Monthly Archives: September 2010

Is Everything “the Will of God”?

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Is Everything “the Will of God”? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 7:05pm QUESTION: Our pastor says that everything is God’s will. Is this true? How can we understand “God’s will”? ANSWER: To know what your “pastor” means when he says that “everything is God’s will,” I would have to know if he is a Calvinist or not. Let me explain. The NT words for “will,” as used in the context of “God’s will,” can mean one of three things: desire, purpose, or permission. In view of this variety of connotations, it is indeed correct to … Continue reading →

Describing God

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Describing God by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 2:09pm QUESTION: How would you describe God? ANSWER: I appreciate the questioner’s wanting me to “describe God,” but I must confess that a thorough answer to this question requires an answer that would be much too large for a brief piece like this. In the early 1980s I set out to answer this question by writing a book on “What the Bible Says About God.” Before I finished, I had three large volumes totaling 1,500 pages. Originally published by College Press, they are still available from Wipf and … Continue reading →

Divorce and 1 Corinthians 7:15

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Divorce and 1 Corinthians 7:15 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 8:12pm QUESTION: I have some questions about the meaning and application of 1 Cor. 7:15, which says, “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace” (NKJV). First question: If the unbeliever leaves, and the believer is not bound, does that give the believer the freedom to secure a divorce and then marry a committed Christian? Second question: A Christian is married to a person who begins … Continue reading →

The Medium of Endor (1 Samuel 28)

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The Medium of Endor (1 Samuel 28) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 12:08pm QUESTION: What’s the deal with King Saul’s visit to the spiritist at Endor, recorded in 1 Samuel 28:3-25? Did not God forbid all association with diviners, witches, and spiritists (mediums)? Why did He allow this incident? ANSWER: You are correct to say that God has forbidden consulting with anyone claiming occult knowledge, occult power, or contact with the dead (Deut. 18:9-14 and many other places). This prohibition is still in force (e.g., sorcery is condemned as a work of the flesh, Gal. … Continue reading →

Baptism and Original Sin

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Baptism and Original Sin by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, September 3, 2010 at 2:29pm QUESTION: How does baptism relate to original sin? ANSWER: To answer this question we must first begin with the fact that the NT teaches that baptism is a salvation event. I.e., it teaches that baptism is the point of time when God bestows the double cure for the problem of sin. In that moment God takes away the GUILT of sin by uniting us with Jesus Christ’s atoning death. This is called “baptism for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38). Also in that moment God … Continue reading →