Answer
Is it proper for a church to give gifts?
Question: Please, I would like to ask the following questions: Is it scriptural for the church to organize a send-forth program for its outgoing preacher, elder, or faithful member who is relocating? The program typically involves citation, extolling of virtues, prayers, and presentation of gifts purchased by both the church and individual brethren. Is it…
Read MoreCan comments be made during the Lord’s Supper?
Question: Is it right for a brother officiating the Lord’s Supper to make comments while the bread and the fruit of the vine are being passed? Some brethren hold the view that at such times congregations should be silent. Answer: This would be a matter for the local congregation to decide. There are few details…
Read MoreI created a mess by withdrawing from my marriage and want to know how to fix it
Question: This is a difficult problem and I understand if there can be no definitive answer. I will try to share all details that may be pertinent. I have been married for over twenty years. Very early on in our marriage, I committed adultery. Several years later she convinced me to be a Christian. I…
Read MoreWhat law was Paul referring to in Romans 3:19-20?
Question: I have a few questions about the Law in the Bible that I hope you can help answer, please. I am looking for specific information or verses and not general information, please. I may have some follow up questions after you reply if I need to clarify my understanding regarding any of your responses…
Read MoreWhy is Satan called the god of this world?
Question: I just found your website and am so excited to see that the gospel is being spread in Omaha! I have wondered why it is generally accepted that Satan is the god of this world, based on 2nd Corinthians 4:4. Would God, who says there are no other gods, give his arch-enemy this title?…
Read MoreAre spiritual parents a real thing? Can you feel an anointing at church? Can you be delivered by an apostle?
Question: I have so many questions. I joined a church several years ago. They do “deliverance” and all that prophesying jazz. I was really into it and felt as though everything I was feeling was real. My Apostle even became my “spiritual mother”. Her husband, “my spiritual father” as I moved in with them during…
Read MoreIs there a conflict of interest if a man is both a preacher and an elder or deacon?
Question: I have a question that I am struggling with. I can’t find any scriptural reasons against what has been done at our local church but still have an uneasiness about it. We have a smaller church whose membership has been trending down the past several years since our minister has taken the job. He…
Read MoreHow do I battle temptation?
Question: Good Day! I have been a patron and a reader of your website for about a few months now, and I have found your answers to be good and your knowledge of the Bible is great. I have to say, your website has been a great deal of help to me, in which I…
Read MoreWhy do you refer to I Corinthians 13:8-10 to say prophecy would end?
Question: Hello. You keep relaying I Corinthians 13:8-10 as biblical proof that prophecy has ended. The Common English Bible (CEB) goes: “Love never fails. As for prophecies, they will be brought to an end. As for tongues, they will stop. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end. We know in part and…
Read MoreWhat does “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh” mean?
Question: What does “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh” mean in I Peter 3:21? I already know that “Baptism also saves you” as stated in the first part of this verse, but what exactly is the “filth of the flesh”? Answer: Sometimes it helps to look at other translations. “Corresponding to…
Read MoreHow do I straighten myself out?
Question: Hi, I came across this website and saw how some issues about relationships have been addressed. I was actually having a headache presently about a matter, and that’s why I looking online. I hoped there would be someone I can share it with, and get the right advice. I came across my girlfriend (who…
Read MoreHow can we be forgiven of our fornication?
Question: Hello minister Hamilton, I reached out to you a few years back when I had questions and I wanted to get baptized into Christ and follow God. Well, these past two years I have been living with my girlfriend and we just found out we are expecting a child in May. We are both…
Read MoreI’m having doubts about my baptism
Question: Hello, I hope you are well. I have a question about baptism. When I was 13, I was baptized into Christ. However, I later realized I had only done it out of pressure. I was baptized into Christ when I was 19. Not long after, I began to have doubts as to if I…
Read MoreIs it wrong for an institution to ask for donations?
