Category Archives: General

The Father’s Sacrifice: A Communion Meditation

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THE FATHER’S SACRIFICE — A COMMUNION MEDITATION BY JACK COTTRELL In the late 1970s, my family and I visited with the missionary family of Samuel Gonzalez in Merida, Mexico. This is located in the Yucatan Peninsula, the narrow pointy eastern projection of Mexico that points out toward the state of Florida. This was the northern edge of the homeland of the Mayan Indian group, and we saw many of the ruins of the Mayan culture. One place we saw was the famous Mayan pyramid known as Chichen Itza. Within a short walking distance from the pyramid is one of the … Continue reading →

JESUS CUT THE GORDIAN KNOT

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JESUS CUT THE GORDIAN KNOT — A LORD’S SUPPER MEDITATION The other day I was reading Romans 8:1-3 – “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh” (NASB). When I read “Christ Jesus has … Continue reading →

The Bible, the Church, and Catholicism

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THE BIBLE,THE CHURCH, AND CATHOLICISM Jack Cottrell – March 2015 QUESTION: My Roman Catholic friend says that the Bible is not our final authority. Rather, the Church itself (understood as the Catholic Church) is our final authority because the church is actually the source or origin of the Bible. My friend points out that there was a period of time after Pentecost when there was no Bible. All truth came through the apostles, who taught orally long before the Bible itself was written and compiled. This oral teaching was the original authoritative truth; it is still passed along to us … Continue reading →

Calvinism and Foreknowledge in Romans 8:29

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CALVINISM AND FOREKNOWLEDGE IN ROMANS 8:29 Jack Cottrell — March 2015 QUESTION: Romans 8:29 clearly says that God predestines people to heaven based on his foreknowledge. This seems to undermine the Calvinist view of unconditional election. But Calvinists argue that “foreknowledge” in this text does not mean simply to be aware of man’s future decisions; rather, it means God LOVES and CHOOSES certain people in advance. How can we respond to this? ANSWER: The main issue in Romans 8:29, according to Calvinists, is the meaning of the word “foreknow” (proginōskō). Since ginōskō means “to know,” and pro means “before,” it … Continue reading →

DID JESUS KNOW HE WAS THE DIVINE MESSIAH?

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DID JESUS KNOW HE WAS THE DIVINE MESSIAH? JACK COTTRELL – FEBRUARY 2015 Question: What did Jesus know about his own identity? Did he know he was the divine Messiah? Answer: This question is about an issue sometimes known as Jesus’ “Messianic consciousness.” Once in a while we come across people who deny that Jesus personally thought of himself as the incarnation of God and as the Messianic Savior of the world. Usually these are liberal theologians who do not accept the truth of the gospel records. Others accept the authenticity of the records, but still wonder if Jesus always … Continue reading →

MORE ABOUT JESUS’ OMNISCIENCE

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MORE ABOUT JESUS’ OMNISCIENCE JACK COTTRELL – FEBRUARY 2015 Question: Did Jesus know himself to be the Son of God and the Messiah (Christ)? Answer: The question of Jesus’ “Messianic consciousness” has been raised and addressed for centuries: Did Jesus know he was the Messiah? Did he claim to be the Messiah? If so, when did he begin to have this understanding? I will address these questions in two separate essays. Here we will set forth the general idea that Jesus was omniscient, and explain how that worked in his incarnate state. In the next essay we will look at … Continue reading →

Does Romans 9 Teach Calvinist Predestination?

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DOES ROMANS 9 TEACH CALVINIST PREDESTINATION? Jack Cottrell – February 2015 QUESTION: I have a friend who argues that the story of Jacob and Esau supports the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. But Genesis 25:27-34 says that Esau forfeited his birthright by selling it to Jacob. Thus it seems plain that it was not by God’s election but by Esau’s choice. How is this text so misinterpreted by those who teach this view of predestination? ANSWER: The use of Jacob and Esau to support the Calvinist view of election (or predestination) is based not on the Genesis account, but on a … Continue reading →

JESUS AND YAHWEH: HOW ARE THEY RELATED?

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Question: Recently I saw an article that declared that Yahweh (Jehovah) in the Old Testament is God the Father only, and that he does not include the other persons of the Trinity. The article specifically said that Yahweh and Christ Jesus are two distinct individuals. Is this Biblical? What do you think? Answer: I saw the same article, and I disagree with the view presented there. I believe that Yahweh as the name for God revealed in the Old Testament includes all three persons of the Trinity. Depending on the context, this name may refer to all three persons or … Continue reading →

WHAT IS JOY? A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION

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During our recent Christmas season I noticed many references to JOY. Exactly what is “joy,” and why is it so closely connected with Christmas? We note first of all that on the night of Jesus’ birth, the angel of God said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10, ESV). My favorite Christmas song begins, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” For Christians, this joy is not limited to the nativity season. As children, many of us sang year-round: “I have the joy, joy, joy, joy — down in … Continue reading →

Whatever WHO Wants? A Communion Meditation

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WHATEVER WHO WANTS?? A COMMUNION MEDITATION by JACK COTTRELL Christmas is a time when many of us focus on what WE want for ourselves. How many times do we hear (and ask) the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” This is not necessarily wrong. But it reminds me that we live in a time and a culture where people assume they can have whatever they want, say whatever they want, or do whatever they want. This made me want [!] to Google the phrase, “I can do whatever I want.” Here are some interesting results from my brief search: … Continue reading →