn more, they will be baptized into Christ at a teenage year or even older. For some, it…
Read MoreCan a church let the community use its well?
Question: Greetings Brother Hamilton, I trust you are doing great today. I have this conflict to clarify: I understand the church is not suppose to go into business or maintain one. But I have a challenge; My congregation was gifted a piece of land with a sunken borehole (well) by a brother . Can the church…
Read MoreThe Commitment of Love
by Terry Wane Benton Love is not a feeling that may come or go. You don’t fall in and out of it. That is more of infatuation and Eros than the valuable love (agape) that is what keeps couples working to forgive and affirm each other through thick and thin. This kind of love is…
Read MoreIs There Just One Way?
by Perry Hall Is there only one way to God? Contrary to popular thought and recent comments made by the head of the Catholic Church, Jesus is the only way. But do we deeply understand what that means? Jesus is called the Way (John 14:6), and Jesus’s followers were so identified with their Lord that…
Read MorePredestination
by Kyle Campbell Are some people predestined to be saved while others are predestined to be lost? If this is true, would it make any difference for one to do right if he is predestinated to be lost? Predestination is definitely a Bible topic, but not in the way that espouses that every individual has…
Read MoreTwo Political Principles
by Doy Moyer Two prime principles should help Christians navigate through the various political systems of this world, whatever they may be: Worldly powers are ultimately in God’s hands. “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Daniel 2:21). Likewise, “the Most High is ruler over the…
Read MoreIs it a sin to get breast implants?
Question: Hello brother! I have a question for you! I’m a baptized member of the church of Christ, and I was wondering if it would be a sin to get breast implants. I have a ”deformity” that causes them to look strange, and I was wondering if it would be a sin to go ahead…
Read MoreIs it wrong to watch or play sports?
Question: Hello! I’ve read several of your articles on sports but needed more information. I love college sports and the friendly competition that’s behind them. Is there any biblical principle that prohibits playing or watching sports? Answer: The Bible mentions several sports and uses sports to illustrate a few concepts. See Notes on Sports. There is…
Read MoreTrue Love (Moyer)
by Doy Moyer True love is not about infatuation, mushy feelings, and giddy joy. While these may occasionally attend love, true love is found in the trenches of life. Love is knowing that you have each other’s backs at the end of the day. It’s working through difficulties and not fearing that the next disagreement…
Read MoreThe idea of redemption confuses me
Question: Hi there, I’m reading through the Bible for the first time. I’m up to Numbers 18 and was confused by verses 14-16. For reference (I’m using an NIV, but I might switch to ESV sometime): “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the Lord is yours. The first offspring of every womb, both human…
Read MoreAmazing Prophecy
by Terry Wane Benton “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins are from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2 LEB). The ruler in Israel would come out of Bethlehem, and he…
Read MoreMy Time
by Chadwick Brewer “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). One of my biggest self-deceptions is that my time is my own. I often feel and act as if I am the rightful owner of 24 hours each day. The truth is, my…
Read MorePreaching
by John Iverson Introduction Even those who have a vague idea of what the Bible teaches know preaching is ordained of God (Titus 1:1-3) Some of the greatest men who have ever lived were proclaimers of God’s Word. Noah (II Peter 2:5) Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:1) Paul (I Timothy 2:7) Jesus (Luke 4:18-19) Some of…
Read MoreA Relationship with God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/A-Relationship-with-God.mp3 by Garry Floyd Download Audio
Read MoreCleansing the Soul
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Cleansing-the-Soul.mp3 by Garry Floyd Download Audio
Read MorePope Claims There Are Many Ways to Reach God
Source: “Pope Francis stirs controversy with interreligious remarks,” The Pillar, 13 September 2024. “All religions are a path to reach God. They are – I make a comparison – like different languages, different idioms, to get there. But God is God for everyone, and since God is God for everyone, we are all children of…
Read MoreUnderstanding Christ’s Church
by David Bunting September 26-29, 2026 Thursday (September 26) to Saturday (September 28) at 7 pm Sunday (September 29) at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, and 5:00 pm The Biblical Meaning of Church A Biblical View of the Local and Universal Church The Purpose of the Universal Church The Purpose of the Local Church – Financial…
Read MoreIs it right for a church to support a Bible school?
Question: Greetings to you, Brother Hamilton; I trust you have been in good health. I need your guidance on these issues: Is it a sin for the church to financially support Bible schools? The church sometimes requests Bible school students to help carry out a massive evangelism campaign. How can the church balance its relationship…
Read MoreI was thinking of asking you a quesion, but you just answered it
Question: Brother Hamilton, I am just writing to thank you again for all that you do. I was considering writing to you about a topic, but I opened the site this morning to find your Q&A on “Should the church organize social activities?” addressing the very topic I had in mind. You are in our…
Read MoreDead and Raised
by Terry Wane Benton Paul describes our pre-conversion state as “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1). We walked like others in the world, but we were spiritually dead toward God. But from our dead state, He “made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:5). We were “raised up together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6). This…
Read MoreHow could he ruin my life like this?
Question: Good, dear Minister of God. I have been married for ten years and knew my husband for about eight years before we married. One of the primary reasons I believed he was God’s will for me was that I saw him as an honest person with very high integrity. He had been a choir…
Read MoreShould a church organize social activities?
