Answer
Your lesson on wine was excellent
Question: Hello, I came across your website while preparing some lessons on alcohol and the Bible. I wanted to say your lesson on wine was excellent and very detailed. Thank you for your research. Answer: I’m not certain which lesson you are referring to as the site contains several, but I’m glad you found the…
Read MoreAre interracial marriages wrong?
Question: Hello Jeff, I have been a bit worried lately, and I needed your guidance. I am currently dating someone of a different race. We love and respect each other, but like any other relationship, it has ups and downs. We also do our best to follow Christ’s teachings. Lately, I have heard people’s views…
Read MoreWhy are all nations judged when all were not involved in the oppression?
Question: Greetings! In Joel 3:2, why are “all nations” judged when not all nations participated in the oppressions? Or is this eschatological? Thanks. Answer: “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley…
Read MoreDid Jesus pay a ransom to Satan to free us from his domain?
Question: Did Jesus pay a ransom to Satan to free us from his domain? Answer: “No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him– for the redemption of his soul is costly, and he should cease trying forever– … But God will redeem my soul from the…
Read MoreHow much do our genes influence our behavior?
Question: I have a question that has baffled me. How much of our behavior is genetic, and how do we understand this in light of free will? My family has a history of adultery, alcoholism, and abuse on both sides. I was told by someone that genetics may explain this. How do we understand this?…
Read MoreAm I binding too much on myself?
Question: Hello brother, I’ve read many of your articles relating to Religious OCD. After reading your articles, I feel convinced I have suffered a bit of this. I’ve been baptized three different times. For some reason, my mind wonders and thinks I didn’t do something right or that my heart wasn’t in it like it…
Read MoreDo you have to say amen at the end of a prayer?
Question: Does the Bible say you must say amen at the end of a prayer? Answer: Many prayers are recorded in the Bible, but not all end with “Amen.” Hannah’s prayer in I Samuel 2:1-10 Solomon’s prayer in I Kings 8:23-53 Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19 Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1-26 Thus, it is not…
Read MoreThere are some translation errors
Question: Dear friends! As I was researching the book of Ruth on your church’s website, I noticed a reference in the text to verse 14 of the first chapter of the book: “Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and Ruth clung to her (Ruth 1:14).” This is…
Read MoreDo churches decide where preachers should teach?
Question: Do preachers have to be sent out by churches according to Romans 10:15? Answer: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How…
Read MoreA Work in Progress
by David Gibson “And I am sure of this,” Paul wrote, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). If we belong to Christ and grow in him, each of us is a work in progress. God is currently at work…
Read MoreShould baptism be refused?
Question: Hi Jeff, Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I would need your insights on two questions. We are currently studying baptism, which may seem an unlikely topic for members of the Church of Christ. However, we aim to target some young people who may have lost interest in becoming…
Read MoreAm I doomed?
Question: Hello, I beg you to answer this question: Did I commit an unforgivable sin? I know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. I have done despicable acts that I deeply regret and beg God’s forgiveness. This in no way excuses what I have done, but I should mention that I have had depression…
Read MoreWould my partner get back on track with God after we have a child together?
Question: Hello, I appreciate that you are taking my question. I’m unsure how I found this website, so I’ll take it as a good sign. I’m dating an inactive Jehovah’s Witness. We’ve been together for several years, and we live in the same house. We’ve made a lot of progress together, and from time to…
Read MoreDo I tell her husband?
Question: I am a married man. A number of years ago, I was dating the woman who eventually became my wife. At that time, I served in the church, but I had inappropriate conversations with a married woman in the same church. She sent me a photo that I asked for that showed indecent cleavage.…
Read MoreDid I marry her?
Question: Hello, pastor! I’m in my early twenties. Since last year, I’ve had a doubt that eats away at me. I dated a girl (whom I believe to be a virgin) two years ago. As the relationship progressed, we started to misbehave. More specifically, I touched her breasts with my hands and mouth, as described…
Read MoreThank you for being unafraid to answer difficult questions
Question: I want to thank you for everything you do and offer on your website. Many young people don’t have someone to answer their questions, and they aren’t afraid to answer embarrassing questions or things that may seem common sense to someone with a good upbringing. Your answers are very valuable and show the love…
Read MoreHow do I deal with a boyfriend who won’t respect boundaries?
Question: Dear brothers in Christ, I am writing to you because I need your advice. My soul is weary, and my heart is exhausted. I am a Christian girl in my mid-twenties. I worship in a church of Christ. I grew up in a Christian family. Only one of my siblings didn’t become a Christian.…
Read MoreDoes falling back into sin make a baptism invalid?
Question: This idea has come up many times in Bible studies. It concerns sin before baptism and the process of repentance. The Scriptures teach that one must repent before baptism and that Christians will sin after baptism. I don’t know of anyone who would think that a Christian can live sinless. I also believe that…
Read MoreAI is misquoting you
Question: Hi brother, I’m contacting you after stumbling upon this Google search result, which I only discovered because of curiosity! I think the answer to this question has possibly been selected using AI. However, it uses a quote from your website, but it is totally out of context, as this quote does not discuss the…
Read MoreDoes God make use of sinners?
Question: Good day sir, In the context of the potter and the clay, is it simply explained that God uses sinners in their sinful condition doing wrong or sinning to accomplish His purpose? Answer: The illustration of the potter and the clay is used several times in the Scriptures. “Woe to those who deeply hide…
Read MoreThanks for holding firmly to the truth
Question: Good afternoon, I wanted to send a quick word of thanks to you for your website. Over the past few years, two conservative churches of Christ I attended have progressively moved toward using their buildings for social activities, food pantries, etc. In both cases, it resulted in splitting the congregation. As I searched for…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to bring reproach on the church?
