Cannot!

by Don Hooton When Nicodemus came to Jesus, the chat was pretty brief. Nicodemus: “You must be from God because of the signs!” Jesus: “Seriously, you cannot…” Tilting the religious world upside down, Jesus said that some cannot. In our world, where possibilities are said to be behind every impossibility, we sometimes imagine wrongly that…

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Do I not have enough faith?

Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, I have a question in one of your articles titled: Does true faith mean the command to be baptized does not save a person? You said that: “A person who does not obey demonstrates by his actions that he doesn’t really believe.” I have OCD, and I end up doubting Jesus…

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Cleansing the Soul

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Cleansing-the-Soul.mp3 by Garry Floyd Download Audio

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Dead and Raised

by Terry Wane Benton Paul describes our pre-conversion state as “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1). We walked like others in the world, but we were spiritually dead toward God. But from our dead state, He “made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:5). We were “raised up together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6). This…

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Pharisaical Works Salvation?

by Terry Wane Benton One fellow said the following: “Terry Wane Benton, why must you be so wrapped up in your salvation by works just like the Pharisees? Jesus despised the Pharisees for this very mentality that you are showing. Grace and grace alone allow you to enter into heaven.” Grace is the only thing…

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Baptism in History

by Ed Harrell via Christianity Magazine, December 1984 My reading of the New Testament makes very clear the meaning and intent of baptism — it was a “burial” that put one “into Christ” and resulted in the “remission of sins” (Romans 6:3–4; Acts 2:38). Of course, we should always be willing to examine our reading…

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The Like Figure Whereunto …

by Terry Wane Benton The flood water is the figure, the type, and baptism is the antitype, the real thing prefigured (I Peter 3:20-21) by the flood water. So, how was the flood water the figure? It was the chosen means to wash away a sinful world and deliver Noah and his family to a…

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By One Spirit

by Terry Wane Benton “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free persons, and all were made to drink one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13 LEB) The “by” tells us the influence that compelled us to be baptized (immersed) into the body of Christ. They were…

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The Right to Become

by Terry Wane Benton “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). Jesus gave certain people the right to become children of God. Unbelievers are not given this right. But even believers are not automatically in. The…

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According to the Pattern

by Jefferson David Tant An interesting passage in Hebrews 8 contains a statement that has an important message for us today, even as it did when it was written thousands of years ago. It mentions the fact that God has a “pattern” that is to be respected and followed. It points out that even Christ…

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The Case of the Philippian Jailor

by Terry Wane Benton He wanted to know, “What shall I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). The simple answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The details of why believe in Jesus, what to believe about Jesus, and how to express faith in Jesus followed. In other words,…

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“Because Of” or “Into”?

by Terry Wane Benton The Argument: “In addition to Acts 2:38, there are three other verses where the Greek word eis is used in conjunction with the word “baptize” or “baptism.” The first of these is Matthew 3:11, “baptize you with water for repentance.” Clearly the Greek word eis cannot mean “in order to get”…

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For (eis) the Remission of Sins

by Terry Wane Benton It is argued by some that “for” the remission of sins, as used in Acts 2:38, should be understood to mean “because of” the remission of sins you already have. They say it is like we use the term when saying, “Take some ibuprofen for your headache.” In that case, “for”…

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Baptismal Regeneration?

by Terry Wane Benton Some teach and believe that the water of baptism is in no way tied to regeneration or salvation. They think it is something you do after salvation as just a symbol of what already happened in your heart. We see no proof of that view in the scriptures. All verses that…

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Did the Catholic Church edit Matthew 28:19?

Question: What baptismal proclamation was used in your baptism? Probably you were baptized, “In the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Do you know that this Baptismal Proclamation is not the original text commanded by Jesus Christ as in Matthew 28:19? The Roman Catholic Church has edited and replaced…

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If Baptism Was a Work

by Terry Wane Benton The claim is made that baptism cannot be part of the salvation process (the process from lost sinner to saved and justified in Christ) because it is claimed that “baptism is a work” and “we are saved through faith and not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, this claim is very faulty…

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Are there qualifications for who performs baptisms?

Question: Dear Minister, May I ask for further clarification? You stated, “There is nothing in the Scriptures listing out a requirement on those doing the baptism” in the article “What is successionist baptism?” My query is, when Matthew 28:19 says, “Go and make disciples,… baptizing them..” doesn’t it imply that saved people are the baptizers…

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Did I correctly repent?

Question: I can remember on the night before I was baptized, I sinned. After that, I prayed to God, told Him I was sorry, and wanted to live my life for Him. I don’t know if I had time to turn from my sins since I got baptized the next day, but I was so…

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Jesus and Baptism

by Doy Moyer On the third day of creation, God separated the dry land from the waters, and life came through the water (Genesis 1:9-13). This pattern was seen again when life came through the waters after the flood (Genesis 8:6-12). Again, it was seen when the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea…

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The Solution for Sins

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 6:9-11 Sin was a big problem in the church at Corinth. It is a big problem worldwide and throughout all time. But Jesus offers a solution to sin: Washed Sanctified Justified Cleansed Set apart for a holy purpose Made right before the law   Justified When we sin,…

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Does the type of water matter in baptism?

