Manasseh’s Mess
by Zeke Flores Manasseh has the dubious distinction of being Judah’s longest-reigning king, 55 years after assuming the throne at the tender age of 12, and its worst, most wicked king. His father, Hezekiah, instituted many religious reforms that ignited a spiritual revival throughout the kingdom. His son Manasseh undid it all. In fact, not…
Read MoreDo the dead return to haunt their killers?
Question: Dear brethren, I hope I find you well. I need your input on whether the dead return to haunt or get revenge on their killers. It’s a hot topic in this region. One preacher wrote the following arguments in favor of the spirits avengers. Afternoon, Brother’s. Allow me to draw back a little bit…
Read MoreIs child molestation a form of fornication?
Question: Is child sexual molestation a form of adultery or fornication since they both consist of sexual activity outside of marriage? I am just wondering if child molestation falls under adultery or fornication since they both consist of sexual activity outside of marriage. Why is it that people see a boyfriend and girlfriend who are in…
Read MoreJesus is the “I AM”
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jesus-Is-The-I-AM.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Many religions cast doubts on the deity of Jesus A. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is the first creation of God. B. Muslims see Jesus as nothing more than a significant prophet, much like Moses. C. Probably the best analysis of who is Jesus is found in the book of John. II. The evidence…
Read MoreI wished you had softened the blows of the truth
Question: Good morning, I stumbled across your site this morning. I found it very useful in my personal endeavor, so naturally, I began exploring this new goldmine of wisdom and scripture. I admire your work, and I very much appreciate this amazing resource shedding light and truth in a dark world. I will be upfront.…
Read MoreCare for the Weak
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Care-for-the-Weak.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 12:9-21 I. Even a casual reading of the Gospels brings up an noticeable and odd fact, Jesus would heal and then charge the people to tell no one. A. Why? 1. First, Jesus did not need any advertisement. His presence was sufficient. 2. Second, Jesus did not want people following just…
Read MoreWill there be hugging and kissing in heaven?
Question: Hi! I came across your website! I’m an autistic Christian. I’m aware that marriage in the new earth will be between Christ and His Church, and there likely won’t be human sex between a male and female. Whatever sex points to when all the pieces are put together will be shown somehow in the…
Read MoreWhat can I do to get my life right?
Question: Hello sir, I came across some articles on your website. I have personal concerns, and I need biblical guidance. I am a Christian lady. I’m 27 years old, and I am very confused and frustrated. I was recently in a courtship relationship, but my fiance and I had sex a couple of times, even though…
Read MoreHeavenly Places in Christ
by Terry Wane Benton I pointed out that Christians are presently “in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3,7), and one preacher, in disbelief, asked, “What is it like in heaven?” He thought he had me stumped for claiming we are presently in “the heavenly places.” His question reveals a disturbing misunderstanding. It is disturbing…
Read MoreWhen should the treasurer be allowed to teach after stealing from the church?
Question: Our treasurer stole from our church. She has repented but hasn’t made restitution. She wants to teach. What does the Bible say about this? Answer: A part of repentance is attempting to repair the damage caused by your sins. Paul “kept declaring … that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate…
Read MoreAny advice for a single Christian?
Question: Hello, I came across the “Hope for the Future” article, and it resonated with my current situation. At 28 years old, I have not yet had my first relationship. I’ve dated before but have not yet found the right one. As a Christian, it can be discouraging to see non-Christians seeming to have flourishing…
Read MoreYoung King Josiah
by Zeke Flores Think about it: An eight-year-old boy takes the reins of a country but doesn’t shrink back in intimidation. Instead, young Josiah goes head-first into serving his God personally, then nationally. By the time he’s 26, Josiah is leading a full-blown revival not seen since the days of his great-granddaddy Hezekiah. Idols came…
Read MoreJesus, the King of Kings
by Doy Moyer The scriptural concept of kingship starts in Genesis 1. God is the sovereign Creator who made male and female in His image and gave them dominion over the creation (Genesis 1:26-29). The idea is that humanity rules with God according to His will. In the garden, we find God dwelling with Adam…
Read MoreMy life has been spiraling into an OCD nightmare
Question: Hello, I really need your help with this struggle. “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). My life has been spiraling more and more into an OCD nightmare because I keep thinking about this verse.…
Read MoreShould I let my daughter’s boyfriend sleep in the same room when they come for a visit?