Question: What does it mean to bring reproach upon the church? Answer: “Reproach” means to show disapproval or to be disappointed. It can be used to refer to an individual who sinned and those causing the community around him to look down on him. “The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense;…
Read MoreDo I need to confess every lie I told?
Question: Hello sir, I have a question that I’m always confused by, and I would greatly appreciate your answer. I have sinned many times, years ago, against my husband, parents, family members, my friends, etc. There are many things I’ve done that I’m deeply ashamed and remorseful about. I lived a deceitful lifestyle, and I…
Read MoreHow do I convince my wife to reconcile?
Question: Good afternoon. God bless you. My wife and I got married when I was an unbeliever and she was a Christian, during which time I mistreated her and was unfaithful to her. She was also unfaithful but did not have sex; she only kissed other men. I left home, we did not get divorced,…
Read MoreDid Samson commit suicide?
Question: The following is taken from a long letter that mostly complains that a response to a question about suicide was not kind enough. The issues raised were already addressed in “I believe your article on suicide is unfair.” The author of this complaint did read the answer, but it wasn’t good enough for him.…
Read MoreShould I break up with my boyfriend?
Question: I hope this message finds you well. I’m reaching out because I need guidance and advice regarding my current relationship and spiritual walk. Here’s my situation: My boyfriend and I met at university. He had set up his business there, and I was still a student. We became good friends, although he never made any…
Read MoreUnhappy or Happy?
by Terry Wane Benton The measure of a good life is not that you are happy or not. You can sear the conscience so that it does not bother you to do wrong or to use people for selfish purposes. With a seared conscience, you could possibly enjoy the “pleasures of sin.” Therefore, the question…
Read MoreIs speaking in tongues for communicating with God?
Question: May God continue to strengthen you guys in Jesus’ name. Amen. You may not be aware, but many issues arise with the topic of speaking in tongues here. A brother recently sent me some voice notes discussing speaking in tongues with a man. He explained that speaking in tongues, as described in the New…
Read MoreWas Paul’s thorn in the flesh his bad eyesight?
Question: In II Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh,” which kept him from exalting himself, especially after entering paradise. Does Galatians 4:15 show his thorn in the flesh was his eyes? Also, did he see Paradise or just hear words he couldn’t repeat? Answer: “Boasting is necessary, though it is not…
Read MoreWhat does “stretched out the Earth over the waters” mean?
Question: “To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalms 136:6). What does “stretched out the earth above the waters” mean? Is there any connection between this verse and II Peter 3:5-7? Answer: There are several passages that indicate that the land mass of the earth rested…
Read MoreDid the patriarchs know God by the name of YHWH?
Question: Did the patriarchs know the proper name of God as “YHWH”? Or did He reveal Himself only to Moses and the Israelites? Answer: The name YHWH first appears in Genesis 2:4, so the name YHWH has been known since creation. Abram called on the name of the LORD (YHWH). “The LORD appeared to Abram…
Read MoreWhen does Matthew 5:28 apply?
Question: Hello, I have a few questions about porn and lust. Jesus says, “Whoever looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). What does that mean if I’m unmarried? Am I a fornicator at heart? I saw the next question on social media: Do those…
Read MoreThanks for your excellent website and resources
Question: This note is written to thank you for your excellent website and resources. Full disclosure: You would probably consider me a neo-conservative follower of inappropriate or sinful kinds of cooperation (although we have not supported anything like that in years) and the “Social Gospel.” I have a very solid professional background in counseling. My…
Read MoreWhat kind of body will wicked people have in the resurrection?
Question: What kind of resurrected body will have wicked people when our Lord returns? Answer: “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed…
Read MoreIs Azazel a spiritual being?
Question: In the Holy Bible, is Azazel a spiritual being? Why is an animal given to him, which bears people’s sins, instead of being given to God? I’m confused. Thanks. Answer: “Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his…
Read MoreWhy do I find out I made a stupid mistake after the fact?
Question: I would like to ask for guidance, wisdom, and understanding. I have been a Christian for almost a year. Neither my mother nor my father are people you would think of as Christians or churchgoers. My mother was hurt and made it a point to estrange me from my family at a young age.…
Read MoreDid Jesus mention fornication?
Question: Hello, I know the Bible talks about how fornicators won’t inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:9). But my question is: what does Jesus specifically say about fornication? I believe in the Bible, but I wonder if he mentioned it. I see a lot of people nowadays trying to justify fornication and saying…
Read MoreWhat should we do about someone who refuses to attend services?
Question: Greetings Brother Hamilton. I trust your family has been in good health. I have this concern. I have a member who is new to the faith. She was baptized roughly 3 years ago. She started well and then became less punctual. Now, she has stopped worshiping altogether. Efforts have been made by individual members,…
Read MoreShould I separate from my lying husband?
Question: My marriage with my husband is troubling. He has a pattern of habitually lying about minor things, and it hurts. I want to figure out my options righteously in this marriage as it is hard to think. I can go days or months thinking something was true, only to find out it wasn’t. Is…
Read MoreWhat if I watch a worship service that is taking place on a different day than where I live?
Question: If I am from the Philippines and I go to another country with a 12-hour time difference. Here in the Philippines, we have worship on Sundays at eight in the morning. Can I make a video call to join in worship and take the Lord’s Supper even though it is only eight in the…
Read More