Am I bad because I wasn’t with my mother when she died?

Question: I am a 22-year-old woman who is having a crisis. I have spoken and confessed to God my transgressions for my sins against Him and others; and yet, fear still takes hold of me. How can I cleanse both my mind, heart, and soul of this taint? I still feel guilt over what happened…

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How can God die?

Question: What if a Muslim asks you, can God die? Jesus died and was resurrected, just like the myths of the Greeks, India, Roman, and the dark ages. What will you say? Answer: The ancient myths took their inspiration from the seasons. They saw the cycles of winter and spring and created myths to explain…

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What do you say to a child when a loved one dies?

Question: What should a Christian say to a child when a loved one dies, who died without being a believer in Christ or just was not a good person? Is it best to give the child the idea that the person is in heaven anyway, or to just tell them we don’t know what God will decide for that…

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Did my mother die in sin?

Question: I want to make clear why this is so important for me. It would be either way when it comes to a mother, but given how much I owe her, it is especially concerning for me. I apologize if it’s a bit long. I was born in Texas (raised there too). My mom raised…

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My father just died! Can he be in heaven?

Question: I have sad news, my father just died of an overdose! Are there any verses that you can point out to me that say he can be in Heaven! I’m so scared he is in hell because he said he was mad at God and all. Answer: I am really sorry to hear about…

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Why Do People Die?

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/WhyDoPeopleDie.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton   I.         God warned Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of one particular tree – Genesis 2:15-17             A.        Yet despite the warning, both Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit.             B.        As a result, death then entered the world – Genesis 3:19                         1.         Because man had sinned, he was forbidden access…

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Would it be wrong for me to skip my mother’s funeral?

Question: I am having difficulties getting along with my sister, especially regarding our mom and her care. We just recently lost our father. My sister has been difficult in the past and is more controlling now. I now realize that it is best for my sanity if I take breaks away from her. I don’t…

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My girlfriend died and I feel like I’m losing my faith

Question: Several months ago my beautiful girlfriend died from a heroin overdose. She and I were so in love and my life revolved around her. We missed each other the moment I would leave for work. We were together for two years and have been through a lot together.  I had so much more to…

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My friend is dying and I don’t know what to do

Question: I have a friend. We were neighbors once She has heart failure and nothing is helping. She’s been in the hospital for a while, then she got out and I went to see her. She looks dead to me: she’s grey and her lips are blue, she’s all swollen and she’s on oxygen. She…

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I’m afraid I will die too

Question: Life has been great. My anger has been getting to be less of a burden. But something’s been torturing me tonight, I even broke down and cried a few minutes ago. I was taken up with a fear that my life was almost over; that I didn’t have much time left. Then for a…

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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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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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How do I deal with the sudden death of my grandmother?

Question: I was wondering how you deal with death. My grandma died last night and the wake is tomorrow and the funeral is the day after. I’ve never been to one before and I’m scared. I don’t even know what I’m feeling, I kind of feel numb. We were really close. She had cancer and…

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Is it wrong to bow to elders or at the graves of those who had died?

Question: Hello, I have a few questions, I hope you don’t mind. In East Asian countries, it is customary to bow to elders and those older than you. Is this not allowed? Also, it is customary to bow to ancestors who’ve passed away at their graves. Is this not allowed as well? Thanks! Answer: In…

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Does Ecclesiastes contain statements that don’t make sense to Christians?

Question: In your article, “Do people know what is happening on earth after their death?”, you plainly state the dead don’t know what happens on Earth. After looking at Coffman’s Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9 he points out interesting points in the chapter. If dead refers to “dead people” in verse 5, what is meant by…

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What more can I do for my ex-wife who lost a child?

Question: Good afternoon Brother Hamilton and all the brethren at the La Vista congregation.  I’m hoping you can offer me some guidance on a complicated issue: My former wife’s son recently died in a very tragic fashion.  He and I had a great relationship while his mother and I were married and maintained occasional contact…

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Two Trips and Suffering

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TwoTripsAndSufferings.mp3 by Scott Smelser

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Should a Christian shave his head for a dead relative?

Question: Should a Christian shave his head for a dead relative? Despite the fact that shaving the heads for the dead is forbidden in the Old Testament, should a Christian have anything to do with such practices? Thank you for your time. Answer: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall…

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Why did my uncle die young? How can we know he is OK?

Question: I have recently lost my uncle due to a short illness. He was only in his thirties. When I read your website it only refers to people dying young as wicked. This confuses me as my uncle was a very good man at heart. Yes, he was not a saint but he had a…

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Did I cause my child to die? Did God? Why did it happen?

Question: I contacted you a couple of months back when I was having difficulties with an unplanned pregnancy. The feeling in my heart right now is one of confusion. Even though the baby was conceived in fornication, I never even thought of having an abortion. Despite the refusal of the man who impregnated me to consider…

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Did those who were killed by the angel know there was a God?

Question: My husband wants to know if the 70,000 killed by a plague by an angel knew there was a God? Answer: You are referring to those who died as a result of David’s sin in numbering the men of war in Israel. “So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till…

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If Christ died for all, then that means all died. Do you really believe that?

Question: In your rebuke of Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, you used the passage of II Corinthians 5:4-15. “For the love of Christ compels us, that if one died for all, then all died.” If “all” means the whole population of the world, then the whole population has died (which in the context of scriptures have died to…

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What happens after death? Will I be reunited with my loved ones?

Question: Hi, Right now I’m not a Christian, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately. Death kind of scares me, I mean I’m only 14 but still. I kind of wanted to know what you believe, why you believe it, and what I should do, and what happens after death. I also wanted…

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When the Good Die Young

Text: I Kings 14:1-18   I.         It is a sad occasion when a young person meets with death             A.        We think about the potential that was suddenly cut short.             B.        The older people think about the experiences they enjoyed that this person didn’t have an opportunity to experience first hand             C.        We realize we will miss their companionship, especially…

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How can someone in Christ fear death?

Question: How can someone in Christ fear death? Answer: It would depend on the strength and growth of their faith. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4). “Inasmuch then as…

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Does an unborn baby have a soul?

Question: I have a coworker who was telling me his girlfriend had a miscarriage, and that’s why he doesn’t believe in God.  I tried to comfort him by telling him that the baby could not have sinned, thus had to be in heaven.  He seems like he may be interested in God, it seems we…

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Is it right to say “Rest in Peace” in regard to a known sinner?

Question: I would like to ask a question regarding a statement left by many of my friends, as well as my Christian brothers and sisters in Christ. The statement is “Rest in Peace” to Whitney Houston. I know according to the Bible that no one is in Heaven yet. We all go to Hades either…

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What about ghosts, sacrificing to the dead, and sin?

Question: I have doubts about certain religions. People have asked me what I believe regarding these things and I honestly don’t know what the Bible says about it. You probably know about religions that preach about “ghosts” or “spirits.” I’ve even heard about people who sacrifice animals or other people to get something they want.…

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Are There “Ghost Amongst Us”?

by Jack Wise Jr.   Many believe the spirits of dead people walk on the earth. Many “psychics” claim they can speak to the dead. Is it true? Do the spirits of the deceased rise from the grave and walk amongst us? Solomon, the wisest man to have ever lived, said the dead know nothing,…

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