Answer
I wonder if I falsely remember being baptized
Question: Some say it is absolutely wrong to be baptized more than once and to not do it. Some say it is an outward sign to others, and one can be baptized more than once for various reasons. I have even read that water baptism is not necessary for salvation, which I can agree to a point.…
Read MoreWhere does the Bible suggest swearing is a sin?
Question: Where does the Bible suggest swearing is a sin? And how does it define what words or type of words are to be considered sinful to say? We all understand that taking God’s name in vain is a sin. We are told this in the Bible directly. But I have never seen nor heard…
Read MoreWe need more teaching that elders must have more than one child
Question: Your article, “Must elders have more than one child?”, was very well written and researched. We need more of this to support the correct teaching. I was just recently visiting a congregation in which the preacher was also an elder but with only one child. I was very disappointed to find this out about…
Read MoreHow many streets are in Revelation 21:21?
Question: In Revelations 21:21, is it correctly written as “street” or “streets” as other translations say? Is it more than one? Thanks Answer: The phrasing in Greek is for a single street.
Read MoreWhere does the Old Testament say that the Messiah would die and rise from the dead?
Question: Hello, I have several questions that I have struggled with for years. Can you tell me where in the Old Testament it says that the Messiah will die and rise from the dead? Where does it say in the Old Testament that the Messiah will be worshiped as God? If human sacrifice was forbidden…
Read MoreShould Christians use the bankruptcy laws?
Question: Should a Christian use all the legal loopholes in or laws to avoid paying our debts? I personally think the bible teaches us to be honest, and when you use these laws to protect your assets you are cheating those you owe, or in some cases, you use them to not pay for your…
Read MoreThank you for the article on Once Saved, Always Saved
Question: Dear sir, Greetings. I came across “Is “Once Saved — Always Saved” a Bible Doctrine?” through a friend. Thank you a lot for this teaching. It has helped me a lot. Now I know better. Thank you. Answer: I’m glad the article helped you in your studies.
Read MoreWhat is the difference between seeing the kingdom and entering the kingdom?
Question: In John 3:3-5 Jesus first answered Nicodemus by saying no one could not see the kingdom unless being born in John 3:4. In John 3:5 Jesus said one could not enter the kingdom unless being born again. I understand what “enter the kingdom” means. I do not understand what “see the kingdom” means. How…
Read MoreCould you explain what was meant in “Can We Judge?”
Question: Good day, “We have a saying that we should not judge a book by its cover. We cannot judge a man’s heart or his motives unless by some means that is revealed. But we can judge sinful behavior.” This is an extract from one of your lessons. I’m not sure I understand. Can you…
Read MoreThank you for the article “Overcoming Bitterness”
Question: Good Morning Sir, I read the article by Lawrence Kelley on Overcoming Bitterness and I read the 3 points on identifying the characteristics of bitterness to our Wednesday Night Bible study class. Our minister was so touched by this that he wants to post a copy on our bulletin board and website because he…
Read MoreAm I being used by this man?
Question: I really have a feeling what all your answers are going to be. I just need to know if there is any hope for the relationship I am in. We met at work and I ended up having to spend part of the day being his monitor. So we really got to spend some…
Read MoreHow do I deal with fears of suffering before I die?
Question: I’m afraid of the amount of suffering I might have to go through when I die one day. I wish God would let me die in my sleep so I don’t have to be sick with something like cancer. I have depression over my fears. How do I deal with this? Answer: “So do…
Read MoreWould the Israelites who died in the wilderness not enter Heaven?
Question: Jeffrey, When studying in Hebrews the other night, I was noticing the reference to Psalms 95. Where it states: “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me, they tried Me though they had seen my work. For forty years I…
Read MoreWhy was a cross chosen for Christ to die on?
Question: Why was a cross chosen for Christ to die on? Answer: Jesus stated, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me” (John 8:28). Jesus not only predicted his…
Read MoreThe church started meeting in the Temple and the Temple had instrumental music
Question: Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are used out of context. Neither verse is dealing with worship services. The context of Ephesians 5:19 goes back to Ephesians 4:1. It’s about your life as a believer. The same with Colossians 3. When the Israelites were baptized in Acts 2, they went to the Temple daily. The…
Read MoreTwisted up by Evil People
by Matthew W. Bassford When we read the Bible, we learn about some people we simply have to feel sorry for. Hosea has to marry a prostitute. Jeremiah has to faithfully proclaim God’s message to a wicked nation that doesn’t want to hear it and will kill him for saying it. And so on. On…
Read MoreHow do you plan for the future without borrowing trouble from the future?
Question: How does one balance planning for the future without borrowing troubles from the future? Matthew 6:34 says to not worry about tomorrow because it will worry about itself, and today has its own trouble. One must be responsible about planning for the future within reason without imagining all that could possibly go wrong and…
Read MoreIs it wrong to kiss my boyfriend?
Question: Hello, I am 21 years old and am in a relationship. Is it too early? My boyfriend confessed to me that he fornicated once with his first girlfriend, and he really regrets and feels really so bad when he remembers it. He has never shared it with anyone except me, and it really took…
Read MoreIf a preacher sins, is he permanently disqualified from preaching?
Question: Hi, What is the proper term to call the speaker on Sunday? Is it a pastor or a preacher? Also, to be a preacher you basically have to have all the qualifications of an elder correct? And if for some reason a preacher sins, such as adultery, they would be removed from that position,…
Read MoreWhat are the books opened in Revelation 20:12?
Question: Good day. I have an argument with a Catholic defender on social media about Sola Scriptura. I used Revelation 20:12 that the written word will judge us in the last days. But he said that the books opened are not the Bible but the record of men’s deeds. What are the books opened in…
Read MoreWill my future partner determine if I’ll make eternity?
