Posts Tagged ‘authority’
What authority do you have to teach on the Internet?
Question: If every example of preaching in the first century was done in person by mouth to those that could hear, and the direct command was to go and preach, where is your Bible authority to preach on the Internet? Answer: Here is an example of artificially restricting a command. Communicating by writing is a form of…
Read MoreOur Sole Standard
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/OurSoleStandard.mp3 Text: Ephesians 3:1-13 I. In a discussion with a Roman Catholic, he objected to the idea of staying only with the Bible as our source of authority. A. In particular, he believes that the Spirit uses sources other than the Bible to reveal God’s will B. He argued that the apostles only had a partial revelation…
Read MoreNecessary Inference in the Old Testament
by Terry W. Benton It has been said that the Old Testament was always direct in communicating the will of God and that the idea of having to “infer” the will of God has never been necessary and therefore is not necessary now, but is that argument a necessary conclusion? Consider just a few things that show…
Read MoreNoah, You Have Got to be Kidding!
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/NoahYouHaveToBeKidding.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Most are familiar with the story of Noah, the great flood, and the ark Noah had to build A. However, Noah was also a preacher of righteousness – II Peter 2:5 B. The world Noah lived in was a moral cesspool. 1. Some scholars estimate that the world’s population at that time equal…
Read MoreDoes the Church Produce the Bible or Does the Bible Produce the Church?
by Ryan Thomas Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions regarding the Bible is that it is a product of the church. Many reject the Bible as our sole source of religious authority and instruction and belittle us for believing in the “Bible alone theory.” Thus, there is a great need to discuss the relationship between…
Read MoreWho’s in Charge?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WhosInCharge.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 21:23-27 I. Common sense ought to tell you that someone has to be in charge A. Imagine a society where there were no laws and no government. 1. What would we have? Chaos! 2. We even have a term for it – anarchy 3. The book of Judges documents the decay of…
Read MoreMust It Be Spelled Out?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/MustItBeSpelledOut.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 8:16-20 I. We know people want to live life as they please; yet, there’s this Bible that says the things they want to do are wrong. What’s a person to do to avoid guilt? A. For some it is finding shelter behind saying that their particular sin isn’t specifically…
Read MoreGiven to Change (Benton)
by Terry Wane Benton “My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change; For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?” (Proverbs 24:21-22) To be “given to change” is to be reckless. This is not a person who is careful to…
Read MoreOur congregation would be very liberal if they had the money
Question: Hi, I came across your website as I was doing research on the “One Nation Under God” effort by the church of Christ in Tennessee. I want to say I enjoyed reading your article on Institutionalism. I intend on reading more of your articles. We are attending a congregation where we moved about a year…
Read MoreQuoting Men
by James P. Needham via Truth Magazine, October 1958 A great deal of confusion prevails among us today on the subject of quoting men. Some brethren quote outstanding preachers and scholars, both dead and alive, for various reasons. Others condemn quoting men in such a broad, sweeping way that the impression is left that quoting men…
Read MoreOn Principle and Inference
by Doy Moyer If you believe in principle, then you accept implication and inference. A principle is a fundamental truth from which other laws or behaviors are derived. Upon understanding a principle, we recognize a variety of applications that derive from it. Yet the applications themselves might be unstated and we must figure out the…
Read MoreJust a note to let you know how much I enjoy your articles
Question: Jeffrey, Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy your articles. I am a deacon in the church of Christ and have stumbled across several of your articles while researching topics on the web. I really enjoy your approach to discussing various subjects and find that you have a gift for…
Read MoreStandards (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Standards.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Kings 17:7-23 I. How do determine what is right or wrong? A. How does your neighbor decide? Or your co-workers? B. We all base our behavior on standards that we have accepted as authoritative, but those standards vary. C. What makes a good standard? 1. It needs to be fixed a. A standard…
Read MoreReasoning from Scripture
by Doy Moyer No reasoning takes place without drawing conclusions from implications. Just try it. Statements and examples often come with the expectation that we draw further conclusions. The point of reasoning and discerning is that we are capable of taking what is explicitly given, then reasoning to conclusions that are, in fact, necessary. For…
Read MoreHow can I tell what God wants from the Bible?
