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How do I keep my virginity without him cheating on me?
Question: Good evening, I am a new member. Please, I am 20 years old and a virgin. I have a fiance who promised to marry me, He is always asking me to come to his place. Is it advisable? Answer: When I teach young people about sexual matters, I give extra emphasis to the young…
Read MoreWould God bless our marriage after living together?
Question: Hello! Thank you for answering so many important questions. My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years, and we weren’t Christians when we started dating. In the last few months, our faith has shifted and we are trying to clean our lives up. We are not married, but we are living together…
Read MoreI know God has been keeping me with my boyfriend, so am I wrong to stay?
Question: Praise the Lord, I’m an 18 years old Christian girl and am dating a Muslim boy who’s 22 years old now. We have been in a relationship for two years now. We are deeply in love and are planning to get married after two years when I am done with my college. About my…
Read MoreCan violence and wars end?
Question: We usually hear of killings, fighting, and wars, each and every day these days. All of us would love it if these would end. The question is: Can these acts of violence and wars end? Answer: “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage…
Read MoreWhat do you do about an adult child who remains a homosexual?
Question: If a child, who is an adult, wants to live a homosexual life, does not want to listen to God’s word, and does not claim to be a Christian, can a parent still talk to them? Can they visit their parents? Can they have a meal together? The parents are members of the Lord’s…
Read MoreI don’t want to be sorry for the wrong reasons
Question: I was raised Catholic and have not been baptized yet as an adult. For repentance do we need to go back and set everything right before being forgiven? Must we confess every lie we ever told to every person? Or is asking God to forgive us enough? And to move on from our past.…
Read MoreAre surrogacy and invitro-fertilization sinful?
Question: Good morning sir, I want to ask about the biblical principle on surrogacy and IVF. To me, since it involves the termination of an embryo, it seems wrong and more like a scientific abortion. I’ll be glad if you can shed more light on this, sir. Thank you. Answer: Like many things, surrogacy and…
Read MoreIs the second coming the last promise to be fulfilled?
Question: Is the second coming of Christ the last prophecy to be fulfilled? Answer: The judgment comes after the second coming. Heaven or hell awaits after the judgment (II Peter 3:13; I John 2:25). Thus, there are other promises that happen after the second coming.
Read MoreDid the vows I made in my head marry me to someone else?
Question: Hi! Before I married the love of my life, I would read stories online where the reader would marry either a character or a real person in the stories. I cannot remember if any of these stories included vows that I may have read and given in my head as I read. I struggled…
Read MoreWhat are some practical ways to spread the gospel?
Question: Good morning Brother Hamilton, I’d like to design a flyer to distribute in my hometown to inform people about our congregation. We live in a rural area that has numerous churches, and many of the churches of Christ are institutional. The few non-institutional congregations are small and shrinking. Your website’s home page is a…
Read MoreHow much confidence do I need in God?
Question: Mr. Hamilton I have another question I’d like to ask concerning some scripture I’ve been recently pondering and trying to understand. “But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into…
Read MoreIs leisure travel wrong?
Question: Dear brother, Do you think there is anything wrong with a Christian traveling for leisure? When traveling it is impossible to be involved in your local congregation’s work. Also, it is very hard to evangelize to anyone when you are never in one place very long and cannot form relationships. I almost feel guilty…
Read MoreMy preacher oversees several congregations. What do I do?
Question: God bless you for your detailed explanation of congregational cooperation. However, I’m still confused. My preacher is an overseer of many local congregations in our community. He appoints the preachers of such congregations, takes their offerings, sets up their church buildings, and makes decisions and policies for them. Unfortunately, we don’t have elders in…
Read MoreAre good works the result of salvation?
Question: Are good works the result of salvation? I was in a discussion earlier with someone of the Baptist faith who used Ephesians 2:10 to say that good works are the result of salvation and not required for salvation since Paul is referring to us being saved in Ephesians 2:8-9, then immediately talks about how…
Read MoreAm I teaching my own doctrine?
Question: Jeffrey, I had a recent conversation with a Baptist about the plan of salvation. He was of the once saved always saved group. I suppose they are somewhat different than the Freewill Baptists? Anyhow, in teaching baptism for the remission of sins to this fellow, along with the truth that a Christian can fall…
Read MoreAre there different gospels?
Question: Hello, I have been seeing more and more about the Kingdom Gospel vs the Gospel of Grace. Dispensationalism is becoming very popular on YouTube, and people are actually turning toward this teaching. I have seen comments that the churches of Christ intertwine the kingdom gospel and the grace gospel. Basically, they are saying that…
Read MoreCan I borrow your material?
Question: Brother Hamilton, I hope this note finds you well. I am a minister and also serve as an elder in the church. I really appreciate your web page very much as it is very encouraging to me. Thank you for your efforts. I have a question. Are you OK with my borrowing from your…
Read MoreI’m so confused about baptism
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, Sorry to trouble you. I understand if you do not have time to read or respond, but I am very confused and would appreciate any help and any clarification you might be able to give. I don’t really know what to make of this, but I am sure you would have…
Read MoreDid you know the Roman Catholics changed worship from the Sabbath to Sunday?
Question: Hi, Did you know that the sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week? Sunday is the first day of the week. Did you know that the Papal system takes credit for changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? Father God establishes his dominion and his legal right to rule over…
Read MoreJustification by Works and Baptism
by Matthew W. Bassford At the end of Romans 3 and the beginning of Romans 4, we encounter the most famous of Paul’s teachings: justification by faith in Jesus. Throughout the context, he contrasts it with justification by works. Abraham was not justified by works, nor was David, nor can we be. From this magnificent…
Read MoreAre men called by God to preach?
