Posts Tagged ‘belief’
The Credibility of Jesus
by Terry Wane Benton Friends and enemies saw the miracles of Jesus. The enemies had to explain them. Their go-to argument was that He worked by the power of Satan. But the fact that they even had to explain them in such a way means that such testimony was credible from the start. Furthermore, the…
Read MoreIt Doesn’t Matter What You Believe
by Perry Hall This might surprise you, but I agree. I spoke with an agnostic whose family had been persecuted by so-called Christians. They fled from their homeland for American freedom, much like many others who believed in Jesus. Ironically, both pagans and believers fled from persecution, seeking religious freedom. The agnostic said she hoped…
Read MoreReal Faith
by Doy Moyer Biblical faith is not mere belief. It is trust, but it is more than that. It is conviction, loyalty, faithfulness, allegiance, and commitment. To say that we ought to trust God and have faith is not to say that we sit back and do nothing. That is a bad spin on faith…
Read MoreReasons to Believe in Jesus
Text: Matthew 1-2 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Reasons-to-Believe-in-Jesus.mp3 by Don Bunting One (or Two) Chapter Lessons
Read MoreA Crisis of Faith?
by Orlando B. Gonzalez Perhaps you wonder whether we, as members of the “Churches of Christ”, are turning others away from Jesus by how we discuss people in other denominations, and how we talk about our practices as if they are the only right way to do things, thereby condemning those who do them differently.…
Read MoreWhy Doesn’t God Prove Himself?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Why-Doesnt-God-Prove-Himself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 43:8-13 I. “If God is real, why doesn’t He just give concrete evidence?” A. It is a question that preachers frequently run into. B. If I don’t personally see the evidence, then I don’t think adequate proof exists – John 20:25 II. God has given evidence A. The Creation speaks of God’s…
Read MoreBelief in God Continues to Decline
Source: Anugrah Kumar, “Number of Americans who believe in God dips to new low: Gallup,” The Christian Post, 20 June 2022. The number of Americans who say they believe in God: 1940s-1960s – 98% 2011 – 92% 2013-2017 – 87% 2022 – 81% “Belief in God has fallen the most in recent years among young adults…
Read MoreHow much confidence do I need in God?
Question: Mr. Hamilton I have another question I’d like to ask concerning some scripture I’ve been recently pondering and trying to understand. “But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into…
Read MoreBelieving the Unbelievable Story of Jesus
by Don Bunting God intends for people to come to Him by faith. Undoubtedly God could reveal Himself to humanity in a powerful, material, undeniable way. Still, God says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of…
Read MoreDisobedience and Unbelief
by Matthew W. Bassford The epistle to the Hebrews might be the most tightly reasoned book in the whole Bible. Sentence by sentence, clause by clause, the Hebrews writer constructs intricate arguments that establish the superiority of Christ over Moses and the folly of Christians returning to Judaism. The more closely we read Hebrews, the…
Read MoreI Believe in God
by Jefferson David Tant Although our nation is declining in its religious values, many still believe in God. And if you ask the average person if they believe in God, they will probably give you an affirmative answer. In fact, in a pleasant conversation I was having with a woman who was serving me some…
Read MoreJesus, the Light of the World
by Matthew W. Bassford In writing his gospel, the apostle John often likes to group Jesus’ “I am” statements with events that define that characteristic. “I am the bread of life,” follows the feeding of the 5000, “I am the resurrection and the life,” precedes the raising of Lazarus, and so on. This certainly is…
Read MoreHow to Become a Christian
by W. Frank Walton “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (II Corinthians 5:17). The Bible says salvation from sin is only in Christ (Acts 4:12). The most important commitment you’ll ever make is deciding to become a true Christian. What “steps”…
Read MoreNotes on Examples of Conversion
Where Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Result At Pentecost Acts 2:14-41 Acts 2:38 Acts 2:38, 41 Forgiveness of sins Acts 2:38 Added Acts 2:41 Acts 3:12-26; 4:2,4 Acts 4:4 Increase in number Acts 5:14 Added to number Acts 5:42 Increasing in number Samaria Acts 8:4-8, 12 Acts 8:12-13 Acts 8:12-13 Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:30-35…
Read MoreNotes on Things that Accompany Salvation
Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Obey Commanded Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6 Commanded Acts 2:38; 17:30; 26:20 Commanded Acts 10:48 Commanded Philippians 2:12 To come to God John 6:45 To please God Hebrews 11:6 To gain times of refreshing Acts 3:19 Brings joy in heaven Luke 15:7 To be confessed before God Matthew 10:32-33 To…
Read MoreCan you achieve anything by just believing in yourself?
Question: Hi Jeff, I am a young man who is inexperienced in life but want to explore. I hear a lot of “you can do anything if you just believe in yourself.” But when I consider that there is a lot to learn, but our life span is short, I get scared. So I ask:…
Read MoreTrusting God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2016Summer1TrustingGod.mp3 by Tommy Peeler God Has a Plan
Read MoreDoes a change in attitude come first before a person can believe?
Question: Is it necessary to repent, or turn from sin and toward God (whether you have performed one single action or not, I’m simply talking about a heart attitude change) to be able to see or believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin? Is that who has ‘ears to hear’ the gospel? The one living…
Read MoreDo you think that everything you believe is right?
Question: I have two questions. First off, which version of the Bible do you use and why? Secondly, I am going to tread carefully here so as not to offend you and I mean no offense in asking this but, do you think that everything, every doctrine you believe is right? I think that there…
Read MoreDoes it matter what I believe?