Question: Hello, I am very confused regarding the church. I read articles and studies from different areas around the brotherhood and just can’t wrap my mind around the division that we have. I know you have discussed the process of growing as a Christian and finding out if things we did were right or wrong.…
Read MoreCan a church buy and sell properties?
Question: I’ve been thinking a lot about authority and what ways the church is authorized to receive money into the treasury. Freewill offerings are the only means, correct? The church does not have the authority to open a business to support its funds, correct? If those are true, a question struck me: Does the church…
Read MoreSheep in the Pit — What Do You Do?
by Eric M. Hamilton via A Whisper After the Fire Is it possible to come across a situation where the right thing to do would be to let something evil happen? Or would the wrong thing to do be to let a good thing happen? It may seem ridiculous that questions like that should even be…
Read MoreBy What Authority Do You Do These Things?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ByWhatAuthorityDoYouDoTheseThings.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 21:23-27 I. The Book of Judges discusses the ups and downs of the children of Israel in following God. A. It quickly becomes apparent that there are more downs than ups. B. Most telling though is how the book ends – Judges 21:25 C. Here was a society that didn’t follow…
Read MoreOn the Silence of an Author
by Doy Moyer Silence is silence. It neither approves nor disapproves in itself. It is nothing. However, we cannot honestly quote an author on something he never said. If we cite an author as promoting and approving something, we better be able to show where and how he promotes or approves it. Otherwise, we have…
Read MoreWhat happened to Nathan when he said the Lord accepted David’s idea to build a temple?
Question: I have heard a preacher use II Samuel 7:1-17 to try and establish the fact that if God did not ask for something, then He didn’t want it. I’ve even followed their example and used it in one of my own sermons on Bible authority. But I’m having some issues with it now. We…
Read MoreYour article on Christian liberty was very good
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Thank you for your article on “Finding Liberty in Silence.” It was very good. I have been searching for articles and lessons on the topic of Christian liberty because recently I have encountered a few brethren who have commented to me that “we have Christian liberty that allows us to dismiss…
Read MoreCan a man give a woman permission to lead a part of the worship service?
Question: This past Sunday something very disturbing happened in our worship service. Our song leader said that he as a man in the church was giving permission to a woman to lead a song. I was very disturbed by this because I don’t believe that a man has the authority to usurp what God has…
Read MoreIf I quote the early Christian writers on the necessity of baptism, does that make my argument better?
Question: I found a whole list of early church fathers, Ante Nicene fathers who said baptism is necessary for salvation and it’s a regeneration. I got Irenaeus, Tertullian, Ambrose, Justin Martyr, Clement, Cyprian, and the list goes on. Can I use these men and their quotes to back up the Bible and the apostles? Most…
Read MoreThe Architect’s Blueprint
by Jefferson David Tant Let’s say that you want to build a house, so you hire an architect to draw up plans according to your wishes. A builder is then contracted to construct the home as per the architect’s blueprints. But something happens along the way, as the builder decides he has his own preferences,…
Read MoreFinding Liberty in Silence (Sermon)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/FindingLibertyInSilence.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. It was one of those interesting coincidences. I received two correspondences dealing with separate issues, but both seeking justification in the same manner. A. In attempting to justify the use of instrumental music, Gary Mattingly, a preacher for the Christian Church wrote: “First and foremost, we must see that there…
Read MoreAll in a Name
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2004/03/AllInAName.mp3 Text: Acts 4:5-14 I. Saved in a name A. Acts 4:8-12 – Only in the name of Jesus can we be saved II. What does “in his name” mean? A. With that one’s authority or with his approval 1. This was Peter’s answer to “by what authority” (Acts 4:7); he answered, “in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:10)…
Read MoreApostolic Succession (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ApostolicSuccession.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Acts 20:17-36 I. How do you prove that your brand of Christianity is real? A. For some, the argument is based on who was around the longest. 1. A religion that just recently started is declared to be suspect. If the church has been around for 2,000 years, then…
Read MoreYou Should Have Known
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/YouShouldHaveKnown.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 1:1-4 I. The writer of Hebrews addresses the Jewish people concerning why God changed His worship and laws A. He does so by citing passages from the Old Testament to prove points that if you just thought about it for a while you realize it must be so II. The…
Read MoreAuthority
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Authority.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Suppose you were studying with someone about the gospel of Christ A. We will assume that the person believes in God and that the Bible is God’s Word B. There are many who fit this description; yet, they do not obey the teachings in the Scriptures C. How do you show such a…
Read MoreHow do I teach my girlfriend a little at a time?