Question: Hello, Is it okay for organizations such as GBN TV to ask for donations publicly? Is anything wrong with this? This organization is run by members of the Lord’s church. I do not think anything is wrong with this, but I do think it would be wrong if the congregation itself asked for donations…
Read MoreWhat is the Holy Spirit doing today?
Question: Good day, I know The Holy Spirit has brought about the Word of God but is the Holy Spirit now inactive? Is its work finish? Answer: Just because Jesus’ task of bringing salvation to the world through his death, I don’t assume that He is no longer involved in the world. “For by Him…
Read MoreWhy are you using the argument from silence differently between the topics of masturbation and instrumental music?
Question: Hello, I hope all is well! I just wanted to say that I felt your advice, backed up by Scripture, has been helpful. I’m a 23-year-old male and struggled with masturbation (without fantasizing or porn), wondering if it is a sin or not. This is an on-again/off-again matter and I believe it has contributed…
Read MoreIs cheating while dating known as adultery?
Question: Is cheating while dating (as in having a boyfriend or girlfriend) known as adultery? Answer: Having sex with someone you are not married to is called “fornication.” See Notes on Sex for more information. Adultery is a type of fornication where one or both people are married, but not to each other. Dating carries no formal…
Read MoreDoes “abstain” mean we have the freedom to choose to follow or not?
Question: Good day brother Jeffrey, I need your help with this translation of Acts 15:20-29 because I do not have the knowledge to read this. I just came across one preacher who said the word “abstain” means to choose not to partake. We have the freedom to choose to follow or not, but I strongly…
Read MoreButton That Pocket, Soldier!
by Jefferson David Tant A retired Army officer recalled an incident when he inspected some recruits who had just finished basic training. He stood right in front of one, making the young man quite nervous. The officer noted an unbuttoned pocket flap on the private’s shirt, and barked out in his best authoritative voice, “Button…
Read MoreCan a Christian use a sauna?
Question: Can a Christian use a sauna? If a Swede or Scandinavian becomes a Christian, should they stop going to the sauna, even in a case that it isn’t sexual? Answer: While saunas are popular in Sweden and Scandinavia, they are not limited to those countries so I will just focus on whether using a…
Read MoreWho is in charge, the preacher or the elders?
Question: Hi Jeff, I’m forced to ask this question: between the ministers and the elders, who is in charge of a local congregation? Where that I am, there is a serious power tussle between the two. The ministers say, since they teach the men to become elders and also ordain them as elders, they are…
Read MoreIs “Christian” supposed to be “natsarim”?
Question: Hello, brethren in Christ, I hope you are well and my greetings to you and the church. I have been going on your website for many answers to questions that I study and I get provided many concrete answers. I wanted to get some clarification on the word “natsarim”. I have been having some…
Read MoreWhat does “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” mean?
Question: Please explain “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” from Luke 21:24. Thanks. Answer: “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and…
Read MoreDid my fiance have a right to divorce his first wife?
Question: Hello! I really appreciate your question and answer site. I use it regularly when studying a specific subject. I have a question, and I believe I already know the answer, but I wondered what your response to my question would be. So here it goes … I divorced a few years back due to…
Read MoreShould I give a gift that I disapprove of?
Question: Greetings brother, I recently asked a family member (unfortunately, not now nor never a Christian, and openly disinterested in any discussion of the topic) for a list of items that she might want for a Christmas gift. The response was a list of alcoholic beverage types. I immediately asked for other ideas, as I…
Read MoreIs it right to shun a woman who married a man who is in prison for murder, but who has since become a Christian?
Question: Hi, I’m not sure how to even ask the question. So I’ll explain my concerns. I’m a Christian, being a member of the church of Christ. A sister of mine has married a prisoner. He’s in for murder. She met him through Bible study with a group from a church of Christ. She’s known…
Read MoreIs a wedding necessary since people don’t always keep their promise?
