Posts Tagged ‘sin’
Extremes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Extremes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 7:11-22 I. In March, 2000, Mona Charen wrote an article that appeared in the Omaha World Herald under the title “Nation With No Sin” A. In it she made the point that while the nation for the most part believes in God and believes religion is important, at the…
Read MoreSafe Sins
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Safe-Sins.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 6:9-11 I. The lengths people will go to justify their sins is sometimes amazing A. It is a rare person who will say that something they are doing is a sin and that it shouldn’t be done. B. More common is to dress up the sin so that at…
Read MoreWould the Israelites who died in the wilderness not enter Heaven?
Question: Jeffrey, When studying in Hebrews the other night, I was noticing the reference to Psalms 95. Where it states: “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me, they tried Me though they had seen my work. For forty years I…
Read MoreYou Must Rule Over It
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/You-Must-Rule-Over-It.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 4:1-12 I. Ask a person why they gave into a particular sin and the most common rely is: “I don’t know. I couldn’t help myself.” A. Losing control in the face of temptation has been around since the beginning. 1. God even warned Cain that he had to master his…
Read MoreHave We Forgotten Our Shame?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Have-We-Forgotten-Our-Shame.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 44 I. It is surprising the odd ideas people have about forgiveness A. Forgiveness is the dismissal of any debt or obligation to me 1. I cannot forgive someone’s sin. a. This is only something God can do, because our sins incur a penalty, which God – not you or I…
Read MoreSometimes the Best Thing to Do is Run!
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sometimes-the-Best-Thing-to-Do-Is-Run.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:1-15 I. Timothy was admonished to fight the good fight – I Timothy 6:12 A. We are in a battle for our lives, and we must have the courage to do battle – Ephesians 6:10-18 B. We cannot be passive against sin – James 4:7 C. But a person trained in…
Read MoreGod Wants Me to be Happy (Moyer)
by Doy Moyer This is one of the catchphrases we hear of what is sometimes called moralistic therapeutic deism. The idea is that 1) God wants us to be nice to others and 2) He wants us to be happy. For the most part, God is seen as deistic, not really getting involved in our…
Read MoreSin Synonyms
by Joan Rieber Sentry Magazine, December 1999 Sometimes reading the scripture in English is like eating diet food, you get volume, but the flavor and texture are lacking. Word studies in the original languages can supply what is missing. The Greek words for ‘sin’ are especially rich. I am not a scholar, so some of…
Read MoreCan you break a covenant with Satan and turn back to God?
Question: Hello sir, I have quite a few questions if that’s alright. Is it possible to make a covenant with Satan and break a covenant with God? Can you break the covenant with Satan and turn back to God? Does God ever lose hope in someone and cut them off completely? Does God love all…
Read MoreDavid – A Man After God’s Own Heart
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/David-A-Man-After-Gods-Own-Heart.mp3 by Ross Ward Text: I Samuel 13:14 The Story II Samuel 11:2-5 – sin with Bathsheba A time when Kings go to war Bathsheba was very beautiful David inquires about her David summons her Has a relationship with her A child is conceived Progression of sin Saw Dwelt on her Inquired about her Summoned…
Read MoreSins Against the Church
by Joe Shane Sentry Magazine, March 2000 Are there sins against the church? If so, what are those sins? Simply put, the answer to the first question is yes. The answer to the second is more complicated. Let us begin with a quote from a preacher who will remain nameless. (Since he will have no…
Read MoreGenealogy Women
by Whit Sasser The genealogy of Jesus Christ, recorded in chapter 1 of Matthew, is interesting and educational in more ways than one. But, one item of interest has to be the women who are mentioned. Generally, it is a list of the male ancestors of Jesus beginning with Abraham, but a few women are…
Read MorePurge Me with Hyssop
by Johnny O. Trail Most scholars believe David wrote the fifty-first Psalm after his transgression with Bathsheba. If this is the case, it is one of the most penitent Psalms in the Old Testament. From the passages recorded in Psalm fifty-one, it appears the writer was heartsick over his sins. Psalm 51:11-12 says, “Do not…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between sinning, stumbling in sin, and being a sinner?
Question: Hello Brother, Can you explain the difference between a person sinning, stumbling in sin, and being a sinner? How does God separate the three? I know that it’s all sin in God’s eyes. But is it just a stumble here and there of the same sin or multiple sins? Also, can you explain the…
Read MoreThe Convenience of Sin
by Mark Chatfield Sentry Magazine, June 2002 I was late for an appointment, driving in an unfamiliar part of North Carolina, and my PT Cruiser was beeping at me because it was low on gas. The exit sign said, “Gas 0.5 miles,” but I had already gone more than a mile down the obscure side…
Read MoreIf sin is breaking the law, can someone sin against me?
Question: Good day, I know that sin is breaking God’s law (I John 3:4) my question is, can someone sin against me? How am I to forgive someone? Answer: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day,…
Read MoreThoughts About True Freedom
by R.L. Whiteside (1869-1951) “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). People who long for freedom usually know little of what it is nor do…
Read MoreWhat did Demas love?
Question: I was doing some digging about Demas. Demas left Paul because he loved the world. We aren’t supposed to love the world. It’s never said if Demas ever got back in a right relationship with the Lord, but if he died in the state of loving the world, then he died lost. Upon further research,…
Read MoreWhat does “alien sinner” mean?
