Will sinners physically burn in hell?

Question: The Bible says after the judgment we who have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior will see eternal life, but those who did not will go and burn forever. I want to know what is that going to burn.  Is it the spirit or the flesh? Answer: I don’t know that I…

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Why is sin still our fault?

Question: Hello, I have something to ask that’s been a big question for me. I don’t understand things the way I ought to. All have sinned. Can you help me reconcile the fact that it’s impossible to never sin, but sin is still our fault? I know factually that God is not to blame, but…

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Misconceptions about Sin

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/MisconceptionsAboutSin.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 6:1-23   I.         A young man was trying to formulate arguments why he thought “once saved, always saved” was a biblical truth             A.        “Once a person is saved, however, and God writes his name in the book of life and gives him the Spirit, he won’t erase their name from…

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As an Ox Led to the Slaughter

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AsAnOxLedToTheSlaughter.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 7:6-23   I.         When we describe the character of a person, we will sometimes compare them to an animal who exhibits similar traits.             A.        Boy who just had an encounter with a mud puddle will be greeted at the door with “You’re as dirty as a pig!”             B.        You might be…

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Could you explain “continual cleansing?”

Question: Could you explain “continual cleansing?” Answer: Continual cleansing is the concept that Christians are Teflon-coated, so sins don’t stick them; instead, the blood of Christ continually cleanses them of all sins, even if they don’t ask for forgiveness. It is based on a misunderstanding of I John 1. “This is the message which we…

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Are all addictions sinful?

Question: Hi, I’m still confused about I Corinthians 6:12, where it says, “I will not be enslaved by anything.” To me, it sounds like all addictions are sinful. I know we talked about this, but I’m still confused. Answer: In I Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul gave a list of some sins that can keep a person…

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Can I be filled with the Spirit when I have a sinful past?

Question: Hi, good morning, I was looking for a particular topic online when I came across your page where you were giving advice about fornication, etc. However, I’m 21 years old, baptized at 11 years old, changed churches, and I’m now at my present church for several years now; anyways, I’ve been engaging in sexual…

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Is all sin premeditated?

Question: Is all sin premeditated? Answer: I was intrigued by your question. I am not sure what you exactly mean by premeditated and what boundaries to go by, but in the Bible, there are sins mentioned that people don’t realize what they are doing. There are also other sins where people just were not given…

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Justifying Sin

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/JustifyingSin.mp3 by Alan Feaster

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Worldliness

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Worldliness.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 2:1-10   I.         From the beginning, Christians have struggled with living in a world of sin without being a part of that world.             A.        Paul’s struggle – Romans 7:14-25             B.        Some would take Paul’s words and say that as long as I intend to please God, it doesn’t matter what I…

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Why do Christians think they can sin and not go to hell?

Question: Hi sir, I am Muslim, and I have some questions. Please do not ignore them. In Pakistan, where I was brought up, I had a lot of Christian friends. I use to visit their homes and I always felt comfortable with them. I have been to their churches and always stared at the beautiful…

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Does sin start in the heart or can we blame the influence of others?

Question: Based on Matthew 15:19 and James 1:13-15, does all sin begin in the hearts and minds of people? When thinking about a possible transgression, should we put our desires and motives under consideration? Should we blame any outside influence or are our sinful hearts the greater concern when it comes to sin? Answer: “For…

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Must we be condemned before the church for sins we have repented of?

Question: I am writing to seek for your advice on a situation I find myself in. I have been in a relationship for several months and shortly before we could inform our pastor of our planned wedding, we made a grievous error and fell into sexual sins. A child was conceived because of these sins.…

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Telling people they are sinning is ridiculous

Question: How can you tell people they are sinning when they engage in “fornication”? This is complete and utter ridiculousness. Let people do what they want without the guilt of having some mythical, non-existent, perverted, homophobic, misogynistic, megalomaniacal god controlling their lives. We are all just atoms in this complex universe; don’t pretend you have…

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Why would a new Christian quickly fall into sin?

Question: Good evening minister, I was saved when I was a teenager, about twenty years ago. Once I was saved, I found myself walking in darkness instead of the light. I started drinking, smoking, and doing drugs for many years. My life was a nightmare. The enemy could have killed me a long time ago,…

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Throwing Away the Key

by Dan Shipley via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 8, Feb. 24, 2008. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Sin is bad, but concealed sin is even worse. If deliberate sin is like…

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Will God punish me through my child because I sinned?

Question: Hi, I’m 20 years old and currently pregnant with my first child. Before I found out the gender, I would watch porn, even though I do have my boyfriend and he doesn’t know about that. When I found out that I’m having a boy, they also told me he has an abnormality that can…

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On the Relationship between Good and Evil

by Doy Moyer Evil implies good, but good does not necessarily imply evil. Some have the mistaken notion that good and evil must be necessary counterparts. That is, if there is good, then there must be evil. Some worldviews are founded on this principle, but it is not so. Good does not in itself imply…

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Treacherous Dealing

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/TreacherousDealing.mp3 by Alan Feaster

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Non-Participation in Sin Is Not Enough

by Edward O. Bragwell “And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Christians and local churches, when questioned about their silence concerning various popular sins, often defend and console themselves by answering, “But, I (or we) do not participate in such things.” That is all well…

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Can I be forgiven if I sin after I was baptized?