Question: I have been a Christian for nearly 40 years and recently became a member of a new congregation after moving. One of the initial impressions is the focus among the brethren about various social activities. Card playing clubs, baseball outings, book clubs, etc. Some of these are promoted from the pulpit, and signs are…
Read MoreCan you separate instead of divorcing?
Question: Hello, First, thank you for your patience, guidance, knowledge, and service. To God be the glory, and may His will be done always. I have a question and need guidance. Recently, a fellow Christian couple realized that they were in an unscriptural marriage. The option of going back to her original spouse is not…
Read MoreI can’t grasp the concept of grace and that I don’t need to punish myself to be forgiven
Question: Hello sir, I have questions about sin, repentance, and the importance of confession and restitution. I love your website, and I admire your wisdom and helping others, which are completely backed up by Scripture. Your input would be greatly appreciated, sir. I also hope that by asking these questions, I will help others on…
Read MoreThat’s Not a Problem Here
by Heath Rogers Several years ago, I was reprimanded for preaching a rather straightforward sermon on the sin of homosexuality. The language of the sermon had upset a couple in the church, as they did not want their young children exposed to this subject. When I discussed this matter with two older men of the…
Read MoreThe First Day of the Sabbaths?
by Perry Hall Open your Bibles to Acts 20:7, and you will see that the church gathered to break bread on “the first day of the sabbaths.” Go on to I Corinthians 16:2, and we again read how Paul gave instructions about collecting for the poor saints on “every first day of the sabbaths.” The…
Read MoreThe Sabbath (2)
by Terry Wane Benton The Sabbath was the seventh day of the week. It was designated to Israel as their day of rest, patterned after the fact that God rested from creative work on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11). The rules for Israel were expounded upon in other parts of the Torah, telling the rules…
Read MoreAre gender reveal parties unbiblical?
Question: Hello, I am bringing this up because my family and I are invited to a party next week. It’s a gender-reveal party. I have attended at least two in the past, and I guess they were pretty enjoyable. I did try to search for some answers, whether they are biblical, and I did find…
Read MoreGod’s Remedy for Sin
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gods-Remedy-for-Sin.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Isaiah 58:1-11 I. In our Scripture reading, God has Isaiah loudly proclaim the sins of His people. A. A fact that surprises the Israelites. 1. They delight in knowing God. They consider themselves righteous and followers of God’s Word. 2. They delight in the nearest of God, but God doesn’t…
Read MoreI … Have Need of Nothing
by L. A. Stauffer via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014 Life was great for the Laodiceans. Business was wonderful, prosperity was abounding, and they flourished with riches. They had the best chariots, top-of-the-line clothing, the finest food from the markets, and palatial homes with plenty of acreage. What else could they possibly…
Read MoreUnity Among Brethren
by Sewell Hall via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014 Jesus prayed, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” (John 17:21). This prayer was not for unity among denominations, nor even for goodwill among congregations. It was…
Read MoreWithout Respect of Persons
by Kyle Pope via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014 James 2:1 declares, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality” (NKJV). The King James Version and the American Standard Version use the phrase “with respect of persons” rather than “partiality.” In the original text,…
Read MoreWhy Israel Fell
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Why-Israel-Fell.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Isaiah 9:1-7 I. The prophet Isaiah told the people that the Messiah was coming. A. He would bring righteousness to all the nations and remove the burdens of sin B. He would establish a new government, one that would last forever C. The people of Israel foolishly thought that the…
Read MoreWhich came first, Leviticus 12:3 or Exodus 4?
Question: Hi, I read your article “Did God give Moses the commandment to circumcise?” You point out that in Leviticus 12:3, God instructs Moses that boys must be circumcised on the 8th day. In Exodus 4, we have the situation where God is preparing to kill Moses because he has not circumcised his son. Since…
Read MoreWhy was one woman called “daughter” instead of “woman”?
Question: Good morning, brother. I have been reading Luke 7 about the woman who was a sinner and brought an alabaster flask of fragment oil. She stood at Jesus’ feet, washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. Jesus refers to her in Luke 7:44 as “woman.” In…
Read MoreHow would the Jews know that Psalms 110 is talking about the Messiah?
Question: Hello Jeffrey, I hope you’re doing well by the grace of God. I have a question about Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” When Jesus quoted this in Matthew 22:45, he pointed out that David called the Messiah Lord. Please…
Read MoreQuick to Forget
by Zeke Flores How many times have you heard a thing, yet forget what you heard in a matter of minutes? The older we get, the more we are “quick to hear, fast to forget.” Or, as we’ve all heard it, it’s in one ear and out the other. But the malady isn’t merely age-related.…
Read MoreLeaving the Church
by Perry Hall Meditate on this thought: “What I believe about God’s word is more important than how people treat me.” Many people will leave churches where they are mistreated and start worshiping with a friendly church that practices and teaches things contrary to what they believe. Whether they want to admit it or not,…
Read MoreHow to Keep Our Children Spiritually Safe
by Perry Hall How do we keep our children from leaving faithful churches to go to those not following the faith? How do we help our children follow after faithful saints regardless of age instead of leaving to follow after their friends? This is an anecdotal tale. From 6th grade to 12th grade, I worshiped…
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