A friend doesn’t want to think her parents might not be saved
Question: Hello, Thank you for all the information you have on your website. I use the resources weekly! We visited your congregation a few years ago when we were in Omaha for a hockey tournament. My wife studied with her friend for 5-6 months, almost weekly, and she obeyed the gospel and was baptized. She grew…
Read MoreTrusting Self or God
by Doy Moyer Jesus told a parable “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). What a statement! Jesus targeted head-on an attitude that was common enough that He wanted this parable to be known by future generations. “Two men went up into the temple to…
Read MoreJesus Is Both Lord and Savior
by Scott Smelser via InLight Media Many of us have friends or family who care about Jesus, are grateful for his sacrifice, respect his word, and want to serve him, but they’ve also been influenced by common misconceptions at the core of much evangelical protestantism which ultimately paint God as accepting (not preferring of course,…
Read MoreAre Christians Putting Too Much Hope in Government?
by Doy Moyer via InLight Media How should Christians respond to government and political authority? In a world where elections, leaders, and policies dominate the conversation, it’s easy for Christians to place too much hope—or too much fear—in government. But the Bible reminds us of a deeper truth: earthly rulers rise and fall, but Christ…
Read MoreWhat I Found Out About Preaching
by Clay Gentry Today, as I stepped into the pulpit, I began my 20th year of preaching. Looking back at that second Sunday in January 2007, I realize I’m no longer the “young preacher” in the room. I spent nearly 13 years with the good brethren at Lanton and have been with Jackson Heights for…
Read MoreLet Us Do Good to All
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Let-Us-Do-Good-to-All.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Galatians 6:1-10 I. What is meant by “doing good”? A. Often we think of giving money to the poor, feeding the hungry, etc. And these are good things. B. But when we read Galatians 6:10, is that what Paul was talking about? II. Understanding the context A. Galatians 5:13-17 1. Freedom for…
Read MoreIs the Jefferson Bible enough?
Question: I recently conversed with someone who is living in a sinful lifestyle, but who I believe is starting to question her life choices. She is in her 70s now and has cancer. She mentioned that she is reading the “Jefferson bible” and wondered if that is “enough.” She asked me to research it since…
Read MoreJust Dropping By to Say Thanks
Question: I just wanted to say thanks. I’ve been looking at your site quite often, and your emails are some of the few I actually look forward to receiving. I sometimes give short talks on Wednesdays and fill in when the preacher is absent, so there are many great ideas for my subject. Thanks again.…
Read MoreThe Words of Jesus (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/The-Words-of-Jesus.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 12:44-50 I. I continue to be amazed at the lengths people will go to justify a belief. A. Perhaps you have heard the story of Martin Luther’s decision that James 2 did not belong in the sacred text because of one small phrase in James 2:24. 1. It…
Read MoreIs Religion Purely the Product of Social Conditioning?
by Shane Scott via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 6 No. 1, January 2026 If you have been following the current series of articles I have been writing, you know that I am responding to some common objections raised against Christianity by unbelievers. There was a time when this sort of study (called apologetics) was a small niche…
Read MoreThe Old Law, Unintentional Sins, and the Christian
by Timothy D. Stringer via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 In Leviticus 4:1-6:7, God, through Moses, gives the Israelite nation provisions for the forgiveness of sins. The priest, the congregation, the leaders, and the common people are given different sacrifices and rituals to perform to receive forgiveness for unintentional sin. (Leviticus 4) For…
Read MoreHeart Set on Pilgrimage
by Terry Wane Benton “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage” (Psalms 84:5 NKJV). Two things show us a truly “blessed” man. No! It is not his money, his political power, or his fame. A truly blessed man: Finds his strength to keep going in God, and…
Read MoreHow can I remember where passages are?
Question: Hello, I do appreciate all the questions you have answered and the guidance that you have provided. I have a student who is concerned that she cannot recall scripture to support her beliefs. I understand the basic knowledge of how to commit something to memory. While in nursing school, I sometimes did not fully…
Read MoreUnwashed Hands
by Hugh DeLong Somewhere before the time of Jesus, some of the Jewish leaders had taken the instructions for Priests in Num. 18:8-13, where they were to ceremonially ‘wash’ their hands before eating ‘holy’ food which had been offered as a sacrifice, and applied it to ‘ordinary’ food and ‘ordinary’ people. After a short while,…
Read MoreWhy Such a Divide in America?
by Terry Wane Benton There is a huge divide in our country. I look at the huge divide between the right and the left in American politics, to say nothing of the huge divide in religions that claim to believe in Jesus Christ. Why are we so deeply divided? Part of the reason is that…
Read MorePlow to the End of the Row
by Gary Henry via WordPoints “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God'” (Luke 9:62). Whatever the project, the finish is better than the beginning. Outcomes matter most in life, not just intentions or struggles. To the churches in…
Read MoreDemons Believe and Tremble
by Hugh DeLong Text: Mark 5 Ok, Ok… so I start with a quote from the book of James, but it is apropos as we read about the incident involving Jesus and the demon-possessed man of Gerasenes. Here they are called ‘unclean spirits’ but Matthew calls them demons (Matthew 8:31). Some questions arise in that…
Read MoreWho Is the Holy Spirit? (Campbell)
by Kyle Campbell The Holy Spirit is a distinct member of the “Godhead” (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4), and He is distinct from the Father and the Son (John 14:26; Acts 10:38). He was active in creation (Genesis 1:2, 26-27; Job 26:13; Psalms 104:30). He was given…
Read MoreHow do you know you are in the right church?
