Tag Archives: Faith Once for All

DEGREES OF REWARD IN HEAVEN

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DEGREES OF REWARD IN HEAVEN by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:47am QUESTION: It seems clear that on the day of final judgment, all works (good and bad) of all people (saved and lost) will be brought up. But if we as Christians are justified by faith apart from a consideration of our works of obedience and disobedience to our law code (Rom. 3:28), and if, even in the moment of our death, we have assurance of our salvation, what then is the PURPOSE of having to face our sins on Judgment Day? ANSWER: Please refer … Continue reading →

WILL CHRISTIANS GO THROUGH THE JUDGMENT?

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WILL CHRISTIANS GO THROUGH THE JUDGMENT? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:39am QUESTION: Some say that Christians will not have to go through the final judgment, based on John 5:24, where Jesus says this: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (NASB, &ff.). Others say, yes, we WILL go through the judgment, but our sins will not be brought up there. They base this on Hebrews 8:12, where … Continue reading →

Hebrews 12:15 and the Question of Eternal Security

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Hebrews 12:15 and the Question of Eternal Security by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:44am QUESTION: A typical translation of Hebrews 12:15a is this, from the NASB: “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God.” The word translated “of” is the Greek apo, which, when followed by the genitive, means “from, away from.” This raises a question concerning the people being addressed: are they not yet within God’s grace, and are thus being warned not to fall short of attaining it or missing out on it? Or are they now within … Continue reading →

Are Christians Forbidden To Marry Non-Christians?

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Are Christians Forbidden To Marry Non-Christians? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 2:05pm QUESTION: Does 2 Corinthians 6:14 mean that Christians are not allowed to marry non-Christians? ANSWER: The answer to this question must begin with a look at the nature of marriage. One of the crucial aspects of marriage as described in the Bible is that it is a covenantal relationship. We conclude this from the way the Bible often compares the husband-wife relationship with the relationship between God and his people. In fact, the relation of God to his people is often described in … Continue reading →

What Happens to Us When We Die?

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What Happens to Us When We Die? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 12:25pm QUESTION: What happens to us when we die? Do believers go directly to heaven at the moment of death? What is the relation between our death, on the one hand; and Christ’s second coming, the resurrection, and the final judgment, on the other hand? ANSWER: The answers to these questions require a lot more space than is available here. I have discussed them fully in my College Press books, The Faith Once for All (see the final chapters) and Bible Prophecy and … Continue reading →

Is Sound Doctrine a Moral Obligation? (Part Two)

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Is Sound Doctrine a Moral Obligation? (Part Two) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 2:22pm I wrote an earlier note called “Does It Matter What Church We Attend?” What I said in that note stirred up quite an active discussion, with some responders consigning me to some version of theological (if not literal) Tartarus. That’s OK; I don’t expect everyone to agree with my (always) completely rational and Biblical answers! I do like to avoid being misunderstood or misinterpreted, however. Thus I have chosen to follow up on that note with a two-part essay that addresses … Continue reading →

Is Sound Doctrine a Moral Obligation? (Part One)

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Is Sound Doctrine a Moral Obligation? (Part One) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 2:19pm Do we have a moral obligation to believe everything the Bible teaches? I will approach this question from two directions. First, I will set forth (here) what the New Testament itself says about this; then (in a later note) I will answer the question based on the nature of the Bible. What does the New Testament say about our responsibility toward its teaching? Here I will survey how it uses the two basic Greek words that are usually translated as “teaching” … Continue reading →

Does It Matter What Church We Attend?

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Does It Matter What Church We Attend? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 12:43pm QUESTION: Is it a sin to attend a church that is not a Restoration Movement church? E.g., Baptist, Presbyterian, inter-denominational? ANSWER: A couple of years ago (September 2009) I wrote a note explaining the difference between the visible church and the invisible church (just published in the August 2011 Restoration Herald). The invisible church is the universal body of Christ, the total number of those who have obeyed the gospel and are thus in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. All who … Continue reading →

Did the Early Christian Fathers Teach Calvinism?

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Did the Early Christian Fathers Teach Calvinism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 1:57pm QUESTION: Some say that the doctrines of Calvinism did not begin with John Calvin, nor even with Augustine (died A.D. 430). Rather, they claim that the TULIP doctrines are present throughout the writings of the church fathers from the beginning. One Calvinist who says this is Michael Horton, in an appendix to his book, Putting Amazing Back into Grace (Baker, 2002). What do you say about this? ANSWER: I have read a large portion (not all) of the pre-Nicene, Nicene, and post-Nicene … Continue reading →

Every Aspect of Human Nature Is Created

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Every Aspect of Human Nature Is Created by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 12:08pm After preparing my note on “Eternal Hell, Immortal Soul: How Are They Related?” I was motivated to prepare the following note on the fact that human beings are created beings in every aspect of their nature. This material is taken from my book, The Faith Once for All, chapter 6, “The Nature of Man.”` It is very important to understand that a human being is wholly a creature; both body and spirit have been created by God. The doctrine of ex nihilo … Continue reading →