Posts Tagged ‘love’
Going Before and Following After
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Going-Before-and-Following-After.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 5:21-25 I. The phrase “lay hands upon” in I Timothy 5:22 deals giving your blessing to another person A. Such as when Jacob blessed his grandchildren – Genesis 48:14 B. Such as when someone is appointed to a duty – Acts 6:6; 13:2-3 C. It can also be a sign…
Read MoreConsider the Lord’s Loving Kindness
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Consider-the-Lords-Loving-Kindness.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 107 I. Whatever our life, we need to acknowledge God loving kindness toward us – Psalms 107:1-3 A. Many talk of Psalms 107 as a song of God redeeming the nation of Israel from Babylonian captivity. 1. But this isn’t about a nation. It is about groups or categories of…
Read MoreUnconditional Love
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/Unconditional-Love.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 136:1-26 I. I was reading a book that began to speak of the love of God. A. As many denominational writers do, he referred to the unconditional love of God. B. By this, he and others believe that God loves all people, no matter how they behave. 1. Often a parallel…
Read MoreLove and Respect
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Love-and-Respect.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 5:25-33 I. There are some topics that are joined such that you cannot have one without the other. A. Faith and obedience are two sides the same subject. 1. You can’t really have faith without obedience – James 2:14-18 2. And you can’t really have obedience without faith – Romans 4:2-5…
Read MoreUnconditional Love?
by Terry Benton in Answering Religious Error, April 15, 2015 That God’s love is “unconditional” means one thing to one person and a different thing to someone else. The Bible does not use the expression “unconditional love” but does imply it. God “so loved” the world (John 3:16). That would mean that love is what…
Read MoreOld Tricks From Satan’s Playbook
by Austin Hausner “Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new’? It has been already in the ages before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:10). Solomon reminds us that there is nothing new. This is important to remember because many things that people say are new are actually the same old tricks repackaged…
Read MoreLove and Repentance
by Terry Wane Benton It is common these days to hear people use scriptures that say that God “loves” everyone and commands us to love everyone. But they use this to mean that God “accepts” everyone regardless of their sin and attitude toward sin. They often call this “unconditional love.” Often we are told that…
Read MoreMaintaining the Same Love
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Maintaining-the-Same-Love.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreIdentifying a New Testament Church
by Steve Dewhirst Sentry Magazine, December 2002 Traditionally, we gospel preachers have spoken of “identifying the New Testament church” in an effort to distinguish it from the sects roundabout. But in so doing, we have sometimes obscured the true nature of the body of Christ. We begin to preach about the church Jesus said He…
Read MoreWhat Happened to Our Love?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/What-Happened-to-Our-Love.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreGod’s Mornin’
by Whit Sasser Cameron S. Smith tells a wonderful story. It is about the only white person in the state of Georgia buried in a cemetery reserved exclusively for African-Americans. This man had lost his mother when he was just a baby. His father, who never married again, hired a black woman named Mandy to…
Read MoreIs it wrong to pray the Psalms?
Question: I have an urgent question that is generating heat in my congregation. This heat is created by my wife. She prays the Psalms, and I personally do not agree with her on this. But she insists that it is the word of God. I don’t agree because we are New Testament worshipers and the…
Read MoreDoctrinal Matters
by Doy Moyer When we think of “doctrinal” issues, we tend to think of matters like marriage and divorce, the work of the church, baptism, etc. We work hard to try to get these right, and there are often sharp disagreements over the nature of these “doctrinal” matters. “Doctrine” means teaching, and anything we teach…
Read MoreA Worker for the Lord
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A-Worker-for-the-Lord.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 10:16-25 I. God has not promised His children a life of ease. A. Christ warned his disciples that if men are willing to call him “Beelzebub” then we shouldn’t be surprised when they turn against us. B. Christianity is not easy because of the rejection we must face. It is…
Read MoreGod Who Makes the Broken Beautiful
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/God-Who-Makes-the-Broken-Beautiful.mp3 by Wayne Fancher I. The Earth from Without Form and Void to Beautiful Genesis 1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made,…
Read MoreLove in the Time of an Epidemic
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton A friend of mine recently posted a passage written by Eusebius, an early historian of the church, which I wish to share with you. At the peak of the Cyprian Plague, which ran from about A.D. 249 to 262, there were as many as 5,000 deaths per day throughout the Roman…
Read MoreI accidentally fell in love with a married man
Question: Hello, I just want to ask for some advice because I am struggling right now. I am a woman who is single. And I met a married man. We accidentally fell in love with each other. I tried everything to avoid him because I know he is married. But even as hard as I…
Read MoreTeaching Love
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Teaching-Love.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 13:11-14 I. I received a complaint several years ago. After reading an article on why sex outside of marriage is sin, the reader complained, “I wish you guys would pay more attention to the golden rule, ‘love thy neighbor,’ than all the homophobic and ‘sex is sin’ stuff.”…
Read MoreFor God so Loved the World
by Matthew W. Bassford John 3:16 is surely the most well-known verse in the Bible, with even Matthew 7:1 running a close second. Most Christians are aware that the world’s understanding of the latter is dramatically off-base, but I think that even when it comes to the former, we miss the point a little bit.…
Read MoreLoving Enemies
by Doy Moyer The world can see whether or not we love one another (John 13:34-35). The world can see whether or not we are committed to unity (John 17:20-21). The world can also see whether or not we love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). Photo by Chang Duong on Unsplash Loving enemies is one of…
Read MoreLove Is …
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Love-Is.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 13:1-8 I. Many passages are used for needlepoint samplers. A popular choice is I Corinthians 13:1-8 A. Have you considered the meaning of the many phrases? B. We often associate this passage with weddings, but Paul was writing about what love between brethren is like C. However, it can be applied to…
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 MoreWhat Is This Thing Called Love?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/What-Is-this-Thing-Called-Love.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Song of Solomon 8:6-7 I. We use the word “love” freely today. Perhaps too freely. A. I love to have another piece of cake. B. Mama loves her baby. C. He fell in love with her at first sight. D. He loved her through fifty yeas of marriage. E. I love my country. II. The…
Read MoreHow Do You Show Love?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/How-Do-You-Show-Love.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Corinthians 5:6-21 I. It seems that today, showing another person love means never telling them they are wrong or criticizing them any way A. People claim to be offended if other person disagrees with them or points out a flaw in their behavior 1. Islamaphob! Homophob! Etc. 2. To take a…
Read MoreHow Could a Loving God Send Me to Hell?
