Where in the Bible does it say we inherit the nature to sin?

Question: Where in the Bible does it say that we only inherit the nature to sin and not the original sin? Answer: Don’t you just love questions that want you to choose between two possibilities, but neither one is correct? The concept of man inheriting the original sin of Adam was espoused every early on…

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Must a preacher teach from the Greek and Hebrew text?

Question: I would like you to answer a question for me. There’s a person here in our city teaching from his basement or another room he has rented. He teaches Greek and Hebrew lessons and he also appears on TV. This person teaches that if your pastor isn’t teaching from the Greek or Hebrew Bible,…

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Is reading sexually explicit romance novels wrong?

Question: I really have a great deal of respect for your opinion just based on what I have read on your web site. I would like to get your opinion on how to handle a situation with a couple where I preach if you have time. The husband tells me that his wife spends a…

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Must a couple, previously married, separate after they are baptized?

Question: If a couple consists of two divorced individuals, and they are converted to Christ and are baptized, do they need to separate? Answer: This question leaves out too much to answer well. For example, you did not mention whether the individuals had a right to remarry. The Bible speaks of divorced people who have…

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What was the purpose of John’s baptism?

Question: As part of our mid-week bible study, we have been discussing John the Baptist and how he prepared the way for Christ. I understand John’s mission and the importance of baptism, but was it also used to prepare the people for the conversion (burial) into Christ? What was the significance of baptism by John…

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Should all prophecies be seen as fulfilled in the past (preterism)?

Question: I appreciate your view, whatever it may be. I am not a “full preterist” at this point in time. I presume that you must have some interaction with others in your circle who do hold to the preterist view. At least we can say, that in this particular instance you would be considered to…

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What is the proper punishment for mishandling funds and lying?

Question: Hello, I am 19 and a sophomore in college, but I still live at home. I have always strived to be a godly person and a hard worker. I was valedictorian of my high school class and captain of two sports teams and earned a college scholarship. I always try to do the “right”…

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Can small children commit morally wrong acts?

Question: Can small children actually commit morally wrong acts? Answer: It depends on the age and ability of the child, but in general, the answer is, unfortunately, “yes.” There are cases mentioned in the paper of children as young as eight or ten committing murder with guns. “They cited the example of Nathaniel Abrahams, a…

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What does the Bible say about wearing pants low?

Question: What do the Scriptures say about guys and girls wearing pants below their backside? Answer: You won’t find a direct passage because the style of dress in biblical days is quite different from modern times. However, you can find numerous guidelines which help us understand what is and is not proper clothing for a…

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Cunnilingus is injurious to health!

Question: Cunnilingus is injurious to health! Answer: It would be more proper to state that oral sex, whether done to a woman (cunnilingus) or done to a man (fellatio) can be injurious to health. All acts of sex between unmarried couples carry the risk of transmitting diseases between the partners because it is rare that…

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Isn’t Ur in Syria?

Question: You said, “True, Ur was in what is today southern Iraq.” This is false! Try looking up the Ur of Khaldis, near Harran, which was in Northern Mesopotamia [Syria] [Sur] [Surie]. This is where Abram was from. Answer: I did find an article by an anthropologist at Utah State University who claims by elaborate…

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Where does the Bible say facial hair is wrong?

Question: I am a Messianic Jew and I go to Church not a Messianic Congregation yet. Anyway, I have heard that having facial hair is wrong. They say they have biblical proof but they can’t remember where it is and so I am at a loss as to what to do. I have no conviction…

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What do I do about a lady who takes advantage of me?

Question: I have a question regarding a female friend. I have known this young lady for several years and at one time in college, we had a really special relationship. We occasionally talk, but our relationship has not been as strong since we came back from college (over 5 years ago). The only real-time she…

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Do we have miracles from God today?

Question: Today, do we have miracles from God? Does God heal His believers if He so chooses, if it is His will or do we have what some call “through the natural order of things people are healed?” I realize we have no public healing today, but is the miraculous from God still in tact?…

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What do you think about the use of crosses in a building?

