Monthly Archives: December 2009

What Is the Best Time for Baptism?

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What Is the Best Time for Baptism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 8:54am A RECENT QUESTION: We have had a number of baptisms lately during the week, i.e., not on Sunday. We keep our water warm and tell people we can do baptisms any time, when they have come to that decision, and will arrange for someone to be baptized on, say, Wednesday at 10 A.M. Of course, Sunday baptisms are always welcomed and encouraged, and we’ve had a number of those too. But my question is, is there a Scriptural reason to prefer having … Continue reading →

Was It Possible for Jesus To Sin?

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Was It Possible for Jesus To Sin? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 2:53pm THE QUESTION IS OFTEN ASKED, could Jesus have sinned? We know that in fact he DID not sin (John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5; Heb. 4:15), and we know that he was TEMPTED to sin (Heb. 2:18; 4:15). But was it actually possible for him to sin? (I have addressed this question briefly in my book, “The Faith Once for All,” pp. 228-229. I am reproducing that discussion below.) MY REPLY: A question that often arises concerning Jesus’ sinlessness is … Continue reading →

Two Questions about Free Will

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Two Questions about Free Will by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 2:22pm TWO RELATED QUESTIONS: One reader has asked whether those who are saved still have free will in heaven. Another has asked a related question: how could Jesus be fully human and not be able to choose to sin? (This latter question assumes that Jesus could not sin, a view that I espouse.) MY REPLY: The common assumption of these two questions is that a certain kind of free will is part of the essence of humanness. The free will assumed here is the ability … Continue reading →

Sunday: The Church’s Special Day

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Sunday: The Church’s Special Day by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 8:41pm SOMEONE HAS ASKED, “How do we get Sunday as a holy day?” I.e., why do we keep Sunday as the church’s special day, rather than Saturday? And why should the church gather for corporate worship on Sunday, rather than on Friday or Saturday? Is there something special about Sunday? MY ANSWER: Sunday is indeed the church’s special day, and has been so since Jesus arose from the dead. This is so because world history is divided into two main epochs, the dividing point being … Continue reading →

My Book about the Ten Commandments

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My Book about the Ten Commandments by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 5:23pm So far in my lifetime God has enabled me to write 20 books (“Set Free! What the Bible Says About Grace” being the last one). My first book was a small one (95 pp.), published by Standard Publishing in 1973, on the subject of the Ten Commandments. Its title was “His Way.” It is no longer in print in English, though it is published in the Polish and Spanish languages. About two years ago (Jan. 2008), on the occasion of a reprint edition … Continue reading →

Tips for Preparing Lord’s Supper Meditations

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Tips for Preparing Lord’s Supper Meditations by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 4:55pm QUERY: Can you give some suggestions on how to prepare meditations for the Lord’s Supper? I hear many meditations that somehow do not seem to relate to the subject at hand. MY REPLY: It is important that the meditation have just ONE MAIN IDEA, and that this idea be related in some way to the CROSS or DEATH of Christ. It is also important that the meditation be brief (usually no more than four or five minutes). In preparing meditations, we must remember … Continue reading →

Thoughts on Judas’ Field

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Thoughts on Judas’ Field by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 4:01pm AN INQUIRER HAS ASKED about the field purchased with Judas’ thirty pieces of silver, and how to harmonize the data about it in Matthew 27:3-10 and Acts 1:18-19. The following is my reply. In Matthew, Judas tries to return the 30 pieces of silver which he was paid for betraying Jesus, but the priests (hypocritically) refused it. Judas threw the money into the sanctuary, and went and hanged himself (no details are given). The priests gathered up the money, which technically still belonged to Judas … Continue reading →

Is Multiculturalism Wrong?

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Is Multiculturalism Wrong? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 1:39pm A RECENT INQUIRY: I was surprised to see you include multiculturalism in the category of (possible) wicked precursors to the second coming of Jesus in your book, “The Faith Once for All,” p. 534. One of my professors teaches that multiculturalism is a matter of social justice and human dignity, as in the case of the civil rights movement. This sounds like a good thing. Why do you associate it with wickedness? MY REPLY: This question refers to my discussion of the “the nature of the … Continue reading →

Is It Wrong To Eat Blood (Acts 15:29)?

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Is It Wrong To Eat Blood (Acts 15:29)? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 1:54pm A RECENT QUESTION: Does Acts 15:28-29 forbid the eating of blood? In our culture cooked blood is one of our dishes and is very popular. What is the point here? REPLY: Acts 15:28-29 is part of the letter sent out to Gentile Christians by the Jerusalem council, for the purpose of reducing conflict between Gentile Christians and Christians from the Jewish background. These verses read, “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you … Continue reading →

HOW Should One Study the Bible?

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HOW Should One Study the Bible? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, December 11, 2009 at 4:31pm A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: How can a Christian who has no formal training in Bible backgrounds and Bible languages get the most out of studying the Bible? An earlier note addressed the question of WHY study the Bible; now the question is, what are some practical suggestions on HOW to study the Bible? MY REPLY: We acknowledge that Bible study is not necessarily easy; that’s why it is called a “spiritual DISCIPLINE.” It takes discipline and effort to pursue it. Here are some suggestions … Continue reading →