Answer
Is it right for my dad to still spank me at nineteen?
Question: I’ve read your ‘Answers’ section and have a question of my own regarding spanking. My father is a devout Christian and shares your views on not sparing the rod. I am nineteen now and am still given very sound spankings by my father. He uses a leather strap or small switch and often lays…
Read MoreDoes believing that Jesus was God has much to do with salvation?
Question: I browsed through The Deity of Christ While on Earth and noticed that you mention that Jesus did not use the power to create while on earth. However, in John 9 we have the blind man from birth who received sight. Notice especially verse 32; Jesus created sight in this man. I agree with your message,…
Read MoreYou can’t judge others!
Question: I think you are guilty of this. With all humility, I come to you out of love so that you may stop preaching and standing with an iron fist as one who judges every individual. You cannot condemn people to hell or preach from the pulpit that so-and-so is going to hell. It’s not…
Read MoreWhy do some consider the minor prophets one book?
Question: Why do some consider Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi all to be one book? Answer: The books that you refer to are commonly called the minor prophets. They are not minor because they are unimportant, but because their writings were short — so short that back…
Read MoreWhat are covenants?
Question: What is the definition of a covenant? Answer: In the Old Testament, the word translated “covenant” comes from the Hebrew word berith which means “a bond or treaty that joins two parties.” Making a covenant comes from a Hebrew idiom that literally means “cutting a covenant.” It is a reference to the sacrificial offerings made while…
Read MoreWhat are the consequences of sin?
Question: What are the consequences of sin? Answer: Whenever we sin, there are consequences that come as a result of sin. Some of those consequences are spiritual and some are physical. When Adam and Eve sinned they experienced both physical and spiritual consequences (Genesis 3). The first result of their sin was their awareness of…
Read MoreWhat is wrong with men having long hair?
Question: The deal with long hair doesn’t mean people smoke pot. What about cowboys and their hats in Texas? Is that a sin? My hair is long and in a ponytail, but I don’t do drugs or drink. If you keep your hair in a ponytail, you’re just fine. Answer: I assume you are referring…
Read MoreMay I correspond with you about parenting issues?
Question: Greetings, I recently came across your church’s website and wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. I am the father of two teenage boys, 13 and 15. I came to Christianity late in life, so it has only been in the last few years that I have begun raising my sons…
Read MoreDoes “faithful children” mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent?
Question: When Paul speaks of “faithful children” in Titus 1:6, did he mean faithful to God or faithful to the parent? Answer: Terms in the Bible are sometimes difficult to translate because common words are borrowed and used in ways where the common word takes on a deeper meaning than it originally had. For example, one…
Read MoreCan spanking hurt a child’s feelings?
Question: My son was very rude and would not explain his behavior. I must mention that it has been over a month since the last time that I spanked him. At that time I gave him a spanking in front of everyone. It was very effective, so I used the same method this time. I…
Read MoreWhat is the philosophy of true education?
Question: What is the philosophy of true education? Answer: At its core, education is the process of transferring knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from one individual to another. John Milton Gregory, in his book The Seven Laws of Teaching, said, “Teaching is arousing and using the pupil’s mind to grasp the desired thought or to master the…
Read MoreWhat happens spiritually when a husband and wife have a sexual relationship?
Question: What happens spiritually when a husband and wife have a sexual relationship? Answer: When marriage was first instituted, we read, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The phrase “become one flesh” includes the idea of sexual union,…
Read MoreHow important is the Sabbath day?
Question: How important is the Sabbath day (Saturday)? Is it something that we have to do? Thanks for the help. Answer: Ever since the covenant changed with the death of Jesus, the observance of the Sabbath has ceased to be a requirement. The law brought down from Mt. Sinai by Moses, which included the laws…
Read MoreWhy do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday?
Question: The tenth commandment clearly states that the Sabbath should be kept on the seventh day and we know through the Jewish people that the seventh day of the calendar is Saturday on the Roman calendar. Also, note that in the Spanish language the word for Saturday is “sabado” and not that in the English…
Read MoreCan you marry a near relative by marriage?
Question: Last night by a man came to the building after services. His wife passed away 4 years ago, and he has been seeing his deceased wife’s niece who is about his age. He has a son who is a member of the church who has told him that this is unscriptural. The only thing…
Read MoreHow do you handle problems with attending services?
Question: I’d like to know what your thoughts are regarding a problem we are having here that seems to be increasing. We have some brethren that have an attendance problem. One of our lady members has been attending less and less. It troubles me that the brethren here don’t seem to want to take action. I’ve talked to her several…
Read MoreWhat to do when a church leader preys on members
Question: Your words of wisdom have been very healing. Thank you. I need to give some contextual information with regards to my ex-boyfriend. I met him at my church. I was in a program called Beyond Divorce, and he was my small group leader as well as the organizer of this entire program. In my…
Read MoreWhat kinds of debt are permissible?
Question: In order to have my household in order for His glory, I understand we should not be in debt. What debt is permissible? House mortgage? College loans? Is there a biblical plan to reduce debt, whether credit card or other items? Answer: Firms go out their way to offer me credit, For which, I…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “first fruits”?
Question: What is meant by “firstfruits”? Answer: The phrase is an old agricultural term. It refers to the first harvest of a particular crop. The first harvest is generally the best. The produce has just turned, so there hasn’t been time for spoilage in the fields. Usually, the produce harvest also had the best look…
Read MoreWhat is the meaning of “Hebron”?
Question: I need research information on the meaning of “Hebron”: one meaning a place where we learn to relate to people, not on the basis of what they do for us, but in recognition of God’s work in bringing us together. Answer: Hebron is most noted as a city located south of Jerusalem. Numbers 13:22 tells us…
Read MoreHow should aid be sent to members of the church?
