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Why is sin still our fault?
Question: Hello, I have something to ask that’s been a big question for me. I don’t understand things the way I ought to. All have sinned. Can you help me reconcile the fact that it’s impossible to never sin, but sin is still our fault? I know factually that God is not to blame, but…
Read MoreI just wanted to express my gratitude for all of the answers you provide
Question: Howdy, I just wanted to express my gratitude for all of the answers you provide to those who send in various questions. I’ve read through countless responses of yours throughout the years. Now, when I have a question about a biblical topic, I almost always type the question out and add “la vista” at…
Read MoreIf you fear God, how can you trust Him?
Question: I have conflicting thoughts about Cornelius (Acts 10). It says he feared God and was always praying to Him. If he feared God, how could Cornelius trust in God? Answer: I think you may be using the wrong definition of fear. Fearing God has always been a requirement for men to follow God. Abraham…
Read MoreDoes God sometimes show favoritism?
Question: In Acts 10:34-35, Peter said, “I now realize God does not show favoritism but accepts men who fear him and do what is right”. I believe sometimes God shows favoritism. In Romans 9:13 and Malachi 1:2-3, it is written: “Jacob I love, Esau I hated.” Here God favored Jacob even with all the sins…
Read MoreShould we allow our son to get an earring?
Question: Dear brother Jeffrey, I hope you are doing well, and that everything is going well in your work and in the local church. Brother, I wanted to ask about this personal matter. I have a 15-year-old son who is not a Christian. He is generally a good boy and obedient to us like his…
Read MoreAre the church and the kingdom the same thing?
Question: Are the church and the kingdom the same thing? Answer: Often the Bible explains things through multiple words whenever one word is insufficient to fully describe what is meant. After all, the Bible is trying to describe a world that we cannot touch or see. For example, Jesus is described as the good shepherd,…
Read MoreI’m not sure if my thoughts are sin
Question: I saw a website that makes going to heaven seem really difficult. I have religious OCD and I get blasphemous thoughts constantly and repent all day long. Some of the thoughts feel like I want them. What should I do? If I’m not sure if my thoughts are really sins, so I ignore them,…
Read MoreWhy don’t we have apostles currently?
Question: The Bible says some are called to be apostles (I Corinthians 12:28). Why then do we emphasize that no one fulfills the condition of being an apostle currently? Or is it a similar word but has a different meaning? Answer: An apostle is an ambassador of sorts (i.e., one with official authority to speak…
Read MoreCould Titus 1:5-6 be a “plural of class” case?
Question: Hello, I have been diligently studying the qualifications for Elders. I recently stumbled upon a discussion regarding the use of tekna. In one of your articles, you stated the exception of “plural of class” using widows in I Timothy 5. You stated that I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 show no indication of the plural of class…
Read MoreI’m using your questions and answers for some of my own studies
Question: Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your wonderful plethora of questions and answers for the world to see. It is obvious from the number of website hits that you have provided some valuable information from God’s word in application to relevant questions today. There are so many questions that are very pertinent to people today.…
Read MoreCarry on following the footsteps of Jesus
Question: I spend time on your website, reading some of the questions and answers. I can see that you are following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus. I am encouraging you and your congregation to carry on doing so for the sake of His glory, for we are not called to please people, but…
Read MoreWhy do you use a capital “C” in “church”?
Question: I noticed your website and church sign used a capital C on “church.” This practice is opposed by every church of Christ I have ever known. Why is it OK or not OK? Answer: Yes, there has been a fad among Christians to use a lowercase “c” in the names of churches. However, it…
Read MoreDoes faith alone save one from his sins?
Question: Does faith alone save one from his sins? Answer: Faith does save (Acts 16:31). Grace saves (Acts 15:11). Jesus saves (Acts 4:12). The message saves (Acts 11:14). The resurrection saves (Romans 5:10). Hope saves (Romans 8:24). Confession saves (Romans 10:10). The gospel saves (I Corinthians 15:2). Knowledge saves (1 Timothy 4:2). The washing of…
Read MoreDon’t you think we need new methods to interpret the Bible?