Question: I was baptized a few months ago, and I turned myself into the name of the Lord. Everything has been going well. I feel alive and well again. I’ve been talking to a very special girl (she is baptized as well). The other day I met up with her, and we ended up kissing,…

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There Is No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ThereIsNoFearOfGodBeforeTheirEyes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 3:10-18   I.         Most of us have been burnt one time or another.             A.        The memory of the sharp pain makes a lasting impression. As a result, we hold a healthy respect for fire and other hot things. The fear of what fire could do generates a respect for fire.…

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Labeled for Christ

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/LabeledForChrist.mp3 by Alan Feaster What are you labeled as? A label declares who a person is. Jesus was labeled, quite a few names (Revelation 19:13) “The Word of God” (Revelation 19:16) “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 1:5, 8) “faithful witness” “the firstborn of the dead” “I am the Alpha and the Omega”…

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Do we carry the labels of our past sins with us our whole lives?

Question: I am having a conversation with an Independent Baptist, who claims that even after conversion, if we lie or cheat or steal, we are a liar, a cheater, a thief and we carry that label until we enter heaven. She says only in heaven is there no sin. Even if we are forgiven by…

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How could someone become a mass murderer and not feel bad about it?

Question: Hello, I have a question regarding evil. Are people born evil or does life make them that way? I ask because I was reading this case of a serial killer in Ukraine who killed 52 people. How does someone become this twisted and not feel bad about it? I know it’s not right to…

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Was Achan punished because he did not confess his sin to Joshua?

Question: Can somebody be punished for not telling their leaders about the sin they have committed, like how Achan was punished for not telling Moses about his sin until God found him out? Answer: “But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of…

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How did sin spread if it was not inherent in men?

Question: Hello! I agree with your belief that the Bible does not speak of inheriting a “sin nature” from Adam. If you wrote your own version of the Bible, how would you translate Romans 5:12? Or, can you explain how death “spread” to all men, since it’s our own personal sin that brings death? How…

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Didn’t Jesus die for our sins?

Question: This is hard to wrap my mind around for some reason, but didn’t Jesus “die for our sins?” I thought that Jesus dying on the cross meant that all our sins were forgiven if we believe in him. Answer: It isn’t a hard concept, but I can see the difficulty when you grow up…

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Is it wrong to benefit from something that came about because of sin?

Question: I’ve written to you a few times and have used the website a lot. I have a different question I’d like to ask. How do you deal with things that aren’t sinful, when they resulted from sin? I know the Bible doesn’t say that, for instance, if a woman gives birth before she is…

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What is the difference between moral and immoral sins?

Question: What is the difference between a moral sin and an immoral sin? Also, what are the moral sins, and what are the immoral sins? Answer: “Sin” is breaking the law (I John 3:4). “Moral” refers to the standards of correct behavior. There are a few people who what to make a difference between what…

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How can I possibly warn everyone about all the sins they are doing?

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Currently, I am struggling with how to deal with other believers and their sins. Specifically, at my place of work, there are coworkers who claim to be Christian and others to be Catholic. While I understand that you should warn people of their sin, and if you do not warn them,…

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Jeremiah’s Belt

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/JeremiahsBelt.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Jeremiah 13:1-7 I.         The Bible is filled with interesting small stories             A.        One time God told Jeremiah to buy a linen belt to wear.             B.        Later he was told to put the linen belt in a rocky crevice near the Euphrates river             C.        Still later he was told to retrieve the belt, but…

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The Dreadful Disaster of Sin

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2016Summer4TheDreadfulDisasterOfSin.mp3 by Tommy Peeler God Has a Plan

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God Has a Plan

by Tommy Peeler Summer 2016 Trusting God The Glory and Grandeur of God Is Christianity Rules or a Relationship? The Dreadful Disaster of Sin The Death and Resurrection of Jesus How Did Christianity Survive? God, Satan, and Suffering “If Any Man Will Come After Me …”

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Can One Go Without Sinning?

by Bryan Garlock (edited) John wrote, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin …” Have you ever considered the phrase, “that you may not sin”? It is true that since the flesh is weak and temptations are many, we stumble and fall from time to time.…

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Do Not Love the World

by Dennis Stackhouse The fact that Christian people are to be different from those who do not follow Christ, is clearly stated for us in I John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all…

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If I Have to Sin

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IfIHaveToSin.mp3 by Raymond Warfel

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What is a secret sin?

Question: I recently heard about the phrase “secret sin.” But what actually is a secret sin? I searched all over and I could not find a clear answer. All I found talks about the consequences of it, but there’s no explanation of what it is. Please explain it to me. Answer: You are looking for…

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