Yearly Archives: 2010

Is It Necessary To Be a Member of a Local Church? (I)

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Is It Necessary To Be a Member of a Local Church? (I) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 4:33pm INQUIRY: I have a friend who has gone to college and has stopped meeting together with a church. Her argument has been that “you don’t need the church to have God,” and “you don’t need to ‘go to church’ to have God.” She still studies and reads on her own, but how can I explain to her that she needs to connect with the local body? She recently started going to a denominational Bible study, and so … Continue reading →

IS HOME COMMUNION NECESSARY?

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IS HOME COMMUNION NECESSARY? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 12:13pm INQUIRY: The question has been raised about the necessity of home communion. If Christian brothers and sisters cannot attend a regular Sunday service, is it essential that the Lord’s Supper be taken to them in their homes or in the hospital or wherever they may be? Is there some “sacramental” blessing bestowed in the taking of communion that they will miss if communion is not taken to them? ANSWER: This inquiry raises the question of WHY we take the Lord’s Supper in the first place. … Continue reading →

Does Col. 1:15 Say That Jesus Is a Created Being?

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Does Colossians 1:15 Say That Jesus Is a Created Being? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 3:10pm QUESTION: Do NT references to Jesus as “firstborn” (e.g., Colossians 1:15) and “begotten” (e.g., Heb. 5:5) imply that he is a created being? ANSWER: It is true that the human aspect of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus the human being, Jesus of Nazareth, had his beginning (came into existence for the first time) in the womb of Mary when the angel’s promise in Luke 1:35 was fulfilled. In that same moment the divine aspect of Jesus, namely, the second … Continue reading →

The “Not a New Convert” Rule for the Eldership

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The “Not a New Convert” Rule for the Eldership by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 8:57am QUERY: Paul left Titus in Crete to “appoint elders in every city as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). But where would he be able to find someone who was “not a new convert,” as 1 Tim. 3:6 requires? ANSWER: The history of the churches on the island of Crete, including Paul’s relationship with them, is largely a matter of speculation since there is no reference in the Book of Acts to the Apostle’s missionary work there. Acts 27 shows that … Continue reading →

Modalism: An Heretical View of the Trinity

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Modalism: An Heretical View of the Trinity by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 1:54pm QUERY: I have a question about modalism. I know the early church condemned it as a heresy, but is it serious enough to be a threat to one’s salvation? What is the Biblical evidence against it? REPLY: Traditional, orthodox Christian faith says Jesus Christ is not only equal with the Father; he is also distinct from the Father in that he is a separate, distinct person, i.e., a separate center of consciousness with his own distinct thoughts, emotions, and actions. This point … Continue reading →

What Is the Salvation Status of the Unevangelized?

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What Is the Salvation Status of the Unevangelized? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 2:54pm QUERY: Is there hope for those who have never heard the Gospel? ANSWER: Paul’s main point in the first section of Romans (1:18-3:20) is that no one can be saved by the law system, because everyone is a lawbreaker and stands condemned by the rules of that system. In 1:18-32 he applies this even to the Gentiles (those who have never been exposed to special revelation, and who thus know God only through the general revelation of nature and of the … Continue reading →

Who Is the “True God” in 1 John 5:20b?

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Who Is the “True God” in 1 John 5:20b? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 8:04pm QUESTION: I am trying to understand 1 John 5:20, which says (NASB), “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This [“houtos,” “this one”] is the true God and eternal life.” Specifically, can you tell me who the “houtos” is in the last sentence? Is John here identifying Jesus as … Continue reading →

What Does 1 John 1:9 Mean?

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What Does 1 John 1:9 Mean? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:40am QUERY: You have said that a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9 is a roadblock to a proper understanding of grace and a genuine sense of assurance. Please explain what 1 John 1:9 means. ANSWER: I have done this in my book, “Set Free! What the Bible Says About Grace” (pp. 314-316). The following is mostly from that source: A main roadblock to assurance is a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9. This familiar text reads, “If we confess our sins, He is … Continue reading →

The Ten Commandments of Grace

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The Ten Commandments of Grace by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 1:43pm This note is a follow-up on my earlier note, “Grace, Law, and the New Covenant.” In my teaching about grace I make it quite clear that I believe traditional Restoration Movement thought comes up quite short on this subject in many ways. Certain concepts that are deeply rooted in Restoration tradition are in fact significant barriers to a right understanding of grace. I have tried to sum them up very briefly in a list that I call “The Ten Commandments of Grace.” All of … Continue reading →

What About Capital Punishment?

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What About Capital Punishment? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 12:09pm QUESTION: Can you provide some information on capital punishment? ANSWER: I have a chapter on this subject in my book, “Tough Questions, Biblical Answers, Part Two” (first published by Standard Publishing, then College Press, now Wipf & Stock). Here I will summarize the relevant Biblical data. God established capital punishment in Genesis 9:6 when he set forth the principle, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.” That this refers to killing is … Continue reading →