Posts Tagged ‘government’
How do you submit to a corrupt government?
Question: Hello, I appreciate your Biblically sound responses. As I observe the turmoil our nation is experiencing right now my thoughts are continually on the following topics: submitting to government authority even though we may not like what is happening with all the corruption and dishonesty because God has established governments for a reason and…
Read MoreIs it right to have a board represent all the churches in a country?
Question: Hi Jeff, How do you keep the government from being involved in the affairs of the church in the United States? Over here in Nigeria, the government directed that all churches be registered with a name in other for them to monitor the number of churches in the country. Each church must have a…
Read MoreChristians Regardless
by Doy Moyer Christians ought to see themselves as living out the story of Jesus. Since He suffered, we should be willing to suffer. As He gave Himself for others, we ought to be willing to give ourselves for others. As He submitted, so ought we to submit. As He loved, so should we love.…
Read MoreAre You Ready for What God May Be Sending?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Are-You-Ready-for-What-God-May-Be-Sending.mp3 by Raymond Warfel There was mention of the President possibly having received treatment that involved fetal cells. This was checked after the sermon was presented and found to be not true, for which we are thankful. See Update: Here’s what is known about Trump’s COVID-19 treatment.
Read MoreHow will the current election affect Christianity?
Question: How does the U.S election affect Christianity? Too many Christians here say Trump’s victory is mandatory or else the New World Order will take over the world and their vaccines, for example, will be used to destroy man. Some say Trump’s declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel is fulfilling the scripture. Which scripture? That…
Read MoreVoting and the Lesser of Two Evils
by Frank Walton In politics, one will never find the perfect candidate among flawed humanity. So then, one will often vote for the least objectional candidate with whom they agree the most. Hence, when people vote for the least objectionable candidate, they say, “This choice is the lesser of two evils.” To which someone else…
Read MoreShould a Christian Vote?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Should-a-Christian-Vote.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 5:13-16 I. David Lipscomb was a famous preacher from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s A. He wasn’t an apostle. He wasn’t inspired. But he was a knowledgeable man, and his words carried a lot of weight. B. He taught that it was a sin for a Christian to vote…
Read MoreThe Danger of Assuming God Is on “Our” Side
by Doy Moyer If we believe that God rules in the kingdoms of men, we cannot stop believing it when things don’t go the way we think they should. We often assume God is on “our” side in a particular cultural, political, or even military conflict. If we believe in God, seek to follow His…
Read MoreCan singing be done silently?
Question: Dear brother Jeffrey, Here in Singapore, due to COVID-19, we have not been able to assemble for worship on Sunday since April this year, and members could log in through Zoom to worship “virtually”. The government has allowed worship for a maximum of 50 members per congregation since July but members must adhere to…
Read MoreIt’s Not Politics
by Irvin Himmel Moral statements and positions will, necessarily, impact political issues. This is not because morality is inherently political, but because the government has the task of recognizing the difference between good and evil, so moral issues will have to be dealt with (Rom 13:3-4). This means that, contrary to what is so often…
Read MoreIs it wrong to download software already purchased by another person?
Question: Hi minister, Is downloading a paid software without paying for it a sin? Note that no hacking or cracking is involved on the side of the downloader. It is a case of seeing it online and downloading (copying) it. The owner still has a copy. Is it good to buy a second-hand device with cracked…
Read MoreTo Affect Change
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/To-Affect-Change.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 2:13-17 I. Peter talked about our relationship to the government – I Peter 2:13-17 A. Submission to the government is an involuntary action. Most of us do not have opportunities to chose which government we wish to live under. Even with choice, we will always be under some…
Read MoreIs the first day of the week Monday in some countries?
