Answer
Is 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 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 MoreWhat does “seated at God’s right hand” mean?
Question: Hello Jeffrey, What does the Scriptures mean when it says Christ is seated at God’s right hand of the Father? And are there any particularly good commentaries you can recommend in general for Bible study? Answer: For most people, the right hand is their dominant hand. It is stronger and more dexterous. Most people…
Read MoreHow do I help my unemployed husband?
Question: Hello, I’m writing because I don’t know what to do. My husband is showing job instabilities. This all started when he left his very good and secure job because he had some colleagues who tried to tempt him to gaze at other women. He left because he wanted to be loyal to me and…
Read MoreI fear people will judge me because of my sinful past
Question: Hi, I was backsliding in my teenage and youthful days. I was in a relationship with a Christian, but now, I am married to another girl. I didn’t attend the church services regularly for years due to some issues. I feel guilty for missing the fellowship and because of the sins of my younger…
Read MoreCan a couple live together if they are strong enough to resist temptation?
Question: Is it biblical for unmarried couples to live together if they are just powerful enough to resist temptation, or are they merely fooling themselves and still giving the assumption of sin? Answer: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (I Corinthians 10:12). While it is your intention…
Read MoreCan a Christian go to a beach bar?
Question: Hello brother, What are your thoughts on brethren going to beaches and beach bars? I sometimes get troubled watching brethren partake in actions and events emphasizing drinking and beer. I know we cannot keep from ever having dealings with people of this world (I Corinthians 5:10). This example would be someone in leadership, like…
Read MoreDo I need to confess everything I did wrong constantly?
Question: I have a question that I am struggling to find an answer to. A few days ago, I confessed to my family about my past sins. We were able to pray, and we are now in the process of healing. Lately, I have remembered some other things I have done, like listening to worldly…
Read MoreWhat if we can’t always find a congregation to worship with?
Question: Hello My son plays travel baseball, and we travel almost every weekend. However, we do find a congregation in the town we are in. If it conflicts, we do Zoom. Is this an issue? I get a lot of flack from the congregation I attend. Answer: Personally, I’m of the mind that the worship of God…
Read MoreWhat if a person lied about his past marriage?
Question: Greetings, I have enjoyed reading your studies and answers for many years. I have two questions if you could answer them please. So far I have only been able to find an answer in necessary inference. If a Christian in good standing unknowingly marries a person who lied about his marital status, when the…
Read MoreCan you explain I Corinthians 6:16-17?
Question: Good day I have a question and would like some advice. A bit of background leading to the question: I was a fake Christian, committed fornication, and knew it displeased God, but I didn’t really know Christ at the time. But someone came and preached repentance. I decided to believe in Christ, give my…
Read MoreI feel like I failed God, and He is angry with me
Question: Good day, I hope you are well. I love God, but I fear displeasing Him. I want to do right for Him. I’m a Christian. I am in my mid-twenties now. I was baptized at 12, but I got tangled in sin at 21 for about a year. I committed fornication, drinking, cursing, lying,…
Read MoreHow was Zacchaeus’ family saved with Zacchaeus?
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, What does Luke19:1-10 mean when it says Zacchaeus’ whole household was saved when he (Zacchaeus) was saved? Answer: “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that…
Read MoreIs it wrong to ask for forgiveness?
Question: Good day, I hope you are well, My question here is twofold. First, I was taught that we shouldn’t ask for forgiveness; instead, we should thank God for his forgiveness. This, though, feels both right and wrong. This confuses me a bit because nowhere in the Scripture does it say we need to say…
Read MoreIs it right to say your own prayer while someone else is praying in worship?
Question: Good day, First, I find great biblical knowledge on your Facebook page! It is a very valuable resource for Bible questions and answers. I want your assistance regarding some questions that I have. Is it appropriate or biblically correct to pray aloud (in a hushed but audible voice) while someone is praying during service?…
Read MoreIs I Corinthians 7:9 talking about unfulfilled desires?
Question: I was wishing to ask a question about I Corinthians 7:9. Is it okay to say that it is better to marry than to burn with unfulfilled desire? Answer: “Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner,…
Read MoreIs it wrong for a married couple to give up their child for adoption?
Question: Hello, I hope you are well! If a married couple (who got pregnant after marriage) is willing to give the baby up the baby for adoption because they don’t have the money to keep it, is this a sin? Answer: Adoption is not wrong, though it may not always be the best option. Our…
Read MoreHow do I move forward from a breakup?
Question: Good evening, I’m relatively new to this website, but I have found it particularly helpful for hearing Q&A’s specifically related to Christian life. I’m a freshman college student who dated a girl for around 4-5 months when college started. It has been almost three months since she broke up. I’ve been slowly getting better,…
Read MoreCan a person who committed fornication marry someone else?
Question: Good day. I have a question concerning your answer: Do I have to marry the man I committed fornication with? My question for you is: Can the lady who asked the question get married to another person? If yes, won’t that count as adultery for her and the man she marries? Thank you. Answer:…
Read MoreMust married couples have children?
Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton! I hope this finds you well! I have a question and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. I don’t know of any verse that says Christians, if married, should have children. However, in I Timothy 5:14, Paul says he wants widows to bear children. Does that mean they have to?…
Read MoreHow do I teach my family?
