Did Jesus’ Power To Work Miracles Come from the Holy Spirit?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

Did Jesus’ Power To Work Miracles Come from the Holy Spirit? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 10:13am QUESTION: I have a question about Jesus’ ability to perform miraculous deeds. Do you think that He had this ability of His own accord, or did He need the Spirit’s empowerment to be able to do such things while on earth? Is this a “false choice” question? I know that Jesus surrendered some of His divine prerogatives (Phil. 2:5ff.), but He certainly didn’t cease being God. While on earth, though, did He need the Spirit’s empowerment to do … Continue reading →

OUR AUTHORITY: SCRIPTURE OR EXPERIENCE?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

OUR AUTHORITY: SCRIPTURE OR EXPERIENCE? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 1:38pm QUESTION: How do we know God is in control? We say, during tough times, that “He is on the Throne.” But the question always haunts us: “If God is really in control, why is the world in such a mess? Why are all these bad things happening in my life?” How can we be sure He is really reigning over all things? ANSWER: How we answer this is the ultimate test of whether we really believe the Bible is our final authority or not, … Continue reading →

A Sort-Of Philosophy of Teaching

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

A Sort-Of Philosophy of Teaching by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 7:44pm I have been a professor of theology for nearly 44 years. I have had a lot of time to think about the best way to “teach Bible doctrine” to my students. Long ago I decided that the best method is to communicate (by lecture) what the Bible itself teaches, subject by subject. This is similar to how sermons are preached, except in the classroom we are able to welcome student questions and input. Over these years I have heard my share of criticism for … Continue reading →

If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Not Know the Time of His Second Coming?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Not Know the Time of His Second Coming? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 2:02pm QUESTION: If Jesus is part of the Godhead, i.e., if he is the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity, why did he not know the dates and times suggested in Matt. 24:36 and Mark 13:32? ANSWER: Matt. 24:36 says concerning the day of the second coming, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Mark 13:32 is the … Continue reading →

SHOULD WE TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER EVERY WEEK?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

SHOULD WE TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER EVERY WEEK? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 2:45pm QUESTION: Why do so many denominations serve the Lord’s Supper only once a month? ANSWER: Most Protestant churches do not acknowledge any definitive New Testament teaching on how often to take the Lord’s Supper. Even in the Restoration Movement we recognize that there is no specific command to celebrate the Supper every week; our choice to do so is at best an inference. That said, I think it is a very GOOD inference, and one that I believe can be defended … Continue reading →

Books By Jack Cottrell

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

BOOKS BY JACK COTTRELL by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 1:35pm Someone asked me recently to make a list of my available books. I thought some of you may be interested in the list, so I am publishing it here, mostly as written for another purpose. I, Jack Cottrell (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary), have taught theology at Cincinnati Christian University for 43 years. During this time I have written 20 books, 16 of which are still in print. The following is a list of these available books. The first seven are available from College Press Publishing … Continue reading →

ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART TWO

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART TWO by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 4:02pm In part one of this essay, I said that the Biblical language of election is used in several different senses or applied in several different ways. In that part, I explained the first four such ways: (1) the election of Jesus as the incarnate God the Redeemer; (2) the election of individuals to service, e.g., the patriarchs and the apostles; (3) the election of groups (especially Israel) to service; and (4) the election of groups as categories of individuals to whom God … Continue reading →

ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART ONE

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART ONE by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 3:58pm QUESTION: The New Testament speaks of God as “choosing” or “electing” us, and Christians are called “the chosen ones” or “the elect.” This sounds like determinism, or Calvinism. How can such language be reconciled with free will? ANSWER: The main verb for “choose” is eklegomai; the adjective (as in “chosen ones”) is eklektos; the noun (‘the chosen”) is eklogē. The words “elect,” “chosen,” and “predestined” carry similar connotations. A main point is that this language is used in different contexts with different … Continue reading →

Can a Christian Who Falls Away Ever Become Saved Again?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

Can a Christian Who Falls Away Ever Become Saved Again? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 3:49pm QUESTION: I understand that a true, saved believer can “fall from grace” and become lost; but can such a person ever return and become saved again? Does not Hebrews 6:4-6 suggest that a person who falls away can never again be saved? ANSWER: The idea that a fallen-away sinner can never again be saved has brought much anguish to many sincere people. It is also a false doctrine, one that is based mainly on a seriously-false translation of the … Continue reading →

CRANBERRY JUICE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

CRANBERRY JUICE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, November 19, 2010 at 12:53pm QUESTION: Is it “necessary,” or is it just “tradition,” to use grape juice (or wine) for communion? Is “fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:29) limited to the grape vine, or is any juice allowed? Someone told me they went to a church that used cranberry juice, because they got a deal on it at the store! What do you think? ANSWER: Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper [LS] during the yearly Passover feast (Matt. 26:17ff.), which God established for Israel on the night of … Continue reading →