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My daughter’s school is insisting that she take a class that includes provocative dancing
Question: Brother Hamilton, I pray you and your family are well. I have a concern about a class my daughter is taking in high school. There is provocative dancing that I don’t think it’s appropriate for her and our Christian beliefs. I addressed my concerns to the counselor in order to change her class to…
Read MoreWhy didn’t you list the ten tribes?
Questions: You fail to answer your own question, “Who are the 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom?” I was looking to see if Levi was among them but no list is given. If Judah and Benjamin remained in the south then that would mean Levi was in the north. But I have read that some…
Read MoreIs it wrong for your mom or sister to lead prayers at home?
Question: I know I Timothy 2:11-12 says that women cannot exercise leadership over a man nor teach him, but I’m a little confused. I’ve heard that this only applies in church or in schools, so some clarification on the wording would be very helpful. I ask this because my sister and my mother sometimes lead…
Read MoreIs it a slap in God’s face to ask for forgiveness since Jesus already died to forgive sins?
Question: Hi minister, I’ve recently heard of the dispensation of grace and it’s something I’ve never heard before. I’ve read and been told by those who teach it that it is basically a slap in God’s face or rejecting the finished work in Christ to ask for forgiveness of God when we sin because he…
Read MoreIf there is free will, how can God prophesy specific details?
Question: I have been reading a lot about open theism recently, and I feel like it accords more with the biblical portrait of God and free will than any of the other proposed points of view (Calvinism, Arminianism, etc.). I have read in one of your posts that you also agree that it is a…
Read MoreThanks for making your site available
Question: Hey, I was writing because I was someone who was raised in a strict Christian home by my grandparents. When I was younger, I found your website and I found it very helpful to understand fully the kind of discipline I received and why it was something to be appreciated even if it wasn’t…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between make-believe magic and occultism?
Question: Hi minister, As a parent, how should I handle children’s entertainment? My child loves movies that have princesses as she now says she is a princess (she loves dresses ). But a lot of children’s content has a form of magic in them. What is the difference between make-believe magic and occultism magic? Is…
Read MoreI can’t help everyone
Question: Hello brother Hamilton, Before I explain my situation and ask questions, I wanted to say thank you for the Lord’s work being done on the La Vista website and how easy it is to find study materials and answers to various Bible questions. My friend introduced me to the website some time ago and…
Read MoreWhen does someone stop being a child?
Question: Ephesians 6:1-2. “Children” has no absolute age-associated concept to it, does it? If it was only used in the sense of young children, well then. But it refers all over scripture to offspring generally. When does the principle of a child as a minor actually come into play here? Answer: Children (not adults) are…
Read MoreWhy did Paul say, “I say, not the Lord”?
Question: I Corinthians 7:12: “But I (not the Lord)…” I studied this years ago, and I realize Paul is capping his statement from verse ten. But Why? Is this not from the Lord? Answer: In I Corinthians 7:10-11, Paul addresses a command that is based on the Lord’s authority, given while Jesus was here on…
Read MoreWhat is “Pauline Christianity?”
Question: Can you explain what exactly is Pauline Christianity? I’ve heard for years people say Paul was a false prophet but only just recently heard the term “Pauline Christianity.“ Did Paul preach a message contrary to what Jesus taught? Answer: You will always find people and groups who wish to cast doubt on sections of…
Read MoreWhat happens when you steal from God?
Question: What happens when you steal from God? I have stolen from the church but have asked for forgiveness from God. I don’t have any source of income to return the money so what should I do now? Answer: What I noticed is that you did not tell the leadership at the church that you stole money…
Read MoreI’m tired of this sinful life
Question: Good morning, sir, I read a page on your website and I saw your advice to a brother. My sin is worst compared to him. I have had sex with the opposite gender twice and have been masturbating for over six years. My life is a living hell. I don’t know who I will…
Read MoreWhen were the four angels placed at the Euphrates River?
Question: When were the four angels placed at the Euphrates River? Answer: “One saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’ And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that…
Read MoreWhat are your thoughts on the International Baptist Convention?
Question: Hello, I hope you are well. I intend to visit a church that is under the International Baptist Convention. May I ask you what is your opinion on the International Baptist Convention? Thanks. Answer: The International Baptist Convention started out as an organization of Baptist Churches that served U.S. military personnel in Europe. The group…
Read MoreCan Christians be involved in government?
Question: Dear sir, I trust this email finds you well. I’d like to ask a question. I’ve been trying to learn from the biblical point of view if a Christian can participate in politics. Do we have brothers and sisters in the faith who are actively participating in politics? Thanks, sir. Answer: The styles of…
Read MoreThe Secret Things
by Matthew W. Bassford Many Christians don’t venture deep into the wilds of Deuteronomy, but Deuteronomy 29:29 is a text that is relevant for everybody who thinks deeply about spiritual things. In it, Moses says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to…
Read MoreWould it be wrong to be buried in a denominational graveyard?
Question: Greetings brother. I hope all is well with you. I’ve been added to the church and have been an active member for over a decade. I’ve enjoyed my time growing up as a Christian, and I’ve been thinking about my mortality lately. I’m thinking about having my funeral service with the brethren and having…
Read MoreI need your prayers
Question: Hello, I would first of all like to say that I was not ignorant of what I was doing. I knew what I was doing and its consequences, but I did it anyway. I know the doctrines of the church and the Bible and I knew what great promises lie ahead for the church…
Read MoreShould we stay with this congregation?
Question: Having moved about, my wife and I have worshiped with many congregations that follow the New Testament pattern. Currently, we are visiting a congregation that has a part-time minister and one elder. How this came about is murky. As our options are very limited, we have visited for several months, even to the point…
Read MoreDo I need to confess my sin again?