Question: We have a problem here that involves the following questions. I sure would appreciate it if you would share your thoughts concerning these when you have time. Does it matter what I believe? Does it matter what I did to be saved? Does it matter what church I attend? Does it matter how I…
Read MoreI’m beginning to doubt the things I’ve been taught most of my life, and I’m afraid of losing my faith in God
Question: I have something I would like your opinion on. I was part of a church called the Shepherd’s Chapel from the time I was 13. Their ideas run parallel to some of the ideas of the Nazis and the Christian Identity Movement. My mind has been opened to the idea of entertaining these thoughts…
Read MoreIn John 3:36, should it be “does not obey” or “does not believe”?
Question: I was linking one of my web sites to “How does obedience relate to saving faith?” which has some excellent info. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36 NASB). I am wondering about this Scripture…
Read MoreWhy Believe in God?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/WhyBelieveInGod.mp3 by Bruce Irwin
Read MoreWho must we believe in to go to heaven, God or Jesus?
Question: Who must we believe in to go to heaven, God or Jesus? Answer: The answer is both. You cannot believe in one without believing in the other. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You,…
Read MoreRelying on God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/RelyingOnGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The afternoon news and talk show featured a short debate over a recent story. The parents of eleven children had two of their children die. One died from untreated diabetes. The other died from complications of an untreated ear infection. The parents believed firmly in the power of prayer and…
Read MoreHow can I know the God of the Bible isn’t a myth?
Question: How do I know that believing in God is the right thing to do? How do I know that the Bible isn’t something that is made for mankind to get by through life without worrying as much as non-believers do? I don’t know what to think about God and life and death. Just the…
Read MoreIf you’re praying for something and believe you have received it, what if it’s not what God wants?
Question: I’m curious to know about some Bible verses I’ve heard. Well, I heard a Bible verse that said something like: “Therefore, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours” The thing I don’t understand is, is that people say God wants what is best for you.…
Read MoreDid Peter always believe that Jesus was the Christ?
Question: Did Peter always believe that Jesus was the Christ? Answer: Peter first met Jesus because his brother told him that they had found the Messiah (John 1:41-42). We are not told if Peter was immediately convinced or not, but we do know that Peter became a staunch follower of Jesus. It was Peter who…
Read MoreDid Hophni and Phinehas believe in God?
Question: Did Hophni and Phinehas believe in God? Answer: Hophni and Phinehas were two sons of Eli, the high priest of God (I Samuel 1:3). They served as priests at the tabernacle. But despite their position, they were wicked. “Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and…
Read MoreWhere does the Bible say that some believed, but would not follow?
Question: I have been trying to find, without luck, the verse that talks about people believing but still not following God. I think it was the Pharisees in Acts. I just remember reading a passage and I was wondering if you knew of it. I am using word searches but no luck yet. Answer: I…
Read MoreDoes One Have a Right to His Own Belief?
by Eugene W. Clevenger via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 6, April 1952. A question that we often hear asked is, Does every person have a right to his own belief? I cannot answer that question honestly and completely with a simple “Yes” or “No”, because to me the answer is both “Yes” and “No.” Looking…
Read MoreNotes on Belief
Mark 16:15-16 John 3:15-16 John 5:24 John 6:29 John 8:24 John 12:42 John 12:46-48 John 20:30-31 Acts 16:31 Acts 18:8 Romans 1:17 Romans 16:26 Galatians 5:6 Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 11:6 James 2:19 James 2:24 You can have faith without salvation John 8:28-37 – Among those who believed were people who wanted Jesus dead John 12:42-50…
Read MoreHow can I make my parents’ faith my own?
Question: How can I test my faith to change my inherited faith from my parents to a faith of my own? Answer: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified” (II Corinthians 13:5). The…
Read MoreWhat Must I Do to be Saved?
by Wayne S. Walker Of all the questions asked … Where did I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? The most important question ever asked was: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) In the sixteenth chapter of the book of Acts, the apostle Paul…
Read MoreWhy didn’t the Jews believe Jesus?
Question: Why didn’t the Jews believe Jesus? Answer: It is a curious thing, is it not, that the Son of God came to live among men (John 1:14), and yet he is rejected by the very people who had been expecting his arrival for thousands of years. “He was in the world, and the world…
Read MoreCan a person be a believer and not be saved?
Question: What biblical reference is there that uses the word “believer” and says that person isn’t saved? Answer: The term “believer” is frequently used to refer to those had entered the kingdom of the Lord. For example, “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). (See also Acts…
Read MoreDo you believe that baptism could be linked to grace?
Question: Do you believe that baptism could be linked to grace? Answer: In the Bible, grace is the concept of a freely given gift; a gift that the recipient has not earned nor has necessarily deserved to receive. God’s gift to mankind was the life of His own Son. “For God so loved the world…
Read MoreIsn’t repentance and faith the same thing?
Question: Isn’t repentance just another word for faith? If someone were fighting and defending themselves in a brawl, aren’t the words ‘fighting’ and ‘defending themselves’ describing different aspects of the same action? Likewise, I think Acts 20:21 shows repentance and belief to be intrinsically related to the same attitudinal/belief event/process. Answer: While defensive and offensive moves may…
Read MoreDoes belief include anything more than trust?
Question: Does belief include anything more than trust? Answer: Belief or faith is of primary importance to a follower of God. The writer of Hebrews state, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who…
Read MoreDoes Mark 16:16 say that someone not baptized is lost?
Question: I think I have a parallel that explains Mark 16:16. Suppose I state, “All people who are enrolled and live in the dorm are students in the college. If John is enrolled but doesn’t live in the dorm, does that mean he is not a student?” Similarly, Mark 16:16 says “He who believes and…
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