Question: Hello, I have a daughter who has been living with her boyfriend for the past two years. They want to come visit. I’m unsure if allowing them to sleep together in our guest room is right. Should I let them know they’re welcome to visit and sleep in our home, but not in the…
Read MoreWere the apostles given authority to bind laws in heaven?
Question: Hello brother, Matthew 16:18ff is one of those many verses that we more frequently use. As I continue to read and study it, though, I realize I have not studied it as well as I thought. Matthew 16:19 is phrased as such: “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,…
Read MoreThe Red Heifer
by Terry Wane Benton The Muslims have occupied the place of the Jewish temple with the Dome of the Rock for centuries. There are Jews who want very badly to remove the Muslims and the Dome of the Rock so that the Jews can rebuild a temple in that place. Their temple was destroyed according…
Read MoreDoes the number of sexual partners make a difference?
Question: Hello, I was wondering about body count, as in multiple sexual partners. There have been recent talks about it, so I might as well ask since it has bothered me a bit. There have been videos and posts of people being proud of their body count, but there have also been several posts and…
Read MoreAm I bound by a childhood promise?
Question: Hi, Mr. Hamilton. When Jesus says, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no” in Matthew 5:37, he means that Christians ought to be people who keep their word, whether they formally call it a vow or swear an oath. If Jill tells Jack, “Yes, I will marry you,” she has made…
Read MorePomp and Pageantry
by Doy Moyer Pomp and ceremony do not make worship more holy any more than does the physical location. God seeks true worshippers who worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). He does not need the inventions of our hands, does not dwell in buildings made with our hands, and is not impressed by our…
Read MoreGod’s Glory in Concealed Things
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Gods-Glory-in-Concealed-Things.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 97 I. When men wish for the glory of other men, they highlight the things that they do A. When we want a promotion or a pay raise, we present to our bosses lists of how we benefitted the company. We make sure the boss notices the good things…
Read MoreTaking Courage
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Taking-Courage-1.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 28:1-16 I. Suppose your boss never gave you any feedback concerning your job. You come in, do your job and leave, but you never hear a word of criticism or praise. A. It almost sounds like the ideal job. But I think most people would soon find it to…
Read MoreConstitution and the Bible
Author Unknown (SMH?) Want to know why, increasingly, the church is welcoming easy divorce, women in leadership roles, cohabiting couples, practicing homosexuals, and transgenderism? Perhaps surprisingly, just ask former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer—not that he is a theologian or commentator on church matters, but he might as well be. What he says about the…
Read MoreTwo Sincere Men Want to Evangelize
by Gardner Hall Biblical Insights 14(9) September 2014 The First Man The first emphasizes “the true church,” and when evangelizing, he begins his conversations with others by asking, “How many churches did Jesus build?” Later, he quotes Matthew 16:18 to show that Jesus built only one. It wasn’t the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, the Mormon Church,…
Read MoreHe Restrained Them Not (Sanders)
by James Sanders The life of the Old Testament figure, Eli, is remarkable. Eli was a descendant of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, and therefore was of the tribe of Levi. Combined in this man of God were the offices of both High Priest and Judge. It was the first time in Israel that…
Read MoreLive Joyfully!
by Paul Earnhart via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No 2, February 2015 Text: Ecclesiates 9:1-12 The Preacher concluded the eighth chapter with another of his oft-repeated observations that God’s ways are inscrutable to men, however wise (Ecclesiastes 8:17). Job, in his misery, twice asks plaintively: “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of…
Read MoreWoe to You, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!
by Allen Dvorak Biblical Insights, 14(9), September 2014 There is no uncertainty about the compassion of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Various individuals and groups were the objects of His compassion (e.g., Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 7:11-15). But Jesus was also frequently involved in controversy and sometimes handed out sharp rebukes. One of His most scathing…
Read MoreHas “that which is perfect” always been the Bible?