Question: Hi, I’ve been in the church of Christ since I was a kid. I am now a young adult and not married. I struggled with sexual sins in my early 20s. One day I decided to tell my family because I felt guilty. My parents suggested that I go to the church and ask…
Read MoreAre the NKJV and NASB corrupted translations?
Question: [The original question contained two links to sites as “proof” of his points. Those links were removed to avoid advertizing questionable sites.] Hello, I visited your site and thank you for shedding some light on the Greek primacy vs Aramaic primacy of the original New Testament scriptures. I think the Aramaic argument is being…
Read MoreCan you explain more about the need for parental consent before marriage?
Question: Greetings beloved in the Lord, I hope you’re waxing strong in the vineyard of our Lord and Master. In Africa, it is cultural to seek parental consent before marriage. But there are instances where this consent is denied for personal and immoral reasons. Can you avail me with materials that one can use to…
Read MoreWhy is Romans 5:13-17 in parenthesis?
Question: Hi, Your article Are Non-Christians Subject to the Laws of God? seems to prove the point, with one possible problem. It relies heavily on Romans 5:13-16, which is in parentheses (KJV and NKJV) which several authorities say indicates it was probably inserted by translators. Is this true? If so, does not that present a…
Read MoreIs the guarantee of the Holy Spirit miraculous?
Question: What is the seal and guarantee or earnest of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13-14? One view of the seal is that it is the miraculous gifts of that time. The ones who hold this view will use Acts 19 where Paul laid hands on the disciples in Ephesus and he was reminding them…
Read MoreI have linked several of your sermon outlines and writings to my website
Question: Brothers, I want to thank you and the congregation there for keeping your website updated with lots of good information. As a matter of fact, I have linked several of your sermon outlines and writings to my website, TimelessTalks.Net. Thank you for your good work, and may the Lord continue to bless your efforts…
Read MoreAm I a poor teacher?
Question: Hello brother. How are you doing? I hope you are doing well. Brother, I feel confused and at the same time, I feel a little disappointed in myself. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing a good job when I’m teaching others. There was a man I was teaching. No matter how many Bible verses…
Read MoreYour article answered my wife’s question on “Sodomy” so well
Question: My wife had a question about ‘Sodomy’ and your article answered it so well. Taking a peek at your other articles and seeing the depth in each one is encouraging me to go deeper into the Word. If I lived closer, I would surely come and visit. Even though I’ve been a Christian for about 10 years,…
Read MoreHow did people get saved before Jesus was crucified?
Question: How did people get saved before Jesus was crucified? Answer: Prior to Jesus, people were expected to live in obedience to God. “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not…
Read MoreThanks for the wonderful answers
Question: Thanks for the wonderful answers. You’re blessed indeed. Answer: I appreciate the encouragement.
Read MoreWhat do I do about my abusive father-in-law?
Question: Good morning! I’m writing you today because I have a question. My father-in-law is a preacher at a church of Christ here. I’ve known him for over 5 years now. I am really close to my sister-in-law and mother-in-law so they have told me some things that concern me and I don’t know what…
Read MoreWas the formerly blind man correct in John 9?
Question: Hello, How are you? Well, I hope. I have a question and this was the only way I knew how to contact you. I was in a discussion earlier today with a man on the topic of the sinner’s prayer. I quoted John 9:31 to the man and his response was “that blind man…
Read MoreDid the Hebrew midwives lie?
Question: In Exodus 1:15-20, do you think this was a lie told by the midwives to Pharaoh or was it really true that the Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives came to them? Answer: “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was…
Read MoreWhat should a captain of a soccer team do if he is required to wear an armband with a gay pride symbol?
Question: In soccer, where the captain wears an armband, if it’s branded with a pride flag, should a Christian wear it? Answer: Here a Christian is asked to tell the world, by what he is wearing, that he supports homosexuality (I Corinthians 6:9-10; Romans 1:32). He should politely decline and if the team insists, he…
Read MoreIf miracles could have caused Sodom to repent, why didn’t God do them?
Question: Hello brother, I have a question for you. It is in Matthew 11:20-24. If God knows what people need in order to repent, why didn’t he do it? Answer: “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe…
Read MoreAm I bad for not liking Christian music?
Question: Greetings My question is concerning music. I am a devoted Christian. I love my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. All I want to do is honor Him and glorify Him. I read and study the bible. I read many good Christian books. I don’t like Christian music. Does this make…
Read MoreIs it wrong for the song leader to express appreciation for the preacher and his lesson?
Question: Hello brother Jeffrey, I hope you are doing well. I recently heard a brother ask this question and wanted to reach out to you with it. If hand clapping in worship is wrong, what is the difference between that and a song leader appreciating the preacher after his sermon? Are those appreciative words not…
Read MoreWill breaking government laws keep us out of heaven?
Question: No doubt, a Christian realizes the seriousness of sin. It’s ugly. What do you think about everyday things we get into like speeding, even a mile over, texting while drivings, and not wearing a seatbelt? Do you think these are things that would keep us out of heaven? Answer: I don’t sit in…
Read MoreYour response is the best I’ve read about Ephesians 2:3
Question: The response you provided for Ephesians 2:3 is the best I have read over the last month of research about Augustine’s view of Original Sin. Thanks for taking the time to clarify the Koine Greek as well. Blessings on you and the Church in La Vista. Answer: It is good to hear that the…
Read MoreWhat differentiates your beliefs from the heresy of Pelagianism?
Question: What differentiates your beliefs from the heresy of Pelagianism? Answer: I’m a bit curious why you would think that someone who lived some 1700 years ago has any impact on a group of Christians who focus on teaching the Bible. We follow the Bible and not the teachings of men. I’m also curious if…
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