Question: Why do some people say that in order for a man to preach he has to be called by God? Answer: “Called” is another way to say “invited” or “encouraged to come.” Those who are Christians have been called by God. “You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly…
Read MoreWhat was Jesus talking about in Luke 12:49-50?
Question: Dear Minister, I am deeply interested in your thoughts on something Jesus said. I came to cast fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished. The first is generally described as Jesus’s message…
Read MoreI use your material in my children’s class
Question: I am with the children’s ministry in the Lord’s church. I am using your materials to teach my children and it’s helping me a lot. I just want to thank you and pray that God will bless you with more insight in his word so you will continue to be a blessing to us.…
Read MoreHow is the church of Christ’s view of baptism different from the denominations?
Question: Hello, I recently came across a YouTube comment about baptism that puzzled me a bit: “It’s also important to know the church of Christ view of baptismal salvation is different from every other view; that of the Lutherans, Anglicans, Catholics or Orthodox.” Is this a correct assessment? If so, how is the church of…
Read MoreIf a Jew had divorced and married another prior to Jesus’ death, would he have to put away his new wife before being baptized?
Question: Thank you for taking my question. If there had been Jewish men on the day of Pentecost who had previously given their original wives a Bill of Divorcement and were now married to other women, would they have to put away the new wives before they were baptized? Thank you. Answer: Repentance is required…
Read MoreWould I be saved if I only got baptized because all my friends were being baptized?
Question: If I was baptized when I was 12 just because my friends were being baptized would this be a saving baptism? Answer: If your only reason for being baptized was to imitate your friends, then how was it different from following your friends in jumping into a pool? What gives baptism its meaning is…
Read MoreWas “homosexual” mistranslated?
Question: Hi, I recently came upon a claim that, because of mistranslation, homosexuality was condemned even though it isn’t stated as being bad. I read certain people explaining that I Corinthians 6:9-10 is mistranslated since “homosexual” wasn’t even a word in Ancient Greek. They even claim that only the abuse of boys by older men…
Read MoreWhat constitutes a vow?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, What constitutes a vow is something I’ve been trying to understand. Can you help me understand from the Bible why you say it’s a commitment witnessed by others? It seems like these thoughts I have could be considered rash vows, or they could not be vows at all. I think of them…
Read MoreNatural Relations
by Matthew W. Bassford Though the battle is over these days (at least as far as wider American society is concerned), the past couple of decades saw a great deal of strife over the practice of homosexuality. In their ultimately successful assault on Biblical morality, gay-rights proponents adopted three main strategies: rejecting the authority of…
Read MoreAm I sinning if I’m cursing in my thoughts?
Question: My boyfriend was just baptized and he’s been struggling. He has a little bit of anxiety. He’s been trying to work on his cursing. he’s doing great. But he asked me a difficult question. He asked, “Am I still sinning if I keep the cuss words in my brain?” I said that I wasn’t…
Read MoreWhy was Elijah taken up so dramatically?
Question: Why was it necessary for Elijah to be taken into heaven as he was? Answer: Unfortunately, God didn’t tell us why He chose to take Elijah in a whirlwind. Of course, the lack of a reason has led to many speculations, but we must keep in mind that these are merely the opinions of…
Read MoreI compulsively want to make vows
Question: Hello, I have a question about vows. For a year or so, when I become concerned that something I’m doing or might do is sinful, I suddenly start to think a vow to God that I won’t do that thing. This happens with no time to think about the vow, about whether I want…
Read MoreShould you baptize someone who doesn’t plan to be a member of the church?
Question: I read Baptized but Not Converted on your site, but I have a more specific question. After a long study with some ladies, they all came to the conclusion that baptism was essential for salvation. One of the ladies, right before she was baptized, indicated that she wouldn’t be attending services. Should she have been…
Read MoreWould I be able to remarry?
Question: Your website is wonderful and I am learning a lot! I have seen similar questions but not quite the same. I’m not sure if I was a believer at the time of my marriage or afterward. I grew up in the church and knew who God was but I did not have the Holy…
Read MoreI love her, but she remains with her boyfriend
Question: Good day, I joined a church for close to a year now. There’s this particular lady in the church I like and wished to get closer to her to know if she’s free and available for marriage. Eventually, we got talking and it was as if she also had been waiting for me. She…
Read MoreWhen is “faith” referring to the system of faith (the Gospel) or personal faith?
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, When “Faith of Jesus of Christ”, “by the faith of Jesus of Christ” is mentioned in Galatians 2:16; 3:19-28; and Romans 3:22 is it referring to the objective faith (gospel) or personal faith? The American Standard, ESV, and other versions translate it as Faith in Jesus Christ? Is it referring to…
Read MoreDid eating from the forbidden tree give Adam and Eve intelligence?
Question: After Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they realized they were naked. Is it not that some kind of intelligence that was revealed in their mind? I am saying this because chimpanzees and other animals move around nude without realizing they are naked. Answer: Intelligence was already shown in the complexity of…
Read MoreIs it wrong to not consider myself a part of any specific religion?
Question: I wonder all the time if I am wrong to not consider myself to be of any specific religion. I know Jesus is our Lord and I believe in him, but when someone asks what my religion is I do not know what to say because I do not like the war that separates…
Read MoreI’m worried that I wasn’t baptized properly
Question: Hey, I’ve been reading your articles about baptism and asked my Christian parents to baptize me. They were very kind and asked me if I believed in Jesus. I did everything right, except I’m very worried I was not under the water properly. They keep saying I was so I try to believe them,…
Read MoreExplain the statement in Job: “God giveth and God taketh away”
Question: Explain the statement in Job: “God giveth and God taketh away.” Answer: “He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD'” (Job 1:21). Job realized that we didn’t bring anything with us…
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