Question: How should aid be sent help disaster victims who are members of the church? I received the following letter [edited] and I don’t know how to respond. Dear Brethren, I would like to offer a unique opportunity to you and your respective congregations. So many times, when there are calamities such as this that…
Read MoreAbraham wasn’t baptized, so why should we need it?
Question: In Romans chapter 4 it talks about Abraham being saved by belief. “For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Did they baptize in the Old Testament? Nowhere that I have read. Now you might say that baptism wasn’t required in Old Testament days,…
Read MoreDoes pornography change a person?
Question: My ex-boyfriend told me when I shared with him that it hurt my feelings he was using pornography, “Well, good riddance to a woman like that! Everybody does it! Guys use it to get off.” He would also say things like, “It took me two years to get over Asian skin.” I got out…
Read MoreDoes baptism make Jesus’ sacrifice insufficient for our salvation?
Question: Baptism is a representation of us being born into Christ. It is something every Christian should do. It is not something one should do to be saved. Putting baptism as a requirement for salvation makes Jesus’ sacrifice not enough for our salvation and with this, I disagree. Answer: It was Jesus Christ who commanded,…
Read MoreWhere in the Bible did a Jewish woman become queen?
Question: What chapter in the Bible did a Jewish woman become queen? Answer: Actually, Jewish queens are mentioned in several places. Athaliah made herself queen of Judah after her son’s death by killing all her grandsons (though she ended up missing one). See II Kings 8:26; II Kings 11:1-16; II Chronicles 22:10-23:21. The book of Esther is about…
Read MoreSince teaching is a work, then it doesn’t save. Right?
Question: Telling others about Christ is a work. “For by grace we are saved through faith, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast ” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Answer: There was a branch of the Baptist denomination that fully accepted the idea that being saved was entirely a work of God…
Read MoreIs the recent major earthquake in Indonesia an indication that Jesus is about to return?
Question: Is the recent major earthquake in Indonesia an indication that Jesus is about to return? Answer: Many people can’t stand being left with a mystery. We want to know everything. It can be as mundane as trying to figure out if next winter will be mild or harsh, or it can be very personal…
Read MoreWhat is the spiritual impact of online pornography?
Question: What is the spiritual impact of online pornography? I dated a man who used it a lot and even though we are no longer dating, I feel icky about his choice to use this. Answer: Pornography’s impact is the same, whether we discuss pornography distributed over the Internet or found in “adult” stores or…
Read MoreHow old is the world?
Question: How old is the world? Is the scientific way correct? In science, the world is around 40 billion years old. How old is the world in the Bible? Answer: Dating in the Bible is a bit difficult because, for the span of time that the Bible covers, a universal calendar was not in use.…
Read MoreHow can baptism save?
Question: I’m confused. You said on your website that baptism is required for a person to be saved. How can this be so? Answer: Because the Bible states: “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection…
Read MoreWhat happens if an elder’s wife dies?
Question: If a man is qualified to serve as an elder but his wife dies before he is installed, can he still become an elder? If an elder’s wife dies may he continue to serve? Answer: In looking for qualified men to be elders, we put so much emphasis on the qualifications of the man…
Read MoreCan a woman teach a teenage boy?
Question: I’d like your input concerning a confrontation that I had with two ladies after services last evening. We have a 14-year-old boy who is not yet a Christian. His mother has been teaching him in our Sunday morning Bible class. I mentioned that we need to assign a “Christian man” to teach him. One…
Read MoreIf you can have fellowship with people who differ in one area, why can’t you have fellowship with those who have kitchens and fellowship halls?
Question: Do you believe that weddings and/or funerals may take place in the church auditorium? Do you think that you can maintain fellowship with those who differ with you on this question? Do you think that you can maintain fellowship with those who differ with you about having a kitchen or fellowship hall in the…
Read MoreIs there any spiritual work that an individual Christian may do that the church may not?
Comment: The following is taken from a list of questions sent to me by my request. The author is from a more liberally-minded group who is preparing lessons on the issues that separate some churches of Christ. He was interested in the other side’s point of view and I was interested in how he would…
Read MoreCan money be used from the church treasury to do good for non-Christians?
Comment: The following is taken from a list of questions sent to me by my request. The author is from a more liberally-minded group who is preparing lessons on the issues that separate some churches of Christ. He was interested in the other side’s point of view and I was interested in how he would…
Read MoreDoes the Bible speak of souls sleeping?
Question: Do the Scriptures ever speak of souls sleeping anywhere? Answer: A common idiom for death is sleep. “But man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not…
Read MoreIs the spirit of man immortal?
Question: Where do I go when I die? Does my body go to the grave and my spirit or soul go immediately to heaven? What is Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 talking about? Are souls immortal? Answer: A portion of your questions was previously answered in “What happens to you when you die?” Rather than repeating the material here, I…
Read MoreWhat did King David do as king?
Question: What did King David do as king? Answer: I don’t know if you are asking for a summary of David’s accomplishments or what the duties of a king were in David’s time. Below is a quick overview: The Accomplishments of King David David successfully defeated the enemies of Israel, thus creating the ability for…
Read MoreHow do you repent of having sex outside of wedlock and a baby is on the way?
Question: If a person has sex out of wedlock, how can it be made right? I will be having a baby. What should I do? Answer: The past is over and down with. It is the present and the future with which you must concern yourself. It doesn’t mean that the past will disappear. Each…
Read MoreWhy did the people think Jesus was calling for Elijah?
Question: In regards to Matthew 27:46: if the translation is as reported in the text, how come the bystanders thought he was calling for Elijah? It seems like the translation given in the text does not coincide with the bystanders’ reaction to our Lord’s words. Are they misinterpreting? Answer: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried…
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