by Tanner Campbell The very thought of Hell is terrifying. Such a thought is an intense provoker for many to repent of their sins and revere the word of the Lord. However, others think little of Hell. For example, you may have heard someone say something like “how could a loving, kind, and merciful God…
Read MoreIf I obey God even though I don’t want to, is that proof that I love God?
Question: Good day, When I do something because it’s a commandment from God, and even if I don’t want to, is that not proof that I love God? So there are things I don’t like to do but because I love God I do it anyway. And on the other hand, there are things difficult…
Read MoreBrotherly Love
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Brotherly-Love.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreRedeemed by a Loving God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Redeemed-by-a-Loving-God.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreUsing Love as an Excuse
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/UsingLoveAsAnExcuse.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 13:4-7 I. Love is a wonderful attitude A. God is love and we should imitate our Father – I John 4:16 B. But people pervert what love ought to be and use a claim of “love” as a cover for permitting sin II. Love as an excuse to do wrong…
Read MoreThese Are Our Times
by Doy Moyer Abusive. Heartless. Brutal. Slanderous. Reckless (read II Timothy 3:1-5). These are our times. These are times in which people will brutally kill a child in the womb, then slander and curse those who would oppose it. These are times in which people will be reckless in behavior, crude toward those who differ,…
Read MoreYou Can Be Loved But Not Yet Accepted
by Terry Wane Benton God loves the lost and seeks to save them. They are not saved and accepted just because God loves them. Love longs for reconciliation, but just because God loves us it does not mean we are reconciled to God. God demonstrated His love by giving His only Son for us (John…
Read MoreFor Those Who Love God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ForThoseWhoLoveGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 8:28-30 I. Jesus said that the greatest command is to love God – Matthew 22:37-38 A. It is the greatest command because it is the foundation for all other commands 1. It opposes all idolatry, the complete rejection of God (atheism), and sins directly against God 2. But it also demands…
Read MoreWhen God Washed Men’s Feet
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WhenGodWashedMensFeet.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 13:1-17 I. Jesus’ mission was drawing to a conclusion A. It was the night that Jesus would be betrayed B. Judas had already made a deal with the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus C. Jesus had gathered with his disciples to eat one last Passover meal and to give them final instructions…
Read MoreChurch Issues and Love
by Edward O. Bragwell Throughout church history, divisive issues have arisen among Christians, even to this present day. While this should concern us, it should not cause excessive alarm. They are to be expected. After all, the apostle Paul wrote in the First Century: “For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church,…
Read MoreWhat does the Bible teach about soul mates?
Question: Good evening, I’m trying to understand what the Bible teaches on the matter of “soul mates.” Could you offer some guidance? A coworker of mine asked me today if I believe in soul mates. She’s been married before and divorced for what I understand are unscriptural reasons. She is now dating a man she…
Read MoreIs It Love or Lust?
by Robert H. Farish Gospel Guardian – October 19, 1967 The English word “love” is one of the most used and worst abused words in the language. For many people, love is identified with lust. People who do have not the remotest idea of what love is according to God are heard speaking enthusiastically of…
Read MorePerfected in Unity
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/PerfectedInUnity.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 17:13-26 I. In Jesus’ final prayer to the Father before his arrest, Jesus expressed his desire that his followers be united, just as he and the Father were one – John 17:22-23 A. That “one” is not numerical, but a unity in purpose and action. II. Through this unity we…
Read MoreTo me, love proves there is free will
Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Thank you for your lessons in reference to the determinist or Calvinist’s point of view vs. the view of choice or free will: There Is No Partiality With God The Role of Obedience in Salvation Is Our Fate Predetermined? If one takes the Calvinist’s view that only the elect are called…
Read MoreWhat Is the Hardest Command?
by Jefferson David Tant From time to time, we see articles written about love. We remember a lawyer asking Jesus a question, “trying him: Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and…
Read MoreI’m perplexed. We agreed not to have sex before marriage, but he keeps pushing
Question: Good evening, I first would like to say ‘thank you’ and God bless you for all the questions you have been answering. I have been on your websites and reading many of the answers, and all of them are answered using the Bible. Thank you for being truthful, blunt, and just outright saying what…
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