Can a sister write a lesson for one of the men to present?

Question: Good morning, I appreciate your website and all the helpful information it provides. I have gone to your site throughout the years. Again, thank you. My wife and I are attending the Lord’s church and we are fairly new to this congregation. It is a very loving church and strives diligently to stay according…

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You should get your facts straight

Question: You mentioned (in Is “Christian” supposed to be “natsarim”?) that the New Testament wasn’t written in Hebrew. That’s partially true, as Epiphanius and others have documented there was a Hebrew Matthew. Then you mentioned that Christian was a valid term based on the assumption that the New Testament wasn’t written in Hebrew.  Uhm, the…

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What do you think of the Legacy Standard Bible?

Question: Hi, I have a question. I frequently use your website as a reference for Bible lessons. I appreciate all the great lessons and resources on your website. I was curious about a new topic being discussed among churches of Christ. The new LSB version of the Bible has been introduced to us (at our…

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Are we bound by our culture’s traditions?

Question: In this region of my country, there is a traditional belief that the spirit of your ancestors will kill you and your children if your wife has an affair. If you present a cow to your in-laws during your father-in-law’s funeral and you did not do the same during your father’s burial, your ancestors…

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I fell back into pornography

Question: Greetings! I am a young Christian man who has endured nearly 13 years of porn addiction. I understand it’s not proper for us Christians to feast on such trash. I had even alienated myself from my home church for nearly ten months and had to attend different churches. About two weeks ago, I decided…

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How much time should be spent during the Lord’s Supper?

Question: Since COVID, the congregation I am attending began using the individual prepacked communion sets handed out in sandwich bags before we walk into worship. The men leading communion begin with comments, scripture, and prayer before we partake of the bread. After 30 to 15 seconds of silence, the leader offers another prayer, and we…

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Which baptism was in effect between Jesus’ death and Pentecost?

Question: Good evening, After reading Exodus 19-24, it appears the Patriarchal Age ended in Exodus 19 but was not ratified by blood until Exodus 24:7-8, which relates to Hebrews 9:22. With this in mind, if I’m correct in my earlier assessment, which baptism (John’s or Jesus’) would have been authorized after Jesus’ death but before…

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Can a narcissist make it to heaven?

Question: Can a narcissist make it to heaven after they die? I read that they lack the empathy and love that God expects from us. It’s also proven to be a mental illness for which there is no cure, therefore no true repentance can take place. But God says all sins are forgiven except for…

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Do I need to confess to the person I lusted after?

Question: Do I have to confess my lustful thoughts to the person I lusted after? I’m dealing with the sin of lust (and the commonly related sinful behavior linked to it). I know I need to repent of this, ask God for forgiveness, and cut it out of my life. But there are times I…

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Which congregation should I have my membership at?

Question: Hello Jeffrey, Thank you for your excellent work on the La Vista Church of Christ website. Over the years, I have learned very much from your sermons and the question-and-answer section posed there. I am writing because an elder asked me to choose to be a member of the congregation that meets where is…

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What if a virgin bride did not bleed on her wedding night?

Question: Good evening Jeff, I recently got into a discussion with someone regarding Deuteronomy 22:13-21, specifically verses 15-17. He seems to think that the evidence being talked about here was blood, something I do not disagree with. I told him that I have heard that not every woman bleeds when she has sex for the…

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Can you define laziness?

Question: Hi Jeff, Please can you explain laziness? When can we say someone is lazy when the person is not working and he desires not to work or is it someone who is working one job and is contented with that with no desire to do another? Thanks, sir. Answer: To be lazy is to…

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How do I help my niece who is coming out as agnostic and gay?

Question: Today, my niece confided in me about coming out as an agnostic and a gay to her parents. As most coming-out stories are, she was met with disapproval from her parents as they were members of a conservative denominational church. She is distressed by this, causing her to be emotionally and mentally distressed; hence,…

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I’m using your illustrations in an adult Bible study

Question: I want to thank you and bless you for posting these Bible illustrations on the internet. I am teaching a class for adults who know next to nothing about the Bible and did not grow up with these wonderful stories of our fathers in the faith. I am using three each of Joseph, Moses,…

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How can we be of one blood if we have different blood types?

Question: I have a question sir. According to Acts 17:26, He has made us from one blood. But nowadays why are there changes in our blood groups and genotypes? Answer: Each individual has two sets of genes. Depending on the combination of those genes, we have different features, such as the color tone of our…

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How do you find so many people to post such in-depth articles daily?

Question: While surfing the net, I discovered your postings.  I read them with great interest.  Are you affiliated with any particular church denomination?  How can you find so many qualified people to post on-target and in-depth articles daily?  I doubt they have a full-time job anywhere else. Answer: The church is not part of a…

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Is having OCD or anxiety a sin?

Question: Hi, I know you write quite a bit about OCD. I have had a diagnosis of it for well over half my life and sometimes it gets pretty bad. My questions are: As it’s anxiety or worry, is it a sin? Even writing this is a result of worry so is it a wilful…

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How do we take every thought captive?

Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, It’s me again. I hope you have been doing well, and thank you by the way for your previous response. There’s a question that’s been on my mind for a while now that I’d like to ask. Does the idea of “taking every thought captive to God”, or “thinking upon things…

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Are we not to support organizations that do good?