Question: Hello there, I am getting on here as I have many questions about God, the church, salvation, and the Bible. I was baptized into Christ just over a year ago, and while I understand that Jesus built one church and when I was baptized the Lord added me to that church, the state of…
Read MoreNot Divorcing
by Zeke Flores The local newspaper, where we used to live, had an interesting column one morning. It was about a married couple, Blanche and Jake, who’d been married for about 50 years. They were quite happy, and at first, I thought it would be a typical love story of two people growing old together.…
Read MoreIs There a Better Answer to Gender Confusion?
by Scott Smelser via InLight Media There’s a lot of confusion out there these days about gender—what it is, where it came from, and how it should be defined. But what if there’s a solution that transcends divisive human opinions? In this video, we step back from the murky waters of culture and ask a…
Read MoreBeware the Hands of Esau
by William V. Beasley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 Rebekah and Jacob conspired to deceive Isaac and, thereby, to obtain the blessing intended for Esau (Genesis 27:1-29). God has never tried to whitewash the character of those who serve Him; He presents the bad along with the good. Both Rebekah and Jacob…
Read MoreOutside the Camp
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Outside-the-Camp.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Hebrews 13:9-14 I. Understanding the place of the Old Testament is difficult for man A. God is clear that 1. The Old Law would come to an end – Jeremiah 31:31-34 2. The Old Law did come to an end – Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15-16 B. The book of Hebrews is…
Read MoreDoes God pursue those who don’t keep their vows?
Question: Hello, dear pastor, I have a question for you. Today, while I was reading the Bible, I read Deuteronomy 23:21: “You must not delay in repaying your vows to the Lord your God, for the Lord your God will seek you back, and you are guilty if you do not pay them.” As I read…
Read MoreBehold, I Will Do Something New
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Behold-I-Will-Do-Something-New.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Isaiah 43:8-21 I. New things are special A. They are fresher, cleaner, brighter. B. We want new things, not old, used, hand-me-downs C. God told His people that He had something new for them – Isaiah 43:18-21 II. A new covenant A. God selected the decedents of Abraham, specifically the children of…
Read MoreThe Loser’s Limp
by Ron Adams via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 I recall that several years ago, I heard a guest speaker refer to the ’loser’s limp.’ This phrase, he said, described the feigning of a handicap as the reason for not acting appropriately or not performing as required. All of us know when we…
Read MoreSerpent Voice
by Terry Wane Benton It is surprising that the adversary of God and man, Satan, could use a serpent and project words through such a creature, but he had such power to trick Eve (Genesis 3). She was not discerning enough to know that evil was at work, undermining the character of God and the…
Read MoreIt’s a New Day
by Doy Moyer One sobering thought is that children are coming into this world now who will live to see the 22nd century, assuming the Lord does not come first. I had grandparents who were born in the 19th century, and this connects back even further. Not only does time fly, but generations span across…
Read MoreThe Spirit or the Letter?
by Michael Thomas The apostle Paul said he and his fellow apostles were “ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (II Corinthians 3:6). He said this in reference to the work they had been given as gospel preachers, and how…
Read MoreShould a church spend money on community service to get people to evangelize?
Question: Should a church use its money in community service to gain the attention of people to preach to, because of the current lack of seriousness in people toward the gospel? Is it the correct pattern of evangelism? Answer: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because…
Read MoreWould it be good to pursue a career in music?
Question: Thank you, sir, for your very informative messages. Please, I have a very important question. I discovered my talent is singing, and I have been inspired to pursue secular music, but being aware of my faith, sir, I would also like to know if this is a good thing to do. Answer: See “Can…
Read MoreThe Sovereignty of God (Benton)
by Terry Wane Benton I recently saw someone suggest that Calvinists would change John 3:19 to read: “And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but I sovereignly chose not to regenerate them, so they had no choice but to love darkness instead.” This would need to be the reading if…
Read MorePropitiation
by Terry Wane Benton “Propitiation” is not a word used very often anymore, but it has to do with “appeasing” the righteous wrath of someone. In the case of humans who have sinned against the Holy Creator, justice needs to be satisfied, righteous anger appeased. Jesus is the propitiation needed. Notice that the “propitiation” was…
Read MoreFathers Raising Godly Children
by Chad Carter Over the years — now having passed 62 of them — I’ve observed that the men who have raised godly children, though differing widely in personality and disposition, tend to share many of the same traits and practices. The most significant commonality among them is a clear and deliberate intent to raise…
Read MoreSpectators or Worshipers?
by Cleve Stafford It would be in the interest of everyone who requires church to be entertaining to remember the following: God is not interested in spectators. He is not honored by emotional highs that disappear by Monday morning and remain hidden until some band or light show raises them again the following week. He…
Read MoreWarning
by Hugh DeLong Text: Revelation 22 As we finish reading the rather strange (compared to the gospels and letters of the New Testament), we are given a stark warning: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described…
Read MoreRadical
by Al Diestelkamp via THINK, Volume 33 No. 1, January-March, 2002 The word “radical” has come to have more than one meaning. Initially, it meant “from the root.” Somewhere along the way, it began to be used as a synonym of the word “extreme.” When used as an adjective to describe a person’s beliefs, it…
Read MoreConservative or Sound?
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 All humans are forced to communicate by the medium of words. Words convey ideas and concepts; they are tools for expressing our thoughts to others. But words are frequently imprecise, and we are sometimes careless in saying exactly what we mean. Frequently, we assume…
Read MoreSplitting a Church or Working Out Your Salvation
by Jim Ruff via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 It is a serious matter to be a party to “splitting a church.” Christ demands unity and peace (I Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:3). Our salvation is also a serious matter (Matthew 16:26), and we are each responsible for working out our own salvation (Philippians…
Read MoreBy Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them?
by Jeff Kingrey via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good treecannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can…
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