Question: I visited at a church of Christ nearby and was thinking about attending there on a permanent basis but I noticed they had a cross painted on a sign in front of the building and a clock in the shape of a cross with a picture of Jesus in the center on the wall.…

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Aren’t you dancing around the issue of racism?

Question: You surely did a huge dance around the “racism” issue. [See “The Broadening Definition of Racism.”] Since you condemned all of the other sins in other articles, why didn’t you condemn racism as a sin as well? Instead, you linked a religious body’s (the United Church of Christ’s) condoning of homosexuality to the “racism”…

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A thank you for publishing material on sexual purity

Question: I just wanted to take the time to cheer on your mission!  I am a young woman going into my first year of college.  I come from a religious family that believes in being pure until marriage.  I just wanted to commend your church for putting this out on the internet, so young men…

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Is it possible that early Christians added to the book of Enoch?

Question: Is it possible that early Christians added to the book of Enoch? or was it a work relying heavily upon the book of Daniel where the physical description of the throne and the Messiah are strikingly similar. i.e. “Hair on his head was like pure wool” (Daniel 7:9). I have been reading the book…

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Are children being baptized just to claim growth?

Question: I appreciate your words on the subject of “accountability.” I have met brother Al Diestelcamp at Sycamore and receive his paper “Think…….” While I am considered of the “traditional” camp, I am also searching to make sure that I am not just accepting the traditions of men. In the past year, I have been…

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To Choose or Not to Choose

by Wayne S. Walker Women who claim the right over their bodies to choose abortion are violating the rights of another body within their own. A few weeks ago, we were driving in traffic behind a car with a bumper sticker that said, “Choice. What a Beautiful Right.” I assume that nearly everyone has seen…

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How do you get other members to participate?

Question: I am sure it is not unusual for a couple of the members to be doing a lot of the work within the church while others are just sitting around. What can be done to encourage other members to be more involved and participate? The work never ceases and the rewards are enormous. Answer:…

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Can one person put a curse on another?

Question: A friend asked me about someone putting curses on others and what does the Bible have to say about it?  Could you share some thoughts in this regard?  He feels like he is cursed by what his great-grandfather did years ago. Answer: Your question doesn’t deal with a matter of one person cursing at…

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How can I make sure I’m not doing anything wrong?

Question: I think I feel a lot better after our discussion and it’s appreciated.  Any other advice you can give is appreciated.  I just want to make sure I am not doing anything wrong.  I try every day to live like Jesus, but like probably everyone else I find it extremely difficult. Answer: I’m going to ask…

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What is the role of the Holy Spirit today?

Question: What is the role of the Holy Spirit today? What does it really mean by “indwell’ vs “live in us” vs “body is the temple of God”? Do they mean the same thing? Is there a complete list of gifts that we can get from the Holy Spirit today? Upon water baptism, what does…

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Why do you have an article about John Hus?

Question: Why would the La Vista Church of Christ have an article about John Hus? Answer: Because it gives some history of religious beliefs and practices. In particular, it shows that many of the ideas from the New Testament that we often think died out with Catholicism only to reappear in the late 1700s actually…

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Where does it talk about souls asking how long must we wait?

Question: I read in the Old Testament, something about souls saying how long must we wait. I think it meant the souls that have died and are in the waiting place until the final judgment. I have looked and looked and can’t find it. Can you help? Answer: I believe you were looking in the…

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Isn’t justification by faith alone?

Question: Isn’t justification by faith alone? Answer: It is common for people to approach the Scriptures with blinders on, seeking to prove their point by selective use of passages from the Bible. I find it amazing that when I state that justification is not by faith alone that people turn this around and claim that I’m…

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Isn’t long hair on men a sign of rebellion only since the 1960s?

Question: In regards to “Why do even non-Christians look down on men with long hair?”, your quote associating long hair with a rebellious attitude is only a post 60’s statement, only. I don’t know of another time when long hair was a sign of ‘rebellion’ outside of the era of the ’60s. Many of the…

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