Posts Tagged ‘faith’
Evidence for the Faith
by David Gibson What evidence is there for believing: 1) God exists, 2) Jesus is His Son, and 3) the Bible is His word? God Exists “… His invisible attributes … have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Jesus Is His Son The…
Read MoreAuthenticating One’s Faith
by James P. Needham via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 22 No. 1, 1996 Should young people go through life accepting what parents and teachers have taught them, or should they, through honest questions and serious study, authenticate their own faith, making it their own? Should we encourage questioning, or resent them, feeling that we are being rejected…
Read MoreAn Angel Saves Peter by Grace Through Faith
by Terry Wane Benton Daily Points of Light from Heaven James was killed by Herod (Acts 12), and Herod thought killing Peter would also appease the Jews. So, what we have here is Peter under wrath and condemnation, chained between two soldiers, guarded to be executed soon. The Lord sent an angel, a messenger of…
Read MoreOf Whom the World Was Not Worthy
by Terry Wane Benton Daily Points of Light from Heaven The Hebrew writer makes a great point when he speaks of the long list of persecuted and rejected servants of God who “escaped the edge of the sword…became valiant in battle… others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They…
Read MoreFaith, Knowledge, and Hope
by Edwin Crozier Paul had a three-part mission for his work as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. He did that work so God’s elect would grow in faith, in knowledge of the truth, and in hope of eternal life. What a great rubric for our work as teachers in Christ’s…
Read MoreThe Faith of Abraham
by Jeremy Paschall via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God has revealed His power to save mankind from sin (Romans 1:16). It is not a salvation based upon the works of men (Ephesians 2:9), requiring that they “earn” their way with sinless obedience (Romans 3:20), for then…
Read MoreThe Meaning of “Believe”
by David Gibson I have seen on the rear side window of an SUV: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” This is a quotation from Acts 16:31. If we read the verses preceding and following (Acts 16:16-34), we see this verse is in answer to the frightened jailer’s question, “Sirs,…
Read MoreAre we saved by faith or through faith?
Question: Good day, Is it correct to say we are saved through personal faith and by faith? Thanks. Answer: The problem is that “by” and “through” are similar enough words in English that they are often used interchangeably. In Acts 15:9, Peter said God “made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by…
Read MoreA Verdict That Demands Evidence
by Don Truex by Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 2, June 1995 Josh McDowell did students of the Bible a great service several years ago when he published his excellent work, Evidence That Demands a Verdict. As the title suggests, his thesis is that the evidence to support our faith in God, His Son, and the…
Read MoreA Commitment of Faith
by Doy Moyer I fear that, at times, faith today is seen as a weak contingency. We’re fine as long as we are convinced, kind of, but we are open to changing allegiances if the timing works. Faith may be seen as just what’s best for now, but we are really hoping for something more…
Read MoreLearning to Trust God
by Hugh DeLong Faith has different focuses. It can mean the belief in a fact. It can mean the trust of such facts. Concerning people, it involves trust in character. Of course, it is easier to learn facts and thus believe they are true than to learn to trust someone’s character. The foundation of our…
Read MoreThe Truth of Feelings and Faith
by Josh Creel What role should feelings play in faith? In a culture that loves to say “follow your heart,” there is a very real danger of letting our feelings become our source of truth. But are feelings always bad? In this video, we discuss: The danger of letting feelings define truth How to handle…
Read MoreSome Believed
by Hugh DeLong “In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Therefore they spent a long…
Read MoreWhen Jesus Marveled (Hamilton)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/11/When-Jesus-Marveled.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Matthew 8:5-13 I. Even the seemingly small things within the Bible are significant. A. I find it puzzling that people claim that the Bible is inspired, as we are told in II Timothy 3:16-17, but then turn around and want to modify it. 1. In June of 2006 I…
Read MoreDealing with Doubt
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Dealing-with-Doubt.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 20:19-31 I. Is it wrong to have doubts? When those moments come when you wonder if God really exists or you run across an idea that makes you wonder if you really understood the Bible correctly, have you sinned? A. Look at characters in the Old Testament…
Read MoreWhy I Believe in God (It’s Not Blind Faith)
by Doy Moyer via InLight Media Is belief in God actually rational? Or is faith just a blind leap? In this video, Doy Moyer, a preacher and former professor, explains why he believes in God — and why he is convinced that belief is not irrational or anti-intellectual. If you’ve ever wondered whether the existence…
Read MoreFaith: A Gift Not Given?
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). One of the most wonderful things about the gospel is its openness. The promise of salvation is open to “whoever believes,” no matter…
Read MoreGod Blesses Obedience
by Zeke Flores “Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him” (Genesis 26:12). Isaac plants crops during a famine and reaps a hundredfold. It’s such a simple detail, but it carries a huge truth: God can bless obedience even in environments that look completely unproductive.…
Read MoreFaith and Commitment Must Be Grown
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “And all of us… are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another” (II Corinthians 3:18 AMP). For Christians, the goal is to be transformed into the image of Christ. As Paul indicates in this text, this transformation…
Read MoreDealing with Grief
by Zeke Flores When Sarah dies, Abraham mourns deeply — and then he rises to secure a burial place. It’s a tender picture of grief and responsibility living side by side. Abraham doesn’t rush past his pain, but he also doesn’t get stuck in it. He honors Sarah by grieving honestly and acting wisely. This…
Read MoreAdd to Your Faith
by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Text: II Peter 1. Because God has given us everything we need to become partakers of His divine nature, we need not sit on our hands moping that we cannot be with or become like God. No doubt, our efforts alone would always fail to bring…
Read MoreSaved by Faith
by Hugh DeLong “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ…
Read MoreWhen Jesus Marveled (Baggett)
by Michael R. Baggett There are many occasions when individuals and crowds marveled at the gracious words and mighty miracles of Jesus. Did you know there were times when Jesus marveled at individuals and groups? There were ways people behaved that caused Jesus to observe with wonder. On one occasion, Jesus returned to his hometown…
Read MoreDoes faith cause salvation?
Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Thank you for sharing the article “What Saves a Person.” I’ve read it carefully and wanted to follow up with a sincere question. I noticed the article lists many things Scripture associates with salvation — God, Christ, grace, faith, repentance, baptism, obedience, etc. — and then concludes that all are equally…
Read MoreThe Foundation of My Belief
by Hugh DeLong What is the foundational base of my belief (and consequently, yours)? Not that my understanding becomes the standard for your belief, but how you read, interpret, and understand the revelation given by the Spirit. Let us start with several observations. There is a revealing of God’s will to men. (OK, first hurdle – what scriptures…
Read MoreTwo Sons Show Us the Truth
by Terry Wane Benton When we hear those who read the scriptures through Calvinistic lenses tell us that Adam and Eve handed down “Total Depravity” and “Inability”, we turn our attention to two sons, each of whom should have inherited this depraved gene. Cain and Abel show us the opposite. Both brought an offering to…
Read MoreIs Religion Purely the Product of Social Conditioning?
by Shane Scott via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 6 No. 1, January 2026 If you have been following the current series of articles I have been writing, you know that I am responding to some common objections raised against Christianity by unbelievers. There was a time when this sort of study (called apologetics) was a small niche…
Read MoreDemons Believe and Tremble
by Hugh DeLong Text: Mark 5 Ok, Ok… so I start with a quote from the book of James, but it is apropos as we read about the incident involving Jesus and the demon-possessed man of Gerasenes. Here they are called ‘unclean spirits’ but Matthew calls them demons (Matthew 8:31). Some questions arise in that…
Read MoreWhy I Believe the Bible
by Keith Greer Today, God’s book is under attack from many enemies. Even some in the church question the Bible’s validity. Why should we believe the Bible? Allow me to present, for your consideration, a few of my reasons for believing. It Is Completely Honest Consider the honesty of the things revealed in the scriptures.…
Read MoreThe Two Evils
by David Gibson Isn’t it sad? The way people seek after what proves counterproductive, totally illogical, and ultimately defeating. “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate,…
Read MoreThe Proper Explanation of John 3:16
by Carl O. Cooper The fact is, John 3:16, when taken in its proper context, teaches that salvation is by works of obedience when accompanied by proper faith. It’s true! This verse, read in its proper context, does not teach “saved by faith alone.“ In reality, the context of this verse teaches just the opposite.…
Read MoreDon’t Believe Everything
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dont-Believe-Everything.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreDeveloping Genuine Faith when You Grew Up in the Church
by Andy Dieselcamp via InLight Media Have you ever wondered if you just believe what you believe because it’s what you grew up with? This interview explores how those of us who grew up around Christianity can build genuine faith in ourselves and in our children. We deal with how to wrestle with questions, how…
Read MoreWhat If Atheists Are Right About the Beginning of the Universe?
by Perry Hall As to the beginning of our universe, I am aware of at least two atheistic positions. This becomes for atheists an either-or proposition: Either you believe that matter came from non-matter – that is, something came from nothing. Or, that matter has no beginning and is eternal, but not living matter -…
Read MoreThe Brothers of Jesus Did Not Believe
by Hugh DeLong This title is open to some misunderstanding – at the time that this interaction took place, they did not believe. We are not explicitly told why, but from the context, several things are possible. This one is recognized as a ‘first class’ conditional sentence which, from the speaker or writer’s point of…
Read MoreFaith to Walk on Water
by Clint Gann via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 1, 31 March 1992 Over 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is composed of water. One of the first things God did in the creation was to separate land and water (Genesis 1:9). After man was placed on earth, God often used water as a teaching tool.…
Read MoreAbraham’s Informed Faith
by Clay Gentry God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is arguably one of the most staggering tests of faith in the Bible. How could he trust God in the face of such a shocking demand? Abraham’s obedience was not an act of blind, desperate loyalty, but a calculated step of faith, fortified by a…
Read MoreHow do I know God is good?
Question: Hello there, I need help with many spiritual questions. I was baptized into Christ a few years ago and had been exploring the spiritual aspects of life for many years before that. While at times I have experienced fleeting moments of assurance, most of my Christian experience has involved negativity and anxiety. I believe the…
Read MoreChanges in the Storm
by Charles Box This lesson requires us to answer the question, “Exactly what is a miracle?” The term “Miracle” is used far too loosely and frequently in our society. “A miracle is a divine operation that transcends what is normally perceived as natural law; it cannot be explained upon any natural basis.” Some miracles involved…
Read MoreFaith and Evidence
by Shane Scott Several years ago, I decided I needed a hobby. I had many interests – basketball, fantasy baseball, and music – but I engaged in all of these pastimes with members of the church where I preached, or with fellow Christians in the area. I needed a hobby that would put me in…
Read More