Tag Archives: Cross

IS CREMATION MORALLY PERMISSIBLE?

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IS CREMATION MORALLY PERMISSIBLE? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at 9:52am IS CREMATION MORALLY PERMISSIBLE? QUESTION: Is it wrong to cremate the body of a deceased person? Does this practice in some way violate the Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead? ANSWER: I have a book called “The History of American Funeral Directing,” written by Robert Habenstein and William Lamers (1955). On page 4 the authors point out the cultural diversity regarding the choice of methods of disposing of bodies: “Assume that we are confronted with the dead body of a man. What disposition … Continue reading →

Does Ephesians 1:1-11 Support Calvinism?

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Does Ephesians 1:1-11 Support Calvinism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, April 27, 2012 at 4:32pm QUESTION: Calvinists say that Ephesians 1:1-11 clearly establishes the absolute and all-inclusive sovereignty of God, including the unconditional predestination of the elect to salvation. How do you interpret this text? ANSWER: A right understanding of Ephesians 1:1-11 begins with the recognition that God’s purpose for Israel was from the beginning limited to preparing for the coming of the Messiah, namely, for the incarnation of God the Logos as the human person Jesus of Nazareth. Once the Messiah came, it was God’s eternal purpose to … Continue reading →

Does the Land of Canaan Belong to the Jews Forever?

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Does the Land of Canaan Belong to the Jews Forever? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 4:14pm QUESTION: How do you reconcile your view that national Israel (the Jewish nation) is no longer and never again will be the people of God, with the Old Testament promise that the land of Canaan (once known as Palestine, now known as Israel) will belong to the Jewish people FOREVER? ANSWER: You are referring to God’s promise to Abraham, first recorded in Genesis 12:7 and subsequently repeated to him and to the other patriarchs. In Gen. 12:7 God said … Continue reading →

In the Atonement, Did God the Father Suffer Along with the Son?

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In the Atonement, Did God the Father Suffer Along with the Son? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, March 9, 2012 at 2:40pm QUESTION: We talk a lot about how Jesus suffered to accomplish atonement for our sins, but did not God the Father also share in this suffering? If Christ’s suffering was separation from the Father (Matthew 27:46 – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”), did the Father not also experience the grief of this separation, this broken relationship? Thus it seems that not only did Christ pay for our sins, but so did the Father … Continue reading →

The Cross and the Resurrection

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The Cross and the Resurrection by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, March 9, 2012 at 10:16am QUESTION: We talk a lot about Jesus’ death on the cross as the event that brings about our salvation from sin, but was not his resurrection from the dead just as important as the cross? Isn’t his resurrection part of the dying for the sins of the world? In his resurrection did he not take the keys of death and hell away from Satan? If there were no resurrection would we not still be in our sins? ANSWER: Without a doubt the resurrection of … Continue reading →

HOW DID JESUS FULFILL THE LAW?

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HOW DID JESUS FULFILL THE LAW? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 3:13pm QUESTION: In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (ESV). It is not too difficult to see how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Prophets, but how did He fulfill the Law? ANSWER: First … Continue reading →

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY

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THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, January 16, 2012 at 11:11am QUESTION: Can you explain the doctrine of the Trinity? ANSWER: God is ONE, but he is also THREE. He is one and three at the same time. This is the doctrine of the Trinity. (See my book, God the Redeemer, ch. 3.) There is no biblical term that actually means “trinity”; e.g., this is not the connotation of the KJV word “Godhead” nor of the Greek terms which it represents. We do find the concept of the Trinity in Scripture, however. Exactly what is … Continue reading →

BAPTISM AND 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17

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BAPTISM AND 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 10:55am QUESTION: How do you interpret 1 Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (ESV)? ANSWER: It is very common for this passage to be interpreted as implying that baptism is not important, and that Paul considered it to be almost irrelevant. As thus interpreted, this text is thrown in the face of those who believe that baptism is a … Continue reading →

IS THE “BAPTISM OF DESIRE” SUFFICIENT?

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IS THE “BAPTISM OF DESIRE” SUFFICIENT? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 9:36am QUESTION: I know of a severely-handicapped person who had a sincere desire to be baptized in the Biblical way, but because of the disability simply could not be immersed. It was decided to put this person under the shower and cover him with water in such a way that he was extremely wet from head-to-toe and had to hold his breath for a time while the water was showered over his face. Those conducting this “baptism” emphasized the importance of the person’s commitment … Continue reading →

THE MEANING OF FOOTWASHING IN JOHN 13:1-17

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THE MEANING OF FOOTWASHING IN JOHN 13:1-17 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 4:27pm QUESTION: When Jesus washes the apostles’ feet in John 13:1ff., is this just a lesson in humility, or does it have some spiritual significance beyond that? E.g., does the footwashing as Jesus performs it stand for personal cleansing from sin? Is it a figure for baptism? Does the act itself represent Jesus’ service of dying on the cross for the sins of the world? ANSWER: My initial reaction to this question is that this episode is just a lesson in humility, and … Continue reading →