Question: I am confused over the first day of the week. Why is Sunday is the first day of the week in America but it is Monday in the UK? Does that make Monday a day of worship there? Answer: The world has always had multiple calendars in use. The one used in the United…
Read MoreWhat to Do When the Country Is Falling Apart?
by Gardner Hall The prophet Habakkuk was overwhelmed with anxiety about two things: The injustice in his country (Habakkuk 1:1-4) and the resulting destruction at the hands of the Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:5-2:1). However, when the prophet turned to the Lord in prayer, his confidence grew to the point that he could rejoice in the…
Read MoreJust a Drop in a Bucket
by Doy Moyer I find it interesting that in the midst of a passage intended to provide comfort for God’s people, and in declaring God’s greatness, we find this (Isaiah 40:15, 17, 23): “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales…” “All the nations…
Read MoreBlack Lives Matter is no different than the Democrats or Republicans
Question: Hello Brother, First I like to start off by saying this website has been a tremendous help with my Christian walk. I am a member of the church, and I stumbled across this website roughly five years ago. I check your topics pretty much each week, and I agree with the majority of your…
Read MoreShould Christians apply for unemployment or look for another job?
Question: Dear Sir, Should a Christian apply for unemployment if they are laid off from a job or just look for another job? Answer: Why is this an either-or question? Unemployment is offered so that a person can pay their bills while looking for another job. The purpose of unemployment insurance “is not to guarantee particular…
Read MoreWhat if the church is told not to meet?
Question: If a law is passed that it is unlawful for the church to meet due to this coronavirus problem, would you obey it? Answer: We need to keep in mind that everything currently being discussed are temporary measures enacted in the hopes of keeping our healthcare system from being overloaded. We can’t stop the…
Read MoreGiving Respect
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Giving-Respect.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Malachi 1:6-14 I. The word translated as “respect” in our Bibles comes from an interesting Greek word, entrepo. A. The word has two, seemingly conflicting, definitions. 1. It can mean showing respect or honor – Hebrews 12:9 2. It can mean having shame – Titus 2:6-8 B. Even our English word “respect” as…
Read MoreCan a Christian serve as a military chaplain?
Question: I am really curious about your thoughts on one being a military chaplain. Can one morally make that decision? There is a lot of pluralism in the military. I’m wondering if you are aware of the conflicts of people in the past. Answer: I don’t know of the conflicts in being a chaplain in the…
Read MoreHave Times Changed?
by Austin Hausner “For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). When we talk with people about Christianity or anything Bible-related we find there are many objections to Christianity. Some of these objections are fairly common. We want to be able to provide a counter-argument to one of the…
Read MoreI have to wait until I get out of debt to get married
Question: Dear Minister, I have to wait four or five years before I can marry because of a strict financial government program to help me get out of debt. I have been engaged for a year now, and I have had intercourse since the day my fiance and I met. We are both Christians, but our…
Read MoreIs it OK to turn another Christian into the police for stealing from you?
Question: Is it right for an elder to detain a sister in a police station because she collected the elder’s ID card and two mobile phones? Answer: Christians are required by God to stop stealing (Ephesians 4:28) and not make a practice of it. Our interactions regarding Christians and what to do about their sin…
Read MoreCan a Christian use the court system?
Question: Is it right for a Christian to take another Christian or non-Christian to court? If yes, please, why? Thanks. Answer: “Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints…
Read MoreIs Socialism a Biblical Concept?
by Matthew W. Bassford Much to my surprise, for the first time that I can remember since the Cold War, there is a flurry of national interest in socialism. As someone who is a student of history, this concerns me. As someone who is politically unaligned, I’m not sure what to do about it. I…
Read MoreWhat do we do when the government is involved in our child rearing?
Question: What do we when outside government authorities are involved in our child raising? Answer: This becomes a difficult question to answer well because much depends on the reason the government has seen fit to interfere. The best that I can do is answer in general and hope that I have hit upon your…
Read MoreHow can a Christian serve God when the military rules are not conducive to serving God?
Question: My husband is a soldier in the military. Currently, he is on a 14-month deployment (technically, he’s overseas for 9 months and training during the other time). He is adamant about not reenlisting being that he has not been able to worship, nor will he be able to unless he finds fellow soldiers who…
Read MoreIs it a sin to marry without getting a license or having a witness?