Question: I think the reason that churches don’t grow is that they are stuck in the past using outdated methods to interpret the Bible. What we need are some new methods. What do you think? Answer: Well, I don’t have anything new – just some very old observations. In fact, it would be hard to…
Read MoreDoes “the Lord” in Amos 7 refer to Jesus?
Question: Hey Mr. Jeffery, I noticed in the vision in Amos 7 that Amos had at two different times referred to God as the Lord (no caps and not as Jehovah). It also appears that Amos is visually seeing the Lord (no one has ever seen Jehovah fully), so could that have been Jesus holding…
Read MoreI’ve been angry about my ex-boyfriend entering into an adulterous marriage
Question: Hello, My old boyfriend got into an affair with a married woman (with children). They have been pronouncing their love for each other for several years now, and they just got married this last weekend. During this time, I have been dealing with such deep anger toward the people who condone this. His family,…
Read MoreShould I just give up asking God for things?
Question: Hi. I hope things are well with you. I was thinking about something. I have been suffering from a chronic stomach illness since I was 16. I prayed endlessly for healing but never received any. Now I am 20, and in addition to my disease, I now have chronic back pain. Of course, I…
Read MoreIs avoiding getting your wife pregnant a sin?
Question: If I am married, and I am having sex with my wife, is pulling out a sin? Judah’s son pulled out when performing his brotherly duties and was struck dead by God. I know that it was because he robbed Tamar of her right to a child, but Deuteronomy and Leviticus speak of the…
Read MoreIs it all right to wear religious clothing, so long as we are not showing off?
Question: Luke 20:46 and Matthew 23:5 warns us about people wearing religious clothes just to show off. Yet, some groups claim a need to wear special clothing because they can’t be like the rest of the world. Are they okay as long as they don’t do it to show off as the Pharisees were doing?…
Read MoreJesus is not going to give our sins back to us once they are taken away
Question: Good works are not part of the Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-9), they’re not requirements for salvation, rather they’re the fruits of salvation. Paul calls the Philippians to work out their salvation in Philippians 2:12. However, this is not a call to do works in order to be saved, rather it is a call for them…
Read MoreIs the word “church” pagan in origin?
Question: I recently read something saying that the word “church” is pagan in origin, and it gives honor to the daughter of some sun god. I was able to find basically two different ideas on where the word comes from. Some say from “circe” which would have meant circle or been the name of this…
Read MoreHow could Israel worship idols shortly after agreeing to keep the covenant?
Question: In Exodus 19, everybody hears God telling about the covenant and they all agree. In Exodus 32 we read that when Moses is on the mountain (chapter 21-31) they let Aaron make a golden idol as in Egypt. How can they do that? Answer: I don’t know if you could have picked a better…
Read MoreIs a church right because it calls itself a church of Christ?
Question: How do you know if a church is the right church? Is it because they bear the name “church of Christ”? Isn’t it possible that a church might also be a Bible-believing church but might not have a “church of Christ” attached to their church? Or is the name “church of Christ” the only…
Read MoreWhy did the Jews reject God?
Question: I have read what was written on the website about why the Jews rejected God, but I remain confused as to why this occurred. Are you able to make it clearer? Using passages from the Bible does not explain this, at least I have not read it. What I have gathered, by reading, is…
Read MoreIs there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution?
Question: Hi Jeff, Is there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution? Thanks. Answer: In English, a trial is any difficult situation, including temptations and persecution. Temptation is when you desire something but realize that to get what you want, you would have to break a law of God. Persecution is when others make life…
Read MoreI got a girl pregnant twice and now I have no life
Question: I impregnated a girl over ten years ago. I told her that I couldn’t marry her. I went to university and tried to assist her to develop academically too, but all effort was abortive. I was taking care of the baby and paying all the bills. After some time, she has another baby with…
Read MoreAre we God’s puppets?
