What happens if I die before I am baptized?

Question: I recently turned my life to God. I’m on your website all the time learning what things to do and not do. I’m also reading the Bible. I don’t know everything in the Bible, so I’m currently educating myself. I’ve come to be a bit confused since I have a hard time understanding many…

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Is it bad that most members in our church were raised in the church?

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I’ve been emphasizing how important truth is in the Bible to one of my friends. She has been very receptive to the truths I’ve shown her in God’s Word. I’ve taken her to the church I attend and she enjoys it but she says it’s not her thing. Now I tell…

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Can you be saved on your death bed?

Question: I have a question! Can you be saved on your death bed? I know you must be baptized, and I’m trying to teach my aunt. She said that you don’t have to be baptized and that her grandad was saved on his death bed but was not baptized! Is that OK? If you can’t…

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Can you have adultery without sex?

Question: Is this adultery in any form? A spouse texts a guy friend, calls him, sends pictures of herself to him, goes to pick him up, and he buys her gifts. He says he likes her and has recently put a tattoo of her name on his body. She says they haven’t had sex. She…

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How do I get a child to stop swearing?

Question: Hello Jeffrey, I was wondering if you could give me a few strategies for deterring swearing in my eight-year-old. It has already happened twice in the last few days, and I’ve explained to him why it’s not appropriate to say those things. So I am hoping that did the trick, but just in case,…

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What did the animals eat after leaving the ark?

Question: How did plants survive in the flood? Where did animals, like cattle, get their food after being released from the ark? Answer: Plant seeds can float and survive a flood, as evidenced by plants sprouting after the flood. “Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf…

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What do the Scriptures say about dreadlocks?

Question: Hi, There is a fashion trend among black males to plait their hair or have dreadlocks like rastas. What do the Scriptures say about this? Answer: It depends on the purpose of the hairstyling. I know that the tightly curly hair among those of African descent is often difficult to manage. Dreadlocks are one…

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Is tanning wrong?

Question: Is tanning scriptural? Would it be a sin for one to tan? Answer: Tanning serves no purpose beyond cosmetic purposes. Our society currently sees tans as an indication of healthy outdoor living and also a sign of wealth since few people have the idle time to get tanned over a large area of their…

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Is Christ no longer of flesh now that he is in heaven?

Question: If the Word was God and became flesh when he came to the earth, did the reverse happen on his return? Answer: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown…

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My seven-year-old, who is tall and skinny, thinks she is too fat. What do I do?

Question: Thank you for such a helpful website! I’ve read the article on Five to Nine-Year-Olds this morning. I’m concerned about my seven-year-old girl who attends public school. She’s naturally a tall, thin girl but she asked me if I think she’s fat and lately has been obsessed about this — showing me her stomach and asking…

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What is the best way to avoid lying?

Question: Is it true that Jesus said in Revelation 21:8 that all liars will go to hell? If so, what is the best way for a Christian parent to avoid lying about things like Santa, birthday presents, or surprise parties? Or if a suicidal friend makes you promise not to tell someone that they are…

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Is it appropriate to say a prayer in a restaurant?

Question: Hello, Mr. Hamilton! My husband and I have been studying the book of Matthew, and we have a question about Matthew 6:5-6.  How do these verses apply to saying a prayer of thanks before a meal in a restaurant?  We have read your answer to the question, “Must a prayer be said before eating…

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Does I Corinthians 14:34 only apply to the church in Corinth?

Question: Regarding woman’s roles in the church, what would you say to someone who believes I Corinthians 14 was specifically for the church in Corinth? Answer: When someone doesn’t like what a passage says, a common rebuttal is to claim that the passage has a very narrow application — so narrow that it doesn’t apply…

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Was Eve formed from Adam’s rib or Adam’s side?

Question: Was the word “rib” the correct translation in Genesis chapter 2? The NIV gives in their footnotes that it is a rib or he took a part from Adam’s side. So which is right? Answer: The Hebrew word tsela, can mean a rib, or a part of the side. How you translate it doesn’t matter.…

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Were Adam and Eve married?