Question: Is it a sin to marry without getting a license or having a witness? Can you marry someone in God’s eyes and a couple of years later, when I have the money saved up to actually have a wedding, and then get the license? My girlfriend and I don’t want to wait anymore, we…
Read MoreThe government won’t acknowledge we are married
Question: Good day, I have been trying to be recognized as my late spouse’s wife, as we had married each other, and promised to love each other “until death do us part,” but our plans to remarry under the law were interrupted after my husband became very ill. His family’s plan to stop us was…
Read MoreHow does “live as people who are free” fit with submission?
Question: I wanted some clarification on what Peter says in I Peter 2:16. What does Peter mean when he says “Live as people who are free”? The context throws me off a bit because he’s talking about being submissive to authority. Answer: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king…
Read MoreThe People of God — Their Attitude Toward the Social Order
by Ed Harrell Throughout history, in relating themselves to the world, the two options which Christians have most often pursued were to vigorously strive to control the world or to disdainfully withdraw from it. Some have dreamed that they would make their society “Christian,” necessarily defined in cultural and nationalistic terms, and have passed laws,…
Read MoreThe Christian’s Attitude Toward Government
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ChristiansAttitudeTowardsGovernment.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreWhat about Christian Reconstructionism?
Question: I am curious if “Christian Reconstructionism” is real and if so, a cult. Some people said that Christian Reconstructionism is the idea of some Christian trying to bring America back to its Christian roots, but they are trying to follow some Old Testament laws. In doing so, some of them will try to criminalize…
Read MoreDoes God hold us responsible when we pay taxes to a government that uses the money for sinful purposes, such as funding abortions?
Question: I live in a State where Medicare covers abortions. Since our taxes pay for Medicare, will God hold us responsible for this? We are told in the Bible to pay taxes, but as citizens, we don’t have control over how the money is spent. Thank you for your reply. Answer: “Let every soul be…
Read MoreWhat should Christians do about the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding gay marriage?
Question: The recent decision by the Supreme Court regarding gay marriage rights raises serious concerns; as Christians, we are to be peacemakers, kind, gentle, etc. Romans 12:9 says “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” If we don’t speak up against sin, who will? Politics puts a strain on the church (our…
Read MoreIf we get married in a church, does it mean we are not married until we get married again civilly?
Question: Hello, I’m from a different country than my boyfriend I will marry my boyfriend later this year. We are getting married with a fiance visa, but seems like the civil wedding has to be in his country first, so we are just going to get married in my country in a church wedding. Our…
Read MoreHow can a government execute the death penalty when we are told not to take vengeance?
Question: Hello Jeffrey, I have a question about the practice of capital punishment. I was having a discussion with my mom about the matter and we came to the understanding that capital punishment is not lawful in God’s eyes. What confused me was in verse 4. It says “he does not bear the sword in…
Read MoreI’m taking prescription medication without a prescription. Will this keep me out of heaven?
Question: I was baptized in a nondenominational Christian church at the age of ten. I fully believed and accepted the message of Jesus Christ and the cross. I backslid at fifteen, had a series of sexual perversions happen to me, and started to use drugs. I have been struggling with drugs ever since. My drugs…
Read MoreA housekeeper has been stealing from her employer. Should the matter be brought to the elders or the police?
Question: Good evening Brother Hamilton, I know that the use of the courts to settle disputes between the brethren is, at best, frowned upon during normal circumstances. However, for actual crimes, is it appropriate to press charges rather than using the eldership to confront the individual? I ask because an older family member of mine…
Read MoreMy girlfriend can’t get an ID, so we can’t get a marriage certificate. Should we get married without the government being involved?
Question: Hello, I am concerned about a marriage oath before God. My girlfriend’s birth certificate and social security card have two different last names due to her mother’s error 20 years ago. Everyone in the system gives her the runaround and we cannot get this fixed. Because of this, she cannot obtain an i.d.; therefore,…
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