Question: Hello, I have a question regarding whether “that which is perfect” has always been the New Testament. Before the question, let’s consider some verses of Scripture, Jas 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,…
Read MoreReal Faith
by Doy Moyer Biblical faith is not mere belief. It is trust, but it is more than that. It is conviction, loyalty, faithfulness, allegiance, and commitment. To say that we ought to trust God and have faith is not to say that we sit back and do nothing. That is a bad spin on faith…
Read MoreA Blessing and a Heritage
by Chadwick Brewer “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalms 127:3). For most of history, having a large family was viewed as a blessing. For example, when Job’s wealth was listed in Job 1, his most prized and valuable blessing from God was his seven sons…
Read MoreCould the Lord’s Supper be taken in advance?
Question: Hello, brethren in Christ, I want to ask a question regarding this matter. Based on the example given in “Is it wrong to hold a celebration in advance of an event?”, which is the Passover, is it okay if we also partake in the bread and cup in advance? Any answer will be greatly…
Read MoreIs it wrong to hold a celebration in advance of an event?
Question: Good day, brother Jeff. I encountered a weird question about holding a celebration in advance (e.g., a pre-birthday, pre-anniversary, or pre-going away party). A sister said we shouldn’t do this because we’re attempting to be a step ahead of God when we do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14). I understand her…
Read MoreI don’t know how to handle this situation
Question: Hey, I know you’re not God or anything, but I’ve been dealing with some sins in my life. I was baptized last year, and I moved my kids’ father into my home. Around that time, I didn’t think of anything else, so I explained to him what needed to be done, and that was…
Read MoreThe Outward Appearance of Jesus
by Doy Moyer Jesus “had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). Elsewhere, we have discussed the true beauty of Jesus, but here we are going to consider another facet of what the appearance of Jesus implies for our standing with God.…
Read MoreDrawing Strength from the Courage of Others
by Bill Hall We should be thankful for wonderful examples of courage that spur us on to greater strength in the Lord’s service. Paul was just such an example: “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:14). These…
Read MoreGrowing Old in the Lord
by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above Text: Psalm 71 Young people may consider an aged person’s life free from problems. For example, they see an older person as one who does not have to face the difficulties of employment, child-rearing, and sometimes even house payments. They may note that a person who has advanced…
Read MoreTaking the Gifts of God
by Robert F. Turner “And Jehovah said unto Joshua, See I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor” (Joshua 6:2). According to some theories of Gift and Grace, this promise says, “(1) you already have the city and can’t lose it; and (2) no condition could…
Read MoreCan non-believers contribute to the church?
Question: We recently discussed donations in the church, and I was wondering if you could provide any scriptural basis for them. Can a non-member or unbeliever donate money to the church? Can the church use that donation from him or her? Thanks! Answer: While the topic is not specifically addressed in the Scriptures, we can…
Read MoreDefending the Gospel
by Doy Moyer If we must say we are sorry (and at some point, we all must), then do so over poor behavior and ungodly thinking, but never be sorry for the impact of the gospel itself and what it stands for. Further, be careful about conflating bad behavior with the gospel, for it is…
Read MoreWorship Weariness
by Dennis Abernathy Malachi said Israel was weary, bored, and tired of worship. (Malachi 1: 13). It was too demanding and had become a grievous chore rather than an exalted privilege, a burden instead of a blessing. Fast forward to today. Many want shorter sermons, with less Scripture and more wit, less identification and exposure…
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