Question: Hello. I’m new to this website and I have an important question regarding premarital sex. My best friend and I love each other to the point where we like to show affection toward each other. We are 100% sure that we will stay together forever. I’m his first partner and so is he. However,…
Read MoreEvidence of God: Information
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton When you look at some object, how do you know it is natural or man-made? What if you were walking through the woods and you saw a mark on a tree? It is dark from moss, like the other patches on the trunk, but you immediately say that it is man-made.…
Read MoreWhat does “alien sinner” mean?
Question: I came across an article on your website by James Sasser comparing Romans 4 and James 2. In it, he uses the term “alien sinner” several times in reference to Abraham and Romans 4:4-5. Can you define this term for me? It is something I have not heard mentioned before. Thanks! Answer: Everyone sins (Romans 3:23).…
Read MoreCan you change your mind?
Question: Hello! I have a question regarding keeping your word. In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus talks about letting your yes be yes and your no be no. We need to keep our word and yes lying is sin (Revelation 21:8). I do have a question regarding this though. In my case, someone asked me if I…
Read MoreCan a Christian take vaccines that contain aborted fetal cells?
Question: Can a Christian take vaccines that contain aborted fetal cells? Answer: No vaccine contains fetal cells. Viral vaccines require cells to replicate viral information. There are three types being used today: egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant. In the first two methods, actual natural viruses are used. In recombinant, a synthetic virus created and then introduced into…
Read MoreHow did the Presbyterians and the Episcopals come by their names?
Question: Recently we studied the qualifications of elders and I mentioned the Greek words, Presbuterous (elder, presbyter) and Episkopos (bishop, overseer), and one of the members here asked if this is how the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches came up with their names for identifying their churches. I did some research and have been unsuccessful in…
Read MoreExcellent article on why premarital sex is wrong
Question: Re: Why Sex Outside of Marriage Is Wrong Excellent, excellent, excellent article! I was feeling a little doubtful, (doubting Thomas mode), about why God had said, “No,” to premarital sex. I’d like to thank you for such a dead-on and solidly-backed explanation as to why it is wrong. Not only were you throwing out references…
Read MoreCan I still marry my girlfriend after my dad slept with her?
Question: I want to know if I can get married to my girlfriend. My dad slept with her. Is it possible for both of us to still marry? Answer: The Law of Moses, which does not apply today, stated a son could not behave sexually with his father’s wife (Leviticus 18:7) nor could a father…
Read MoreWhat happened to the tribe of Levi during the captivity?
Question: When the northern kingdom went into Assyrian captivity, that left the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. What happened to the tribe of Levi? Did they go into captivity as well? Answer: The tribe of Levi’s inheritance was scattered among the other tribes. Thus, you would expect the Levites to be taken into captivity along…
Read MoreI think my husband is having a secret affair and I don’t know how to deal with it
Question: Good Day, I have been married to my husband for less than ten years. We have several children together. My husband also has even more children from before we met. I chose to forgive and accept him as he indicated that he had grown from those mistakes and wanted to start a committed life…
Read MoreWho is the prince in Ezekiel’s vision?
Question: Who is the prince that is mentioned in Ezekiel 45-47? Answer: The interpretation of the last chapters of Ezekiel is strongly debated. Obviously, how a person views what these chapters envision will impact the interpretation of the various elements, such as the prince. First, we must note that this vision does not deal with…
Read MoreDo I have a reprobate mind?
Question: Hi, I have a few questions I hope you can answer. I will give you some background information first. My family went to a Nazarene church where I was saved and baptized around age 11 along with my sister. My parents left that church after my sister was removed from our home due to…
Read MoreHiram Hutto’s article on the head covering makes a difficult subject easier to understand
Question: Good day brethren, I take this time only to congratulate you, especially brother Hiram O. Hutto, for the head-covering subject that is titled “Command or Custom?” That is a subject I always have difficulty with because of the different views and comments about it, but here, it is very well detailed. I hope that…
Read MoreDoes God knit each one of us together?
Question: Good day, I have heard preachers say that God has knitted us together in our mothers’ wombs. Surely this is a general statement to mean God is the designer and sustainer of our lives, not that He has physically and individually put us together? I would like to hear your thoughts on this. Answer:…
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