Question: Hello! This might be a dumb question but someone brought it up today at school and it was a little confusing. If premarital sex is a sin, Adam and Eve weren’t married, and they had sex. So is that why we are all born in sin? Answer: Actually, it is a very good question.…

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Am I obligated to marry my fiance?

Question: I somehow made a complete mess of my life and I am hoping to get some perspective on my situation. I am 21 years old. I have been with a man for 4 years. I love him a lot, but I am no longer ‘in love’ with him. We are engaged to be married.…

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I just can’t seem to love anyone

Question: I’m writing because I feel completely ruined and came across your web site. I am over 45. I am unable to hold a job of any kind really; although, I should be able to because there is nothing physically wrong with me, and I have multiple college degrees. After a catastrophic event in my…

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I discovered your site looking for whether animals have souls or spirits

Question: Hi, I just discovered your website when looking for whether animals have souls or spirits. Friends were visiting our home, and we got on the topic. I said to the gentleman that animals have souls but not spirits. He questioned this statement. Now I wanted to try and find it in the Bible to show…

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How many commandments are there now?

Question: How many commandments are there 10 or 9 or 11? Could you please confirm, one way or the other, that in the New Testament there are only nine commandments mentioned as commandments? Is that missing commandment is the fourth original commandment “Keep Holy the Sabbath Day”? So does this mean that in the Old…

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Do we withdraw from members who are attending another congregation for months?

Question: I read brother Hamilton’s article on Cross Congregational Fellowship with keen interest and have this question: Can fellowship be withdrawn from members who have absented themselves from their local congregation for months, but who have gone to another congregation to worship without first advising their local congregation that they will be worshipping elsewhere? Answer: Anyone not…

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Is Dominate Submissive role-playing bad?

Question: What I am doing does not involve sex. I just want to make that part of it clear This is something that brings in fast money, and I’ve been doing it for almost a year. I just don’t want people thinking I’m having sex for money. Everything done is consensual and agreed upon before…

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Is justification through faith? Is a sinner forgiven when he prays?

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I was reading your article on the NIV and I found it very informative! I just want to start off by saying thank you I had no idea there were a few discrepancies I needed to be aware of. With regards to this, I had a question. I completely agree with the point…

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Would God forgive me if I left my husband for another man?

Question: I am on my second marriage. Neither my first husband nor myself was faithful during our marriage. I cheated first. My husband now and I have been on ends for about two years, but I believe he has remained faithful. I encountered several men during that time. I gave my life back to Christ…

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You don’t interpret I Timothy 4:1-4 correctly

Question: I happened upon your site and didn’t have time for the whole thing but I thought I may help you with a correct interpretation of a passage you quote from St. Paul at the top: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving…

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Is it proper for my boyfriend to flirt with other women?

Question: I read one of the answers you gave a girl about kissing her old boyfriend while she was dating another guy, and she felt guilty about it. You said they were not married so it was OK. If my boyfriend and I have an understanding that we’re not going to date anyone else, and there…

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Is abortion justified to save the life of the mother?

Question: Hello! I was having a debate with my sister and I was wondering if you could help. We were debating about abortion, she says that any way you look at it, abortion is a sin and you are going to hell. But what if you are pregnant and if you were to continue carrying…

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Am I forgiven even though I repeat my adultery?

Question: Hi, I am a born-again Christian but have committed adultery as I am also married. I battle with the lustfulness of the flesh, and I don’t know how to manage it. I have prayed for forgiveness, but I still fall into the same temptation. How can I work on this? Am I forgiven, even…

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How can there be adultery after divorce ends a marriage?

Question: You said on your website: “When one partner in a marriage commits adultery, the innocent party has the option to divorce the unrepentant adulterer and may marry someone else if he or she so chooses. The adulterer remains bound by the terms of his marriage covenant. Anyone marriage enters into will be adulterous so long as…

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