Acts 22:16 and Baptism

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Acts 22:16 and Baptism by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:59pm A RECENT INQUIRY: Some Bible versions [e.g., Holman Christian Standard Bible] are translating Acts 22:16 as, “Be baptized and wash away your sins BY calling on his name.” This is different from other versions and can be construed differently in meaning. Can the Greek be translated that way? What is the more accurate translation? And, does the ending relate to what’s happening in baptism or is it a separate action? Thanks for your input. MY REPLY: It is true that a Greek participle can have … Continue reading →

What About Halloween?

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What About Halloween? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:35pm A RECENT QUESTION: What are your views on Christians and Halloween? I know most Christians are fine with it, but I am not sure if it is a day Christians should take part in. Please let me know what you think. MY REPLY: I have several objections to Christians participating in anything overtly related to Halloween. First, Halloween is literally a witchcraft holiday. I never thought much about it until I did a lot of research on witchcraft for a course on the occult. When you … Continue reading →

The Wonders of Christmas: 1 Timothy 1:15

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The Wonders of Christmas: 1 Timothy 1:15 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, October 16, 2009 at 9:58am [This note sheds some light on a previous note, “Can Christians Be Called Sinners?” Also, this note is not addressing any specific issue. It is just a Christmas devotional thought. It also works as a sermon outline!”] THE WONDERS OF CHRISTMAS: 1 TIMOTHY 1:15 To children,Christmas abounds with wonders. How can reindeer fly? How does Santa know if they’ve been good or bad? How can he visit the whole world in one day? How can a fat man come down skinny chimneys? … Continue reading →

Can Christians Be Called “Sinners”?

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Can Christians Be Called “Sinners”? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 7:37pm THIS IS A RECENT REQUEST (edited): “Someone asked me if it is OK to call a Christian a sinner. The one who asked seemed to think it is not. He reasons that the Bible refers to Christians as Overwhelming Conquerors, Saints, those who have the Righteousness of God in Christ, etc. So how can it be OK for a Christian to be called a Sinner and a Saint at the same time? Is this not a contradiction?” MY REPLY: This is simply a matter … Continue reading →

Are Exorcisms Miraculous?

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Are Exorcisms Miraculous? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 2:33pm THE FOLLOWING QUESTION comes in response to my note, “Why Demonic Works in a Christian Context?” In this note I affirm the cessationist view of miraculous spiritual gifts, i.e., the Holy Spirit is not giving miraculous gifts to Christians today. The suggestion below is that modern-day exorcisms are evidence that miraculous gifts from the Spirit are still present, since exorcisms are “supernatural by nature.” HERE IS THE QUESTION: “What of those that currently cast out demons, especially in third world countries where missionaries speak of current … Continue reading →

“Good Fruit” from the “Unbaptized”

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“Good Fruit” from the “Unbaptized” by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 1:32pm QUESTION: “The idea of the visible and invisible church was a mystery to me until I read your book ‘Baptism: A Biblical Study’ (ch. 8). This includes the idea that only God knows who is truly justified. I was wondering though, how we can explain the tremendous fruit by such scholars of the day that don’t believe and have not been baptized for the forgiveness of sin, e.g., John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and Norman Geisler.” MY REPLY: This is not an easy question, but … Continue reading →

Why Demonic Works in a Christian Context?

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Why Demonic Works in a Christian Context? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 10:35am A SERIOUS QUESTION (edited), asked in a good spirit: “At the end of chapter 15 in “The Faith Once for All” you affirm that miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit were temporary and are not being given today. What most concerns me is your statement that miraculous or supernatural phenomena today, which many take to be miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit, actually are demonic in origin. It also concerns me that during the Cane Ridge meetings 1000’s of people had wonderful … Continue reading →

The Levirate Law in Ruth

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The Levirate Law in Ruth by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 9:08am HERE’S A QUESTION: “We’re studying Ruth in our SS class. I need some insight into the Levirate law. Did this cause a man to commit polygamy? Was it only the firstborn son who belonged to the dead brother/relative? If so, why is Boaz mentioned as Obed’s father?” MY FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO ANSWER: This sort of question drives me to my handy Bible dictionaries, from which I have gleaned a few facts. First, “levirate” has nothing to do with Levi; this word comes from a … Continue reading →

The Cane Ridge Phenomena

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The Cane Ridge Phenomena by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 3:27pm I RECEIVED THIS QUESTION: One of the first events in the history of the Restoration Movement was the Cane Ridge [KY] Meeting in the early 1800s, where about 20,000 people gathered for revival. During this revival many strange and possibly frightening activities took place, described as “exercises” in various forms. Witnesses describe people fainting, barking, dancing, laughing, and ultimately “jerking.” This last exercise involved individuals with feet planted on the ground moving in strange ways, making large 180-degree “jerks,” i.e., touching the forehead and then … Continue reading →

Was Noah Unconditionally Predestined to Salvation?

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Was Noah Unconditionally Predestined to Salvation? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 2:56pm QUESTION: What is your perspective on the “election” of Noah as it relates to the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate? According to the Arminian view it would seem that there was only one man (Noah) on the face of the earth with the faith for God to foreknow and choose for salvation. I suppose the Calvinist would say that God unconditionally chose one person from the mass of all people who were totally unable to come to faith. Both views seem to have serious … Continue reading →