Question: Dear Minister, Thank you for your website. It has a lot of good stuff. It is really awesome. Thanks. And thanks for being willing to answer questions by email. Is any water type (fresh, chlorinated, salt, a bit muddy, etc) acceptable before God for baptism? As far as I know, no one but me…

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Suffering in Baptism?

by Perry Hall Amid Peter discussing suffering and judgment, he mentions, “baptism now saves” (I Peter 3:21). Contextually, what baptism saves us from is God’s judgment on a sinful world. The context from 3:14-4:19 is “Suffering and Judgment.” However, there are many ways baptism cannot save us from suffering because baptism is inherently tied to…

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What Must I Do to Go to Heaven?

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/What-Must-I-Do-to-Go-to-Heaven.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 19:16-22   I.         I was asked, “What must I do to go to Heaven when I die? Please no opinions. Please use the Bible, it is all we have that is the truth.”             A.        I am impressed that this man only wants a biblical answer. Far too many simply want…

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Christ Sent Me Not to Baptize

by Terry Wane Benton In I Corinthians 1:17 Paul said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” The assumption that denominational people make is that Christ did not send Paul to baptize because…

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Does baptism give continual cleansing?

Question: Hello, I hope you are well. I have a question for you. I was baptized several years ago and when I was baptized I felt like my heart was not into it completely. I went into the baptism knowing that there were sins that I was not going to give up and was going…

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Is my baptism invalid because I did it to avoid going to hell?

Question: When I got baptized, I was being baptized not necessarily wanting forgiveness but more about keeping myself from going to Hell. I was sincere in my commitment to God giving Him my life, but I was baptized out of fear of going to hell. This burdens my conscience every day and I don’t know…

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Can I be baptized if I had sex with my boyfriend?

Question: Hello. I’m thinking about getting baptized, but also I’ve had sex with my boyfriend many times before. I just want to know, can I still be baptized even if I’ve done so? And can I be able to continue after baptism? Answer: “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise…

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Can I get baptized while being in a relationship?

Question: I’m a 21-year-old male. My Father is a pastor. I’m in a relationship with my sister-in-law. Now I wanted to take baptism, but I have concerns. Do we need to break our relationship in order to get baptized? She is a very good girl, and I preached the gospel to her and made her…

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Which baptism was in effect between Jesus’ death and Pentecost?

Question: Good evening, After reading Exodus 19-24, it appears the Patriarchal Age ended in Exodus 19 but was not ratified by blood until Exodus 24:7-8, which relates to Hebrews 9:22. With this in mind, if I’m correct in my earlier assessment, which baptism (John’s or Jesus’) would have been authorized after Jesus’ death but before…

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Thoughts on Baptism

by Jefferson David Tant The rite of baptism is almost universally practiced in the thousands of denominations that claim to follow the Bible. It is observed in various ways, such as immersion, pouring, and sprinkling of water, sprinkling of rose petals, etc. Then there is infant baptism, baptism of believers, and baptism for the dead.…

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Is a baptism valid if the church believes only Jesus is God?

Question: Hello, I am a member of the church of Christ and have a question for you. My mother-in-law recently started attending the church, and I am concerned about her baptism being scriptural. She was baptized in a non-denominational “Jesus Only” church for the forgiveness of sins. What I mean by “Jesus Only” is this…

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A Better Understanding of Baptism

by T. Sean Sullivan As many lessons as having included baptism, one might think everyone has it all figured out. However, lessons don’t always stick and their points are not always being absorbed as they should. There also seems to be a never-ending stream of false ideas from out there. With so much confusion on…

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The Passover Lamb and Baptism

by Matthew W. Bassford The story of the first Passover is familiar to most of us. In Exodus 12, Moses instructs the Israelites to take an unblemished male lamb, slaughter it, eat it as part of a ritual meal, and apply its blood to the doorposts and lintels of their houses. This strange ceremony had…

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Irenaeus on Baptism

by Dan Mayfield “First of all it bids us bear in mind that we have received baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of God the Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was incarnate and died and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God.…

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Is Sincerity Enough?

by Jefferson David Tant A popular idea among many people when questioned about their religious beliefs is that sincerity is the final judge of what is right and wrong. So long as a person believes in Christ, whatever his practices or beliefs may be in regard to that faith, so long as he is sincere,…

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Saved Through Water

by Matthew W. Bassford Genesis 7:11-24 tells the story of the greatest cataclysm ever to overtake the earth. Because the wickedness of man was great on the earth, God sent a flood to cleanse it by destroying everything that lived on the land. In this flood, every human being died except for eight. The patriarch…

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I fear I didn’t have the right attitude before I was baptized

Question: First off, I would like to say, I grew up in a church of Christ. A few years ago, I was struggling with hardcore sin in my life. My brother died that year, and it woke me up quickly. I was partying, drinking, smoking weed, cussing, having sex, and just not living right. I…

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Circumcision

by Terry Wane Benton Circumcision was the cutting off of the foreskin of the males in Israel. Why was it done? It was a daily reminder that the offspring coming through these people (Israel) would one day bless all nations through the “seed of Abraham” (Genesis 12:1-4), and this mark in the flesh was to…

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Who are the “them” in Acts 2:41?

Question: Since John’s baptism did not give people the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise that we read about in Acts 2:38-39, did the ones who received his baptism receive the gift and the promise if they lived into the New Testament? Some in the church believe the “them” in Acts 2:41 includes…

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