Question: About predestination and foreknowledge: God gave us a mind of our own, but He already knows what we will choose. Therefore, He can determine His plans without taking away our own responsibility. As a child, I learned that God predestined us to believe, so we don’t choose ourselves and that He predestined what happens…
Read MoreDo we feel guilty because God is disciplining us?
Question: How do we know if God is disciplining us? When we feel guilty after sinning, is that discipline? The Bible says that God disciplines those He loves. I sometimes wonder if God disciplines me, and I find it comforting to imagine that He does because it reminds me He loves me. Answer: “You have…
Read MoreHow do you do good when you live in a dangerous country?
Question: Hello, I am a member of a church of Christ and have been continuously blessed by the spiritual resources on your website. May God continue to provide you with the effort to keep this work going. Amen. You will be surprised how many people around the globe with good heart comes to your website…
Read MoreIs it proper to get mad at my parents because they are putting me in the middle of their arguments?
Question: My parents are Christians; however, lately, my parents have had relational issues that disrupt our family. Many times I’m pulled into the middle between them, and it feels as if I’m the parent trying to keep them decent so that my younger siblings won’t feel like they’re walking on eggshells. Lately, they’ve had a…
Read MoreI have been so blessed by the quality and quantity of the work posted on your website
Question: Good evening, I have been so blessed by the quality and quantity of the work posted on your website. It is truly a blessing to me and I pray that Jesus, the Spirit of truth, and God the Father continue to abide with your church. This good work you are doing is meticulous, full…
Read MoreIt is hard for me to trust a religion because I was fooled before
Question: Hello, I have read the website where I found this email. Honestly, I am not good at writing, but I just want to say that I am at a difficult time in my life that I must overcome. First of all, thank you for writing all that. I was raised by an Orthodox mother,…
Read MoreWhy did God deal with nations who did not know Him?
Question: Jonah, Nahum, and Obadiah prophesied against other nations. Why? Those people didn’t know God. This would be the same as if some Hindu would tell me that Shiva is angry with me. This would only make me laugh. And similarly, and maybe I understand it wrong but God uses foreign nations to punish His…
Read MoreIs it a sin for a woman to dye her hair colors such as red, blue, or green?
Question: Hi, Is it a sin for a woman to dye her hair from natural black to another color such as red, blue, green, etc? Answer: “Your adornment must not be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart,…
Read MoreWill we see the Godhead as three beings or combined as Jesus?
Question: Will we see the Trinity as three distinct persons in Heaven or will they all be combined as one in Jesus Christ our Saviour? I know the Bible states that Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God but will we see God the Father and the Holy Spirit? Answer: In Revelation, there…
Read MoreHow does Satan tempt people?
Question: Dear sir, I believe I read where possibly you and many others say that Satan can’t get into our heads. OK, so while still under the Old Testament, he tempted Job. Then he, I’m assuming, physically tempted Christ. If he brought Jesus up to see the kingdoms of the world, then isn’t that physically tempting…
Read MoreWhat is the purpose of the new earth?
Question: I know God creates all things for a purpose. God created the earth to be inhabited. Isaiah 45:18. What is the purpose for the new earth if we are not going to inhabit it? Thank you. Answer: “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness…
Read MoreWow! What a site!
Question: Hi, I recently began going to a church of Christ. One of the brothers directed me to your site as a reference for a topic we were discussing. I wanted to say, “Wow, what a site!” It seems Jeff Hamilton is working hard. Perhaps this email has gone to Mr. Hamilton. Hopefully, I’ll get…
Read MoreWhy is the religious world so against baptism?
Question: I stumbled upon this Christian site, which I believe is owned by people who are Restored Church of God. I saw an article where they tell people how to be saved. A lot was actually good material. It talked about the necessity of repentance and believing, along with Scriptures, but when it came to…
Read MoreCan God tell you not to marry the person whom you are dating without a reason?
Question: Can God tell you not to marry the person whom you are dating without a reason? Answer: Underlying this question is an assumption that God directly communicates with people today. But that very assumption contradicts what God said He is doing. See: God is Speaking to You and Does God Speak Directly to Mankind Today? God has…
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