What Is the Meaning of the “Baptism in Fire” in Matthew 3:11?

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What Is the Meaning of the “Baptism in Fire” in Matthew 3:11? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 3:37pm QUERY: You have discussed both baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit, but what is the “baptism in fire” mentioned in Matt. 3:11 and Luke 3:16? ANSWER: In both of these texts John the Baptist says that when the Messiah comes “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The main issue is whether the fire baptism is the same as or separate and distinct from the Spirit baptism. Will Jesus give just … Continue reading →

What Is the “One Baptism” in Ephesians 4:5?

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What Is the “One Baptism” in Ephesians 4:5? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 8:18pm A RECENT QUESTION: Does 1 Cor. 12:13 teach that water baptism or Spirit baptism brings a sinner into union with Jesus Christ? What about Gal. 3:27 – is it water or Spirit baptism? What is the ONE baptism of Eph. 4:5? MY REPLY: Though some (such as mid-Acts dispensationalists) deny it, water baptism has been the church’s practice from its beginning on the Day of Pentecost. (We cannot infer this from John’s practice of baptizing in the Jordan River, since John’s … Continue reading →

What Is the Spiritual Status of the Unimmersed?

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What Is the Spiritual Status of the Unimmersed? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 5:08pm ANOTHER SERIOUS QUESTION: We know some very spiritual individuals who have never been immersed into Christ but who are living very dedicated, Spirit-filled lives. We agree that they should be immersed as the New Testament teaches, but are we to think about their present spiritual status? Are they saved or not? MY REPLY: This is an extremely difficult and delicate situation, and making a negative judgment in this case is certainly one of the hardest things a spiritual leader will ever … Continue reading →

Is Infant Immersion a Valid Baptism?

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Is Infant Immersion a Valid Baptism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 5:00pm A SERIOUS QUERY: In our congregation we accepted a member by transfer upon his testimony that he had been previously immersed. We have only recently discovered that he was indeed immersed, but as an infant in a Greek Orthodox church. He assumed that this was sufficient; and no one is questioning the genuineness of his faith or his salvation, because he is certainly displaying the fruit of the Spirit. But now that we have the facts, we are not sure what to do. … Continue reading →

Can a Person Display the FRUIT of the Spirit without the INDWELLING of the Spirit?

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Can a Person Display the FRUIT of the Spirit without the INDWELLING of the Spirit? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 4:54pm QUESTION: I have seen a good many unimmersed persons living pious lives and apparently displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). How can a person produce the fruit of the Spirit without being baptized and receiving the indwelling of the Spirit? MY REPLY: I have addressed this issue in my book, “Power from on High: What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit” (College Press, 2007, pp. 374-375). The following is quoted from … Continue reading →

What Is the Best Time for Baptism?

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What Is the Best Time for Baptism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 8:54am A RECENT QUESTION: We have had a number of baptisms lately during the week, i.e., not on Sunday. We keep our water warm and tell people we can do baptisms any time, when they have come to that decision, and will arrange for someone to be baptized on, say, Wednesday at 10 A.M. Of course, Sunday baptisms are always welcomed and encouraged, and we’ve had a number of those too. But my question is, is there a Scriptural reason to prefer having … Continue reading →

Was It Possible for Jesus To Sin?

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Was It Possible for Jesus To Sin? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 2:53pm THE QUESTION IS OFTEN ASKED, could Jesus have sinned? We know that in fact he DID not sin (John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5; Heb. 4:15), and we know that he was TEMPTED to sin (Heb. 2:18; 4:15). But was it actually possible for him to sin? (I have addressed this question briefly in my book, “The Faith Once for All,” pp. 228-229. I am reproducing that discussion below.) MY REPLY: A question that often arises concerning Jesus’ sinlessness is … Continue reading →

Two Questions about Free Will

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Two Questions about Free Will by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 2:22pm TWO RELATED QUESTIONS: One reader has asked whether those who are saved still have free will in heaven. Another has asked a related question: how could Jesus be fully human and not be able to choose to sin? (This latter question assumes that Jesus could not sin, a view that I espouse.) MY REPLY: The common assumption of these two questions is that a certain kind of free will is part of the essence of humanness. The free will assumed here is the ability … Continue reading →

Sunday: The Church’s Special Day

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Sunday: The Church’s Special Day by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 8:41pm SOMEONE HAS ASKED, “How do we get Sunday as a holy day?” I.e., why do we keep Sunday as the church’s special day, rather than Saturday? And why should the church gather for corporate worship on Sunday, rather than on Friday or Saturday? Is there something special about Sunday? MY ANSWER: Sunday is indeed the church’s special day, and has been so since Jesus arose from the dead. This is so because world history is divided into two main epochs, the dividing point being … Continue reading →

My Book about the Ten Commandments

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My Book about the Ten Commandments by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 5:23pm So far in my lifetime God has enabled me to write 20 books (“Set Free! What the Bible Says About Grace” being the last one). My first book was a small one (95 pp.), published by Standard Publishing in 1973, on the subject of the Ten Commandments. Its title was “His Way.” It is no longer in print in English, though it is published in the Polish and Spanish languages. About two years ago (Jan. 2008), on the occasion of a reprint edition … Continue reading →