Author Archives: Jack Cottrell

Did the Early Christian Fathers Teach Calvinism?

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Did the Early Christian Fathers Teach Calvinism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 1:57pm QUESTION: Some say that the doctrines of Calvinism did not begin with John Calvin, nor even with Augustine (died A.D. 430). Rather, they claim that the TULIP doctrines are present throughout the writings of the church fathers from the beginning. One Calvinist who says this is Michael Horton, in an appendix to his book, Putting Amazing Back into Grace (Baker, 2002). What do you say about this? ANSWER: I have read a large portion (not all) of the pre-Nicene, Nicene, and post-Nicene … Continue reading →

Every Aspect of Human Nature Is Created

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Every Aspect of Human Nature Is Created by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 12:08pm After preparing my note on “Eternal Hell, Immortal Soul: How Are They Related?” I was motivated to prepare the following note on the fact that human beings are created beings in every aspect of their nature. This material is taken from my book, The Faith Once for All, chapter 6, “The Nature of Man.”` It is very important to understand that a human being is wholly a creature; both body and spirit have been created by God. The doctrine of ex nihilo … Continue reading →

Eternal Hell and “Immortal” Soul: How Are They Related?

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Eternal Hell and “Immortal” Soul: How Are They Related? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:23am QUESTION: Do you know Edward Fudge’s book, The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment, now in its third edition (Cascade Books, 2011, 420 pp.; first ed., 1982)? What do you think of it? ANSWER: Yes, but I confess that I read this book only in its first edition (1982). Like another Restoration Movement author, Russell Boatman, in his book Beyond Death: What the Bible Says about the Hereafter (author, 1980), Fudge denies … Continue reading →

Once Saved, Always Saved — AGAIN! and AGAIN! and AGAIN!

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Once Saved, Always Saved — AGAIN! and AGAIN! and AGAIN! by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 9:47am The fifth point of the “five points of Calvinism”— the P in TULIP— is the Perseverance (or Preservation) of the saints, more commonly known as “once saved, always saved” (“OSAS”). This doctrine originated with Augustine (died A.D. 430) and is currently believed by millions of both Calvinists and non-Calvinists. On the other hand, those who reject OSAS as a false doctrine call attention to many Biblical texts that seem to teach or imply that believers can lose their faith … Continue reading →

THE PARADOX OF PRAYER

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THE PARADOX OF PRAYER by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, June 13, 2011 at 1:17pm THE PARADOX OF PRAYER:  JAMES 5:13-18  (A SERMON PREACHED 5/29/11)   THE PARADOX:  If God can do whatever He chooses, and if He really loves us, why doesn’t He answer all of our prayers?  Here I will comment on James 5:13-18, and will use this text to help resolve the paradox of prayer.   PART ONE:  COMMENTS ON THE TEXT.   Verse13 – “Suffering” means any time things are going bad for you in any way. “Cheerful” means any time things are looking good for … Continue reading →

WHEN DID CALVINISM BEGIN?

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WHEN DID CALVINISM BEGIN? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 8:59am QUESTION: I have a question about the historical nature of Calvinism. One of my points with my Calvinist friends has been that you really don’t see the doctrines of T-U-L-I-P until Augustine. To me that is compelling stuff. If Paul meant total depravity and all that the way Calvinists believe it, then you would think you would find that in the early church fathers. Do you find that argument compelling? I recently read a blog that basically said the ideas of Calvinism are all throughout … Continue reading →

IMPUTED VS. IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

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IMPUTED VS. IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, June 3, 2011 at 10:05am QUESTION: Can you explain “imparted righteousness”? ANSWER: The real issue here is the distinction between imparted and imputed righteousness, and their relation to salvation, especially as this relates to the definition of justification. This is important because the Bible pictures sinners as being saved by “the righteousness of God” (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-22; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9). I.e., God saves us by transferring his own righteousness to us in some way—by imparting it, or imputing it, or both. What is “righteousness” as such? Most fundamentally, … Continue reading →

GRACE IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

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GRACE IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 3:40pm QUESTION: Did Adam and Eve, in spite of disobeying the divine law, enter heaven? ANSWER: Let’s take this question a step at a time. First, what heaven are we talking about here? There are at least four kinds mentioned in the Bible. One is the “heavens above,” into which astronauts have entered; but this is probably not the one the inquirer means. Another is the divine heaven, equivalent to the very transcendent essence of God; but no one can enter this “unapproachable light” (1 … Continue reading →

THE “PIOUS UNIMMERSED”

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THE “PIOUS UNIMMERSED” by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 12:23pm QUESTION:  What is the salvation status of the “Pious Unimmersed”?   ANSWER:  The question of the salvation status of the pious unimmersed has been a mind-boggling and heart-wrenching issue in the Restoration Movement since its beginning.  The reason this question arose was that most of Protestantism since the days of the Reformation had abandoned the Biblical view of baptism as a salvation event and had adopted Huldreich Zwingli’s newly-minted concept of baptism as a visible sign of a salvation status already received.  The early Restoration leaders, … Continue reading →

CHURCH UNITY: WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST?

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CHURCH UNITY: WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 12:21pm QUESTION: What can we say about the unity of the church as a whole? Can we call Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Roman Catholics, etc., our brothers and sisters in Christ? ANSWER: Everyone who is presently in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ is my brother or sister in Christ. Everyone who has obeyed the gospel has entered into this saving relationship with Christ and is thus my brother or sister in Christ. Obedience to the gospel consists of FAITH (believing … Continue reading →