Tag Archives: Acts 2:38

Why We Need the Church (III)

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Why We Need the Church (III) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 4:40pm THE ISSUE: Why is the church necessary? Why is membership in a local church necessary? Here I am continuing a theme from two previous notes which were titled “Is It Necessary To Be a Member of a Local Church?” I and II. In those notes my answer was YES. Here the answer is still YES, but I have changed the title somewhat because I am looking at the concept of “need” in a different light. Here I am saying that we need the … Continue reading →

What Does 1 John 1:9 Mean?

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What Does 1 John 1:9 Mean? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:40am QUERY: You have said that a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9 is a roadblock to a proper understanding of grace and a genuine sense of assurance. Please explain what 1 John 1:9 means. ANSWER: I have done this in my book, “Set Free! What the Bible Says About Grace” (pp. 314-316). The following is mostly from that source: A main roadblock to assurance is a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9. This familiar text reads, “If we confess our sins, He is … Continue reading →

What Is the Trinity?

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What Is the Trinity? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 6:48pm QUERY: I have a relative who is a Jehovah’s Witness. He accepts that Jesus is the son of God but denies that he (Jesus) is God. How would you explain the triune God? ANSWER: For details, see chapter 3 of my book, “What the Bible Says About God the Redeemer” (pp. 117-174). Here I will summarize a section of my book, “The Faith Once for All” (pp. 70-73): God is ONE, but he is also THREE. He is one and three at the same time. … 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 →

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 →

Is Baptism Essential for Salvation?

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Is Baptism Essential for Salvation? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 3:21pm A READER HAS ASKED the straightforward question, “Is baptism essential for salvation?” My straightforward (but qualified) answer is this: “Under normal circumstances, since the Day of Pentecost, YES.” In my book, “Baptism: A Biblical Study” (College Press, 2 ed., 2006) I have shown that the 12 NT texts that say anything at all about the purpose of baptism all testify to its saving significance. Water baptism is clearly described as the time or occasion during which God bestows salvation upon the one being baptized. … Continue reading →

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 →

More on Baptism in the Name of Jesus Only

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More on Baptism in the Name of Jesus Only by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, September 7, 2009 at 4:24pm This is a follow-up to my earlier note on “Baptism in the Name of Jesus Only.” One of the comments that followed that note was by Tom Lawson; see that note for its content. Then another comment was added by Titus Chapman, as follows: “tom its not as clear to me maybe you can explain it to me. I have not found anyone who can use other scriptures or examples for bapt ecpt mt 28 19 to explain why it … Continue reading →

Baptism in the Name of Jesus Only

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Baptism in the Name of Jesus Only by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 3:11pm TODAY I HAD A QUERY about baptism in the name of “Jesus only.” The inquirer asked me to “cite some resources regarding baptism in Jesus’ name (only),” since “recently there have been quite a few folks who have been asking about it.” In fact, “three of our folks recently went to a [Oneness Pentecostal] service…, were taught baptism in Jesus’ name, accepted rebaptism, and now claim tongues and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” The following is my answer: WHAT’S WRONG WITH … Continue reading →

Answering a false interpretation of Acts 2:38

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Answering a false interpretation of Acts 2:38 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 12:56pm I am adapting my “Tyranny of the Paradigm” essay for a Christian Standard article (next year); this is one small part of it: Finally, an absolute, a priori commitment to the sola fidei paradigm leads to an irrational distortion of NT texts that relate baptism to salvation. One example is a rather common twisting of Acts 2:38. It is an argument that attempts to separate baptism from forgiveness through a blatantly faulty analysis of the Greek forms in this verse. E.g., Cal … Continue reading →