Answer
What is the difference between a mistake and a sin?
Question: How do we discern if a mistake is sinful or not? For example, if someone (not a characteristically prideful person) fails to listen to wisdom and makes a poor choice, believing they’re using good judgment, is that sin? Does the Bible talk about mistakes, or give examples of mistakes, or is it all sin…
Read MoreA girl I’ve been talking to is starting to believe in Jesus. What do I do now?
Question: Hi, I am a Christian who came from a Hindu family and believe in Jesus Christ. I have a friend at my workplace. She is Hindu, and I wish to marry her. I introduced Jesus to her. She has now begun to secretly believe in him, and she has started reading the Bible. What…
Read MoreThere seem to be so many grey areas in a relationship
Question: Hello there, I’ve recently gotten engaged to my boyfriend after several years of dating and have some questions regarding how we should conduct ourselves during this period of our lives, in a realistic and godly way. I’m aware that sex is not allowed, but all the other areas regarding a relationship seem to be…
Read MoreDid Paul start the teaching that Jesus died for our sins?
Question: It’s taught in Mid-Acts Dispensationalism that the gospel before Paul was simply that Jesus is the Son of God, not that He died for our sins, until Paul preached this. The Ethiopian in Acs 8 said he believed Jesus is the Son of God, not that he died for sins like Paul’s Gospel in…
Read MoreIs using the names of the week wrong?
Question: I’ve been reading your posts and finding them really helpful. Thanks for sharing your insights! I’m having a discussion with someone about the names of the days of the week. They argue that using names like Sunday and Saturday is unbiblical because they’re named after gods. They also claim that we worship every day,…
Read MoreWhat does “go to” mean in the King James?
Question: “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4 KJV). What does the archaic word go to mean in Genesis 11:4? Wiktionary…
Read MoreCan a woman greet people at the door?
Question: I have a question. Can women serve as door greeters alongside men? And should young men be participating in overseeing the nursery? For years, our door greeting has been done only by men, and I think it’s odd to change that. We have a young man who participates in the nursery, and I feel…
Read MoreWho does “firstborn” refer to in Hebrews 12:23?
Question: In reading Hebrews 12:23 in another language, I noticed that “firstborn” is in the plural. Does it refer to the Christians in the church? Answer: One of the interesting results of studying with people with different backgrounds is that things will be pointed out that you never considered before. In English, “firstborn” is used…
Read MoreIs it wrong to send someone to jail knowing that they will likely die there?
Question: Hi Mr Hamilton, I hope you’re doing well. I had a question if you don’t mind answering. My wife and I recently had a trial against her rapist, and he got sentenced to 50 years in prison with all his charges. She heard it’s a sin to sentence someone to prison when they’ll likely…
Read MoreIs there a difference between “divorce” and “puts away”?
Question: Mr. Hamilton, First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to respond to emails. Your grace and patience have been a tremendous help to me. I have some questions I have been pondering on and hoping to gain some of your insight on, if that’s alright? While reading my Bible, I…
Read MoreDo you have to send away your children from an unlawful marriage?
Question: How about children born from an unlawful marriage? Will repentance require you to send them away, too? Answer: “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon…
Read MoreDoes God need us?
Question: Someone asked me a question: “If God needs us in heaven, why did He create us here on earth and not directly in heaven? Answer: Based on what passage does the person conclude that God needs us? “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and…
Read MoreOur Common Ancestor
by David Gibson Ark-aeological? From time to time, we hear that Noah’s ark has been sighted. Whether it has or hasn’t, we should have no doubts about the historicity of the biblical account. Jesus accepted the biblical account of the Flood (Matthew 24:37-39). Three times Peter referred to the Flood as historical (I Peter 3:20;…
Read MoreShould Christians Meet on Sunday?
by Scott J. Shifferd Why do churches meet on Sunday? The churches in the New Testament met on the first day of the week. Luke reported this is the common practice of churches of Christ (Acts 20:7). However, is this passage all the Bible speaks about meeting on the first day of the week? The…
Read MoreDo you have material on restoring young people who had committed fornication?