Question: Good evening, sir. Please, I have a question that has been bothering my mind. Will my future partner determine if I’ll make eternity? Answer: Who you choose to marry can reveal your attitude toward righteousness. If you knowingly marry a sinner, then you are knowingly placing temptation before you. After all, Paul warned, “Do…
Read MoreIs salvation in Acts 2:21 salvation from the destruction of Jerusalem?
Question: A member of the church has told me that Acts 2:21 is talking about rescue from danger or destruction, not salvation. He told me “saved” in verse 21 is not salvation from sin, it is saved from the Jerusalem destruction. Another member of the church said in the immediate context of the quotation from…
Read MoreDid Deborah lead worship and preached?
Question: I have read that Deborah did not offer sacrifices as the men did but did lead worship and preach. Can you provide scriptures to clarify this? Answer: I can’t provide Scriptures because the claims are not based on Scripture. Deborah was a prophetess and served as a judge in Israel. “Now Deborah, a prophetess,…
Read MoreAre automatic withdrawals for contributions biblical?
Question: Would you help me understand if automatic withdrawals from your bank account for the first day of the week collection are biblical? Seeing people place money in the tray that is passed around, I think, incites others, especially children. I love seeing a child place some money in the tray. When I am attending…
Read MoreIf you chose to fast, how do you not let family members know?
Question: Hi, I’m a little confused about the practice of fasting. From what I understand, we, Christians, have the freedom to do fasting and that it should be done privately. At the present time, families mostly stay at home and it is unavoidable to notice everyone’s actions inside the house. If one desires to fast…
Read MoreDid I sin by getting baptized again?
Question: Hello, I hope you are well and having a blessed day. I am writing you because I have been greatly troubled. I’ve prayed about it, and I’ve tried to get past the things I’ve done. To backtrack a little bit, I was first baptized into the church when I was thirteen. I remember sitting…
Read MoreI find the newer design hard to navigate
Question: Knowing brethren are growing is encouraging. I have used this site many times. I’m sorry to say I find the newer web page set up hard for me to navigate compared to the older system. But I’m sure it’s the seeking of the truth that will make me relearn. Watch and pray. Answer: What…
Read MoreHow do you handle the argument that the Greek Orthodox traditions date back to the days of the apostles?
Question: Have you ever debated with a Greek Orthodox and how did you handle the conversation when they brought up their traditions being able to trace back to the early apostles? They seem to think we ignore history for convenience’s sake. They also say we are a group that started in the 1800s so how…
Read MoreIs stigmata real or a hoax?
Question: Is stigmata real or a hoax? Answer: Stigmata is the appearance of marks, wounds, or pains located on the body where the wounds of Christ during the crucifixion would have appeared. These were first reported during the middle ages and those who report having them are most often Roman Catholics. Interestingly, the vast majority…
Read MoreHow do I deal with a member who is in an adulterous marriage?
Question: I have a question that requires me to go outside of the current congregation where I am a member. If there is a member who is in an unscriptural marriage, which I do have personal knowledge of, and who is being allowed to preach and teach in worship service, should I remain a member…
Read MoreWho controls when we die?
Question: Hello sir, I have another question. Who controls when we die? Recently, someone I knew died in a car accident at only 19 years old. It really made me question why and who controlled this. Answer: There are occasions when God decides the time of someone’s death. “In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill.…
Read MoreShould a church have allowed a homosexual to sing before the congregation?
Question: On Mother’s day, our church leaders allowed a young gay man, who had never attended our church before, to get up and sing a song to his mother and Grandmother. The grandmother requested that what she wanted for Mothers’ Day was for her family to attend church with her. The grandson wanted to sing…
Read MoreIs it wrong to keep a secret?
Question: Is it a sin to keep secrets? I have some secrets I want to keep hidden at the moment. Only at the right time will I reveal it. However, this is a compounding issue. Since keeping secrets may often lead to lies, and (as I’ve read on your website) lying is not an option. If…
Read MoreIs it sinful to make marks and notes in your Bible?
Question: Hello brother, We’ve never met, but I’ve always appreciated the Q&A section on the LaVista church website and thought I’d bounce this off you since it’s a somewhat unique question. What do you say to someone who takes a very literal view of Revelation 22:18-19, and thinks it’s sinful to mark in their Bible?…
Read MoreI have enjoyed using your website over the years for research, study, and thoughts on a particular subject
Question: Dear Brethren, I have enjoyed using your website over the years for research, study, and thoughts on a particular subject. Keep up the solid biblical wisdom provided. I recently came across a passage which I really liked the translation. It took me a while to find it (the quoted verse was on Instagram) but…
Read MoreHow can I be humble without putting myself down?
Question: Dear Sir, How can I be humble without putting myself down? What does God mean by esteeming others? Answer: “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble…
Read MoreDid Jesus fear?
Question: The Bible teaches that we should not fear. “For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (I John 4:18). We know that Jesus was the only man to live a life without sin. Did Jesus fear as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? “Father, if you…
Read MoreI’m afraid to convert
Question: Good evening, I hope you are doing well and staying healthy with your family. I found your website on the Internet while I was looking for advice from Q&A’s, and I read numerous articles of yours. I am in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend for over two years. We intend to marry each other…
Read MoreHow did Peter know that it was Moses and Elijah having never seen either of them before?
Question: How did Peter know that it was Moses and Elijah having never seen either of them before? Thank you. Answer: “Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different,…
Read MoreAre tattoos defacing the temple of God?
Question: Recently I heard a denominational preacher talk in favor of tattoos stating that those who opposed them used Old Testament scripture from Leviticus which has to do with the priests keeping themselves pure and unspotted (Leviticus 17:21-23). He went on to say that tattoos should define who you are and should be “spiritual” in…
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