Question: I came across an article on your website by James Sasser comparing Romans 4 and James 2. In it, he uses the term “alien sinner” several times in reference to Abraham and Romans 4:4-5. Can you define this term for me? It is something I have not heard mentioned before. Thanks! Answer: Everyone sins (Romans 3:23).…
Read MorePride in Our Culture
by Garry Floyd “And the LORD said to me, ‘Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, “Hear the words of this covenant and do them. For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to…
Read MoreWorks of the Flesh: “Things Like These”
by Ethan R. Longhenry Having warned them regarding the danger of apostasy in committing themselves to the Law of Moses (cf. Galatians 1:1-5:16), the Apostle Paul reminded the Galatian Christians regarding the conflict between the desires of the flesh and the ways of God in the Spirit and exhorted the Galatian Christians to manifest the…
Read MoreWill there truly be no more sickness?
Question: Hi minister, Please I would like to ask about Isaiah 33:24. Is it truly saying that there will be sickness no more as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim? Answer: Both the nations of Israel and Judah have become involved in rampant sin. They had gotten complacent (Isaiah 32:9-11). They were treacherous and destructive (Isaiah 33:1).…
Read MoreSome Thoughts on God’s Wrath
by Doy Moyer One way in which God’s wrath is spoken of in Scripture is that God sometimes removes His protection and allows people to feel the consequences of the sins to which they have given themselves. Rather than intervene, He lets the “reap what you sow” principle work. Sometimes God’s wrath is carried out…
Read MoreWhy am I not concerned about my sins?
Question: I have been living in sin for quite a while now and I been noticing something different happening to me. I used to be so in love with God. Now my heart has been getting gradually increasingly hard and I barely can keep my eyes glued to the Bible. The only prayer I would…
Read MoreHow do I clean up my life before Jesus returns?
Question: Hello. I was hoping to receive some help and answers. With the shape the world is in, I can’t help but foresee Jesus coming soon. Frankly, I just read Matthew 24:1-31 and can’t help but feel fear. I struggle with a lot of things that I can’t seem to break. How do I turn…
Read MoreDid Jesus die to remove God’s wrath against sin?
Question: Good day, Is there Scripture that says God’s wrath was removed for sin after Jesus died on the cross? Answer: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from…
Read MoreWas fornication not a sin under the Old Testament?
Question: Since the Old Testament had no shedding of blood for fornication, could it be considered a sin under the Old Testament? Answer: There were numerous types of offerings given to God depending on the circumstances. A sin-offering was given when the person’s sin did not have restitution included in the punishment. “Now if a…
Read MoreSo there is not a sin gene?
Question: Dear Jeffrey, Can you, if you get the chance, please confirm my understanding from one of your sermons Infant Baptism? This is the first time ever, I’ve heard the thought we didn’t inherit sin, and I’m staggered by that. So there is no sin DNA? We don’t sin because we are from Adam and inherited…
Read MoreIs it alright to gamble just one time?
Question: My wife wants to play a slot machine for about 15 minutes. She wants to give any money she might win to those in our community who are needy. This does not affect our regular contributions. This will be a one time occasion. I am personally not comfortable with her doing this but she…
Read MoreIf Your Right Hand Causes You to Sin
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus talked about “causing” ourselves or others to sin, and in making His point cut deep, He showed that retaining sin is far more serious than cutting off a hand or plucking out an eye (Matthew 5:27-30). You can go to heaven without a hand or an eye, but you cannot…
Read MoreMake Me Know My End
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Make-Me-Know-My-End.mp3 Text: Psalms 39 I. Psalms 38-40 cover related themes regarding the problems caused by sin A. God has punished David because of his sin – Psalms 38:1-2 B. Between God’s punishment and the burden of the sin itself, David feels overwhelmed – Psalms 38:3-8 C. Even close friends and family avoid you when you are suffering because…
Read MoreThe Message of the Cross
I. I Corinthians 1:18-24 A. The core of salvation is the fact that Jesus died for our sins. B. The center of our hope is the knowledge that Jesus arose triumphant over death. C. Yet many are unable to understand this message. 1. The Jews wanted something else. They wanted further proof from God. 2. The Greeks thought it was silly.…
Read MoreHow do I handle an out-of-control nephew?
Question: I have a family problem I would like advice on. Several years ago, my nephew forged my mother’s name as a co-signer on some student loan documents. Throughout the years he paid very sporadically. Meanwhile, he married and had a family. He had trouble staying employed. Throughout the years my elderly mother has had…
Read MoreIs it a sin not to point out another person’s sin?
Question: I’m 17 years old and the only biblical-based Christian in my family at the moment. Hopefully, that will change soon. I know the Bible says that we must warn people of their wickedness or their blood will be on our hands ( Ezekiel 3:18-19). But must we point out obvious sin to a family…
Read MoreHow can anyone be saved if he keeps on sinning?
Question: I read messages on your website about a man saying he wanted to be saved but kept falling into sin. How can anybody be saved if a person keeps on sinning? Answer: They can’t while they remain in sin, but no one needs to continue to sin. “My little children, I am writing these…
Read MoreSoldiers of Christ Arise and Put Your Armor On
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Soldiers-of-Christ-Arise-and-Put-Your-Armor-On.mp3 by Wayne Fancher Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,…
Read MoreSpiritual Collateral Damage and Blessings
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Spiritual-Collateral-Damage-and-Blessings.mp3 by Wayne Fancher Spiritual Collateral Damage Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.” Collateral Damage – Is a general term for deaths, injuries, or other damage on an unintended target. I. Those Closest To You Get Hurt First By Spiritual Collateral Damage Exodus 20:5 you shall…
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 MoreThe Parable of the Prodigal Son
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Parable-of-the-Prodigal-Son.mp3 by Wayne Fancher I. The Prodigal Son Leaving Was His Fault Alone Luke 15:20-21 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to…
Read MoreWhat are the consequences of breaking a vow?
Question: I made a vow to the Lord that I should die a painful death any day I do a certain thing. I have the urge to break the vow. What are the consequences of breaking such a vow? Will I be forgiven for breaking the vow? After seeking for forgiveness if the vow is…
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