Question: Good day, I am looking for resources to restore young people who have fallen into the sin of fornication. Do you have any lessons? Do you know of any books or pages? Thanks a lot! Answer: There is a ton of material on the topic of fornication on this website. I selected a few…
Read MoreI’m not certain some of our deacons are qualified to be deacons
Question: Hello, I’m a member of the church of Christ and have questions about the deacons where I serve. We have several deacons, and some of them have unknown situations to me. The first, to my knowledge, married without having children of his own, but his wife had children she brought into the marriage. I…
Read MoreI can’t seem to shake pornography
Question: Hi, I obeyed the gospel when I was 12 years old as a member of the church of Christ. My mom died a few months after I was baptized. It wasn’t long after that that I began allowing myself to be influenced by the wrong crowd, allowing the world to creep back into my…
Read MoreWouldn’t a prophetess lead services?
Question: Good day, Women are mentioned as being prophetesses during the church age, such as Phillip the evangelist’s daughters (Acts 21:9). Did they not lead in the worship services? Answer: When trying to understand what God wrote, you don’t take portions from one part and use them to ignore other parts. This is what the…
Read MoreMy wife wants to separate and I don’t know what to do
Question: Hi brother Hamilton, I am a member of the church and have been reading the website for answers for a while now. I do appreciate what is asked and answered for things I myself had questions about. I find myself in a difficult marriage situation. My wife of many years has informed me that…
Read MoreWho my boyfriend was is hurting me
Question: Hello, how are you? I wanted to share something that has been particularly challenging for me lately. I have always lived chastely out of love for God and as a gift for my future husband. I’ve been dating a man for several months who, in almost every way, is the person I asked God for.…
Read MoreCan We Get Along Just as Well Without It?
by David Gibson What if God gave us a choice of plans of salvation? Option A is the church plan. Option B is the non-church plan. In other words, if you want to be a part of the church, fine, but if you’d rather get to heaven without the church, that’s OK too! So what…
Read MoreWhat is an “instrument” in Romans 6:13?
Question: What is an instrument in Romans 6:13? The Thayer’s Greek lexicon and Strong’s dictionary didn’t help me understand this word. Answer: “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and…
Read MoreShould I insist that my boyfriend confront his parents about his change in religion?
Question: Dear Brother, I accepted Jesus Christ a few years ago. I come from a Hindu family. I like a guy, and he was a Hindu too. As I kept on talking to him about Jesus, one day he accepted Jesus Christ. He said he can no longer view his old religion the way he…
Read MoreWhat does “without natural affection” mean?
Question: “Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful” (Romans 1:31 KJV). What is natural affection? Answer: “Without natural affection” (astrogous) means “Being without the natural love between parents and their children.” Seneca, a Roman philosopher, used the word in “justifying” for killing unwanted children. It is a person without the natural affection for…
Read MoreIs having a song during a sermon out of order?
Question: Dear Sir, I have a question that requires clarification. In I Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (NKJV) Will it be wrong or inappropriate for a brother delivering a sermon and in the process of delivering it, he pauses and lets the congregation sing a song relating to his message,…
Read MoreWhat do saint and blameless mean?
Question: Does saint mean to be morally blameless? Strong’s says: “From hagos (an awful thing) (compare hagnos, thalpo); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated) — (most) holy (one, thing), saint.” Answer: I suspect that the difficulty is understanding the meaning of “blameless.” We tend to assume it means “without fault” or “sinless.” However, various…
Read MoreHow has the power to delay God’s answers?