Question: Dear Sir: I have been reading your website for a long time and gaining much knowledge from it. I am puzzled though about how we as Christians are to meet the expectations of Matthew 25:31-46. If we are not to support organizations, such as the Salvation Army, is there a recommended method to contribute…

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Are people with OCD double-minded?

Question: I am now 73 years old and have struggled with severe OCD since I was about 12 years old. I am a member of the church of Christ and have worried about the obsessive/compulsive thoughts that I have from having religious scrupulosity. I have read some of your very helpful advice and have listened…

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I caught my 8-year-old son looking at homosexual porn

Question: Recently I discovered my 8-year-old son had been looking up gay porn. He was very honest when I confronted him. He told me he started looking at these images two years ago. I am devastated that I did not protect him from porn in general but the male search made it ten times harder…

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I think I have OCD

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I want to thank you so much for all the help and time you’ve given up for us. Thank you for always using God’s word with your answers. I believe I have OCD. I think I have scrupulosity. I feel I have to do things a certain way or in order.…

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What if you are traveling somewhere where there is no church?

Question: Hello, I wanted to say thank you for the way the website is set up. This has been great to look at a topic from many points of view using the question and answers. My question is regarding attending services when you are away from the local church you’re a member of. I know…

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What should children learn at different ages?

Question: Dear brother Jeffrey, I appreciate so very much your love for the Lord through the years and your faithfulness to Him! How you have labored with His people providing resources to encourage in God’s Word, as well as striving to explain the gospel to those who are seeking. I’m so very thankful for how…

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How do you be around someone who has done evil?

Question: Hi, I’ve been reading through your website and have found your work interesting. I was wondering if you have some advice for me in a situation relating to my boyfriend and his family. Recently my boyfriend’s stepmother filed for divorce against his father. Scripturally, both parties are in the wrong in different aspects. His…

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How should the end of Acts 20:28 read?

Question: Dear Jeffrey, I re-visited the La Vista Church web page on the accuracy of the New World Translation and read the following:  J.         Acts 20:28 1.         “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of…

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Is it wrong to observe All Souls Day?

Question: Good day, brother Jeff. I want to know what are your thoughts about the observation of All Saints Day or All Souls Day that is done by many brethren here in the Philippines. One elderly lady asked me about this, and I promised to give her an answer by the time we meet. She…

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Do you think committees are necessary when there are no elders or deacons?

Question: Hi! Thanks for the enlightening content on your site. I read the answer you gave to a question that was about creating committees to carry out tasks for a congregation. You said it was wrong because when the need arose in the early church, deacons were appointed and elders also have their roles. How…

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Would God punish someone with a life of singleness?

Question: Do you think God would punish someone to a life of singleness? I know it’s a silly question, but sometimes I get intrusive thoughts that tell me that I’m bound to be single. These thoughts make me feel very sad and uncomfortable. After I got baptized I started having OCD thoughts because I was…

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Do the Dead Sea Scrolls show that the Bible was modified over time?

Question: Hi, You have answered my questions before (thanks for that), and I hope you won’t mind doing so again. I was researching the Dead Sea Scrolls and came across the following: How close is the Bible to the Dead Sea Scrolls? 6 Myths About the Dead Sea Scrolls The Quora answer (if you click…

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How can there be love in heaven when sinners are in hell?

Question: Good Evening, Thank you so much for all the resources included on the La Vista Church of Christ website.  My son and I have been using these articles for years. Unfortunately, my son is now a wayward Christian, and he asked me the following questions in a recent Bible study that we did together.  Can…

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I really don’t want to preach

Question: Dear Sir, Firstly, I would like to thank you for all your time and effort to put up all this material. I have been reading your questions and answers for a while now, and it helps a lot. It has come a time now, that I would write to you concerning an issue I…

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Is it wrong to share a place with a person of the opposite sex?

Question: Hello Jeffrey, I’m always so thankful to have you answering my questions biblically! Here soon I’m thinking about moving to another state. I am in need of some change. I don’t have a whole lot of money. There is a person who has offered to let me stay with him and split the bills.…

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Isn’t there a textual variation in II Peter 3:10?

Question: Dear Sirs. I have read your Web page critiquing the NWT of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Very interesting. May I just address just one of the scripture places you examined, namely II Peter 3:10? It seems you think the NWT mistranslates it here. But they did not as the verb they translated, which appears in the…

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What if someone has no good qualities?

Question: Hi Jeff, I was looking again over your sermon “Ten Rules for Improving the Church,” and one point states: “Consciously look for the good qualities in every brother or sister in Christ. When you think of a brother or sister, make a mental note of the good points each possesses.” I had an individual…

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Did you see that Pope Francis told Catholics not to convert nonbelievers?

Question: Did you see that Pope Francis told Catholics not to convert nonbelievers? Answer: I’m not a fan of Roman Catholic beliefs, but I also believe that people’s positions should be accurately presented. The claim that appeared in numerous places, such as the World Net Daily, said, “Pope warns followers of Jesus not to convert…

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We feel disconnected from our congregation

Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, Thanks for all your help. A few years ago I first wrote to you about a liberal preacher coming into our congregation and we eventually had to leave. The preacher was eventually dismissed. But we searched out and are attending a sound congregation but do not feel connected. We have tried…

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How do we best handle customers bringing alcohol to our restaurant?

Question: We recently inherited a business in Mexico. It’s a hotel and restaurant. We are looking into the possibility of selling it. But our trips to Mexico to tend to the estate of our father have led us to preach in the area and started a congregation. We do not sell or allow alcohol on…

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