Question: Hello sir, I am a member of a church of Christ. I have a girlfriend who is part of an apostolic church. They have choir, praise dances, communion first Sunday of each month, and more false doctrine. Could you tell me where to start to let her see the truth? I don’t want to…
Read MoreIs being a Christian more than the things in the Bible?
Question: It took me 24 years to really realize what being a follower of Christ truly means. In a nutshell, to love God and love people. My dad and I had a disagreement last night on what a true follower of Christ really is. Now, to be clear I really think there are a few…
Read MoreHow do I teach my fiance that dancing in worship, instrumental music, and women preachers are a big deal if you want to please God?
Question: I’m getting my fiance to come to a church of Christ from being a Baptist. She had decided to study with me and learn the Word together, but it seems still a little hard to do so. For one, her mother is always in her ear and to be honest she would be mad…
Read MoreMy pastor says I’m disobeying church law by wearing color outfits to services. What do I do?
Question: Dear Minister of God, Thank you for the clarification of wearing white dresses to church and not wearing jewelry. Our pastor says that I’m disobeying the church law by wearing color attire to church. I feel it is a conspiracy (Isaiah 8:12) he’s placing on me. I don’t wear jewels because my parents didn’t let…
Read MoreWhere does God say not to celebrate Jesus’ birth?
Question: Where in the Bible does God tell us not to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, but His death, resurrection, and return? Are we really not to celebrate Christmas as Jesus’ birth? Answer: Your question is backward. God told us everything needed for life and godliness (II Peter 1:2-4). “Everything” leaves nothing out. So the question is…
Read MoreApostolic Supremacy
by Clinton D. Hamilton via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 7, May 1952. The real issue with reference to religious division is which church is the true one. In an almost unanimous voice, religious people affirm that for a church to be the true one it must teach the identical doctrines revealed by the apostles. The…
Read MoreIs it appropriate to have PowerPoint presentations during sermons?
Question: Is it appropriate to have PowerPoint presentations during services? Personally, I find it very helpful in keeping up with Bible verses during the sermons, but I wonder if God approves it. I don’t know how the brethren feel. This is something I have been wondering about since I began going to the church. Answer:…
Read MoreHow do we determine who is right and who is wrong when everyone claims to take his stand from the Bible?
Question: How do we determine who is right and who is wrong when everyone claims to take his stand from the Bible? For example, what is the appropriate time for holy communion? Some believe it is evening while some believe it could be any time. Does the timing determine our eternal destiny? Also, can I…
Read MoreIs an implied fact as authoritative as a direct statement?
Question: All of the passages: Psalms 147:5; Romans 11:33-36; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 145:3; Isaiah 40:28; Psalms 40:5; Psalms 92:5-6; Job 5:8-9; Job 11:7-9; Job 9:10-12; Job 26:14; and Psalms 106:2 imply that God is infinite except for Psalms 147:5 where it explicitly states God’s understanding is infinite. Does this mean that the rest of the…
Read MoreYour article on the silence of the Scriptures helps me to understand the issues better
Question: Hello sir. I was born and raised in the church. Just read your article on the silence of the Scriptures and really enjoyed it. I have been faced with some of the “dogmatic” congregations for the first time in my life, and it really raised some questions in my mind as to if I was attending…
Read MoreIs it by grace or by law?
Question: My concern is to avoid a polluted and compromised gospel that turns people away from Christ or worse, inoculates them against the true gospel with cheap grace. Your letter most likely triggered a reaction in me because I am right now driven to seek God for answers about some disturbing things around me in church…
Read More