Question: Dear brother, We read that God answered Daniel’s prayer the very first day. How then was it delayed, or who has the power to delay God’s answer? Thanks and regards. Answer: “Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding…
Read MoreMy wife abandoned us and took all my money
Question: Good Afternoon, Brother Hamilton, My wife and I were baptized into Christ and added to the Body. Last fall, my wife rushed to get dressed for a meeting. I asked her when the dementia medication for my Dad would arrive. It had already been several weeks. This led to an argument where we both…
Read MoreWas it God’s will that I didn’t know about my husband’s sins before we got married?
Question: Greetings! I am reaching out to let you know that I think the Answers to Questions section on the church’s website is an invaluable resource, and I appreciate the very direct and truthful responses. The following are some questions that have plagued me for years, so I thought I’d pass them along and get…
Read MoreDid the Ten Commandments come through angels or God?
Question: Dear sir, Were the Ten Commandments delivered by angels or God Himself? I am somewhat confused by references such as Acts 7:53, Galatians 3:19, and Hebrews 2:2. Answer: “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and…
Read MoreI enjoy your blog posts
Question: Hi, I really enjoyed your blog posts. So much detail and time went into them, and it’s a great ministry when there is limited counsel available online. Noting that we should ultimately seek counsel from our local elders, not online, I do really appreciate your blog. Answer: I’m glad you are finding the information…
Read MoreShould I separate myself from my transgender dad?
Question: Dear Minister, I have family problems and need advice from a neutral person. I’m 15 years old. Last Sunday, my older siblings (who are in their early to mid-20s) came home for church and dinner. We spend every Sunday together, along with their spouses and children, since they live in our neighborhood. After dinner,…
Read MoreDid baptism end after Jesus went to heaven?
Question: Good day, Pastor, Kindly throw light on this issue: Did baptism end after Jesus Christ went into heaven? Is water baptism still relevant to be a true Christian? I am of the opinion that it is no longer necessary, but I would appreciate it if you could kindly explain it to me in your…
Read MoreBelieve!
by David Gibson “Believe” is the main keyword of the Gospel of John. From the 12th chapter of John, let’s see what we can learn about what it means to believe: Many believed (John 12:10-11). A large number of those who witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection came to believe in Jesus (John 11:45). This is as it…
Read MoreIs it good to get advice about a problem?
Question: Hi Mr. Hamilton, Thank you again for your time and thoughtful answers. I’ve read through everything you shared, and I’m doing my best to trust the truth over my feelings, even though it is tough for me. I have another question— if that’s alright? Do you believe I’ve obeyed Scripture in seeking godly counsel…
Read MoreHow can I gain true repentance?
Question: [Note: This is an abbreviated version of the long letter I was sent.] How can I find true repentance? It is what I seek. I confess my sin to God, but I fall again. I made many mistakes before. In my ignorance, I thought I would offer sacrifices to God for my forgiveness. I…
Read MoreCan I break a deal I made with God?
Question: Hello, Last year, I promised God some things in exchange for Him healing or freeing me from OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). I promised to stop watching a series that I watched a lot, horror movies, and anime. Well, now I am in psychiatric treatment and I still have OCD, but the thing is that in…
Read MoreHow do I handle being engaged to a member of a denomination?
Question: Hello, I need your advice on my personal life. I am a born-again, baptized Christian. But I backslid for about two years. In those years, I got engaged to an unbeliever. Now I’m trying to return to Christ, and I’m not sure what to do. She is from an Orthodox background. She is willing…
Read MoreRedemption of the Body
by Terry Wane Benton We were redeemed from sin and condemnation by the blood of Christ when we were baptized into Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-6). But, now we are waiting for “the adoption, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). Paul’s soul was already “adopted.” “We received (past tense) the Spirit of adoption” (Romans…
Read MoreWhy would babies who die be judged?
Question: I have a question about infants, aborted and miscarried souls, and the judgment. Are they awaiting judgment? Would there be any reason to judge them? I have had several miscarried babies, and it’s just something I’ve been wondering about, even though I know where they’re going/have gone. Thank you so much for this website.…
Read More