Posts Tagged ‘faith’
Faith in . . . Faith?
by Lance Cordle Recently, I reached into a closet to get some trash bags. I was in a hurry, so I did not bother to turn on enough light to see the bags. I remembered that I had placed them on the top shelf of the closet, so I reached upward for them. To my…
Read MoreHe Had Faith to Be Healed
by William J. Stewart It is a common perception in the religious world that one must have adequate faith for one to be healed. This false idea has allowed many fake healers to save face when their hypnotic advantage over a would-be recipient has failed. And as sure as it has been a refuge for…
Read MoreFaith in the Unseen
by Jeff May via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 1, January 2015 Christians must have vision far greater than 20/20. They must, by faith, be able to see the unseen. Their faith must go where their eyes cannot. This is the grand message of Hebrews 11, which was written to backsliding Jewish Christians. They were tempted…
Read MoreThe Ingredients
by Terry Wane Benton The discussion of faith versus works could end if each side took the time to define the proper ingredients of saving faith. Let me illustrate. A Muslim has faith, even in Jesus as a prophet of God. Is he saved? No! He does not have the proper ingredients of faith. He…
Read MoreA Desperate Man
by Adam Litmer His son’s life is on the line, and he’s desperate. He’s heard about a great healer named Jesus. Packing up his son, he rushes off to find this man. He will beg Jesus to heal his son as he has reportedly healed so many others. When he arrives, he does not find…
Read MoreWhy don’t I feel faith?
Question: Hello, I have a question that I really have not been able to find answers to, and I do not dare to talk to anyone about it. Several years ago, I started going to a church because I was really convinced that God was sending me to do it. I had a lot of…
Read MoreRational Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton The faith we are to have in Jesus is based on testimonial evidence that has stood the test of time since it was first scrutinized in the first century. Each gospel writer (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) was quite aware of the scrutiny they were under when they wrote. John starts…
Read MoreTwo Essentials for Assurance
by Mark Nitz via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987 One of our greatest needs in serving God is a feeling of confidence regarding our present acceptance by God and future home in heaven. Unfortunately, this assurance is sadly lacking among many of God’s people. Extremes are taken in both directions (“once…
Read MoreWho Moved the Stones?
by David Gibson Only Matthew tells us that “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it” (Matthew 28:2 NASB). But when Jesus came to Lazarus’ tomb, He said, “Remove the stone” (John 11:39). It would have been easy for Jesus to move the stone…
Read MoreSo Certain in Faith
by Terry Wane Benton Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O…
Read MoreDoes everything you have faith in come true?
Question: Hi sir, I was just wondering if everything you have faith in comes true. The Bible says faith can move mountains. Is that always the case? What if the thing that I wanted to have happen wasn’t meant to happen, but I still had faith in it? Another question is: You know how when…
Read MoreYour Faith Has Made You Well
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Your-Faith-Has-Made-You-Well.mp3 Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 18:35-43 I. While looking at some of the miracles of Jesus in order to answer a question, I noticed something that I had not seen before A. If you look at the various miracles, you soon realize that faith on the part of the person being healed…
Read MoreMan after God’s Own Heart
by Terry Wane Benton God accomplished great things through David while his faith was steady and strong. One feature of the Bible is that it does not make a man look better than he actually is. With all of David’s victories and moments where his faith shined, inspiration demanded we learn about his weakness as…
Read MoreWas I truly born again?
Question: Hello, I had a question regarding baptism. I was baptized a few years ago when I was around 20 years old; however, I struggled with sexual immorality and lust with my girlfriend for a long time. Eventually, we got married. After this, I started to think baptism wasn’t necessary for the forgiveness of sins,…
Read MoreWhere Are We?
by David Gibson The people of His hometown did not respond positively. Jesus marveled at their unbelief (Mark 6:6). A Gentile centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant simply by speaking the word—without even coming to his house (Matthew 8:5-13). Jesus marveled at his great faith—greater than He had found in His own nation. In…
Read MoreWhat does the Bible say about wishful thinking?
Question: What does the Bible say about wishful thinking? Answer: Wishful thinking is the act of forming beliefs based on what is pleasing to the person instead of on evidence or reality. I might wish to believe there is no school tomorrow, but that doesn’t change the facts. The problem with wishful thinking is that…
Read MoreDo 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…
Read MoreRoles in Salvation
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/10/Roles-in-Salvation.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 I. There are many misleading claims in the denominations regarding salvation A. Most of the misconceptions come because people only look at some of the verses regarding salvation. B. They find verses which says we are saved by God’s grace and then trumpet that salvation is solely…
Read MoreTrust in God
by Zeke Flores The Bible’s story boils down to one simple truth: Trust God, and He will save you. Throughout the Bible story, whether it was Abraham upending his life at God’s command, the Israelites crossing a harsh desert, prophets proclaiming an unpopular message, or scared citizens facing a brutal invader, the message is the…
Read MoreThe 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,…
Read MoreThe Umbrella Nature of the Term “Faith”
by Terry Wane Benton One preacher (Stephen Whitsett) argued the following: “In the same way, it would be possible that Acts 2:38 is indeed communicating the fact that they were to be baptized “as the result of” or “because” they already had believed and in doing so had already received forgiveness of their sins (John…
Read MoreDo I have enough faith?
Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, I am writing to you because I have been researching OCD a lot, and I see that you address a lot of OCD-related issues. I know I have OCD, although I have never been formally diagnosed. I deal with unwanted thoughts, thoughts I feel like I want, urges, sensations, and feelings,…
Read MorePut Jesus on Trial
by Perry Hall When talking with atheists, I like to tell them to put Jesus on trial. How do we do this? Practical: Examine Jesus’s Teachings: What do you think of Jesus’s teachings? Are Jesus’s teachings indicative of a wise man, a conniver, or a lunatic? How do Jesus’s teachings compare to others? Is Jesus…
Read MoreAgrippa’s Statement and Common Beliefs
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Agrippas-Statement-and-Common-Beliefs.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreDoes God not give us an equal amount of faith?
Question: Thanks for the excellent website. I hope and pray that it will continue for many years to come. My question is regarding: “For by the grace given to me I bid every one among of not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each…
Read MoreCare for the Weak
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Care-for-the-Weak.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 12:9-21 I. Even a casual reading of the Gospels brings up an noticeable and odd fact, Jesus would heal and then charge the people to tell no one. A. Why? 1. First, Jesus did not need any advertisement. His presence was sufficient. 2. Second, Jesus did not want people following just…
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 MoreUnderstanding Bible Faith
Text: Hebrews 11 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Understanding-Bible-Faith.mp3 by Don Bunting One (or Two) Chapter Lessons
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 MoreDoes a Christian have to believe in a young earth?
Question: Good day!I hope you are well. I have a rather strange question. I do believe the Bible literally without question where it needs to be, but I’ve never really even thought of asking this question before, even though it seems to be an obvious question. The question is this: Does a Christian have to…
Read MoreCalling Attention to the Heart
by Doy Moyer One can work and not have faith, but one cannot have a living faith and not work. One can do for others and not have love, but one cannot love and not do for others. We may be prone to evaluating the outward works, the visible doing, “but the LORD looks on…
Read MoreSaving Faith Is Obedient Faith
by Dennis Abernathy Many passages could be cited to show that one must believe (have faith) to be saved. However, believing is more involved than the sole mental act. Ultimately, believing in the Lord is to do what He says, and refusing to obey His will is an expression of disbelief! The thought of “obedience” and “works”…
Read MoreWorks, Grace, and Faith
by Doy Moyer Works won’t save us, but failure to engage in them can condemn us. Likewise, being moral won’t save us, but being immoral will condemn us (I Corinthians 6:9-10). This is a consistent message throughout Scripture. Salvation is “by grace through faith,” and faith means that we will trust God and seek to…
Read MoreThe Shield
by Terry W. Benton In all the armor of God, there is a piece of protection called “the shield of faith” with which “you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:15). That is a powerful thing to have and use. Another way of saying that is, “nothing Satan tries to…
Read MoreLessons from a Leper
by Zack Lee Naaman was a very successful man. He was commander of the Syrian army, held in high esteem in the eyes of his king, a victorious general, and a mighty man of valor. However, he had leprosy. His story can be found in II Kings 5. Naaman heard through a young slave girl that…
Read MoreWhat Made Hezekiah Great?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/WhatMadeHezekiahGreat.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Kings 18:1-6 I. Our reading tells us that Hezekiah was a great king of Israel. A. There was no king like him before in Judah. II. The question, though, is what made Hezekiah great? A. It wasn’t his father, Ahaz 1. Ahaz was a wicked man – II Kings 16:2-4 2. Later we…
Read MoreJust an Ancient Book We Blindly Follow?
by Terry Wane Benton The “ancient book” is tested and tried testimony. It shows inherent proof of not being written to deceive, but to state a case to be examined carefully. It points out the serious flaws of the Jews, foretells them rejecting their coming Messiah (Isaiah 53:1ff; Acts 4:10-11; Psalms 118:22; Isaiah 28:16), His…
Read MoreWhy People Reject Christ
by Jefferson David Tant We live in a nation today that is becoming less and less “religious,” which includes an increasing number of those who reject Christ, as they may believe he is a myth, or if a real person, certainly not a divine being. Let us examine what may be behind what is happening…
Read MoreWhat 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…
Read MoreThe Extent of God’s Grace
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/The-Extent-of-Gods-Grace.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
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