Question: Good day, Minister, I have been subscribed to La Vista Church of Christ emails for a while now, and I’ve really benefitted from it. But now I have a problem of my own. I’m the youngest child of several siblings, and my siblings are all boys. I turned 18 recently, but I became a…
Read MoreWhere does the Bible say the people of Babel defied God?
Question: Good day, I’m slightly confused about Scripture and interpretation here. The story of Babel is always propped up as a story of man’s defiance of God’s will, but nowhere do I see the Bible actually state that they defied God. Yes, they did go against God’s command. God wanted people to disperse around the…
Read MoreWhy does Mark 1:2-3 says it quotes Isaiah when it is not just from Isaiah?
Question: Good day, First, I need to say that I tried to find this answer. I’m unaware if you have answered this. I’m just struggling with the ‘new’ answers page as the old search mechanic allowed me to find the answers I’m looking for quicker, but I’ll probably still get used to it using the…
Read MoreHow do I know I received the Holy Spirit?
Question: Good morning, Thank you for all the helpful resources available through this website. I have found this site to be very helpful. I have read many of the articles you have regarding re-baptism, and I would like to gain further insight into this topic. I was baptized at the age of 14. However, I…
Read MoreHow do I repent of stealing from my neighbors?
Question: Hello, I have sinned for many years. I recently gave my life to Christ. I repented to the Lord of all my sins. I am devoting the rest of my existence to serving the Lord Jesus Christ. One of my biggest sins was being a thief for many years. I stole mainly to survive,…
Read MoreShould we send our son to a therapeutic boarding school?
Question: Dear Minister, I have two sons: A is 13, and B is 9. Both are adopted and are non-biological siblings. My husband and I have had both boys since they were infants. We go to church twice a week, pray and study the word together every day, the boys go to an excellent private…
Read MoreI can’t find a job
Question: Good day, I’m 20. I’ve been searching for a new job since I lost my previous one. I’m a web developer and a graphics designer. It has been frustrating searching for a new one. I’ve been rejected more times than I can count. I even got an acceptance email, and I never got a follow-up after that.…
Read MoreThank you for the many resources
Question: Good morning, I just wanted to say thank you for the many resources y’all provide on the website. They have been very helpful in my studies. May we continually grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Answer: Thank you for the encouragement.
Read MoreDo I have to marry the man I committed fornication with?
Question: Hi. I am a born-again Christian woman. I have committed fornication with a younger man who is still in college and who is also a Christian. I have realized that it is wrong and repented since then, and I have not had any further sexual relationships with him. I have also avoided communicating with…
Read MoreCan you be forgiven in old age if you willfully sinned in your youth?
Question: Good day, minister, I have been faced with this question a few times and even got the question recently again, but I never had any real good answer to it. I have read your article about deathbed repentance, but my question doesn’t really extend that far. Whether it is scriptural or not, I refuse…
Read MoreShould I arrange for someone to study with my son?
Question: Good morning sir. I hope you are well. My son, who is 14 years old, has shared that he wants to be baptized into the Lord. I don’t know if, at his age, he understands and wants to be baptized for the right reasons. I had planned to arrange for someone from the church…
Read MoreThanks for the help with my OCD
Question: Thanks so much for all the help you have given me over the years. Answering questions by email and speaking to me on the phone. I am very thankful. I have truly learned so much over the years. I got hooked up with NOCD last year, and the counselor I’ve been working with has…
Read MoreWhy are the laws for remarriage different between the Old Law and New Law?
Question: If the marriage law is universal, why is the remarriage law in Deuteronomy 24 different from Romans 7:2 in that the guilty party who gets married to a second spouse can go back to his/her first husband? Answer: The two laws of God are different. “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I…
Read MoreDid I defile myself by sexually touching a woman?
Question: Greetings, I just wanted to know if I sexually touched a woman with clothes on but no intercourse, did I defile myself as Revelation 14:4 says? “These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and…
Read MoreDoes the type of water matter in baptism?
Question: Dear Minister, Thank you for your website. It has a lot of good stuff. It is really awesome. Thanks. And thanks for being willing to answer questions by email. Is any water type (fresh, chlorinated, salt, a bit muddy, etc) acceptable before God for baptism? As far as I know, no one but me…
Read MoreIs saying “in the precious name of Jesus” at the end of a prayer wrong?
Question: Dear brother, Recently, a brother in the congregation insisted that it is wrong and unscriptural to end one’s prayer with the phrase “in the precious name of Jesus.” He insisted that adding the adjective “precious” is tantamount to adding to the word of God. He has quoted a La Vista Church of Christ article…
Read MoreIs Matthew 5 only for the Jews?
Question: Hello, A friend of mine who is against divorce and remarriage says that Matthew 5 has a “Jewish element,” that is, the word “council” in Matthew 5:22, so it is a chapter only for Jews and not for Christians. What do you think about that? Thank you. Answer: This is a variation of an…
Read MoreAre the churches of Christ the only correct church?
Question: Hi Jeffery, In the article “Wasn’t Babel the city of Eridu?” you mentioned, “You will not find any claim that the churches of Christ are the only correct church on this site.” Do you no longer believe in the one true church? I understand that not every church with the name “church of Christ”…
Read MoreDoes a Christian have to believe in a young earth?
Question: Good day!I hope you are well. I have a rather strange question. I do believe the Bible literally without question where it needs to be, but I’ve never really even thought of asking this question before, even though it seems to be an obvious question. The question is this: Does a Christian have to…
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