Tag Archives: Faith Once for All

Is Multiculturalism Wrong?

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Is Multiculturalism Wrong? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 1:39pm A RECENT INQUIRY: I was surprised to see you include multiculturalism in the category of (possible) wicked precursors to the second coming of Jesus in your book, “The Faith Once for All,” p. 534. One of my professors teaches that multiculturalism is a matter of social justice and human dignity, as in the case of the civil rights movement. This sounds like a good thing. Why do you associate it with wickedness? MY REPLY: This question refers to my discussion of the “the nature of the … Continue reading →

HOW Should One Study the Bible?

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HOW Should One Study the Bible? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, December 11, 2009 at 4:31pm A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: How can a Christian who has no formal training in Bible backgrounds and Bible languages get the most out of studying the Bible? An earlier note addressed the question of WHY study the Bible; now the question is, what are some practical suggestions on HOW to study the Bible? MY REPLY: We acknowledge that Bible study is not necessarily easy; that’s why it is called a “spiritual DISCIPLINE.” It takes discipline and effort to pursue it. Here are some suggestions … Continue reading →

Should Non-Members Participate in Our Church Activities?

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Should Non-Members Participate in Our Church Activities? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 9:24am A RECENT REQUEST: Please give me your thoughts regarding individuals serving in the body (church) who have not understood and/or obeyed the Biblical Gospel. Do you think that such individuals should be singing and/or playing instruments (some being paid) during the traditional Sunday worship services – with the idea that this is a form of “service evangelism”? Should those that have not obeyed the gospel due to ignorance, reluctance and/or defiance serve alongside those that have followed the Biblical pattern? Please do … Continue reading →

Fully God and Fully Man: The Incarnation and Philippians 2:5ff.

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Fully God and Fully Man: The Incarnation and Philippians 2:5ff. by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 9:10pm QUERY: We speak of the dual nature of Christ, i.e., His divinity and His Humanity; and how when He walked upon the earth, He was fully God and fully man. This raises the question of Philippians 2:6-7, which says that “although He existed in the form of God,” He “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” How can … Continue reading →

Patriotic Songs in the Church?

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Patriotic Songs in the Church? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, November 27, 2009 at 2:13pm HERE IS A RECENT REQUEST: I am wrestling with whether or not it is okay to sing patriotic songs during the church service. I personally do not want to sing anything doctrinally unsound. So far I find it difficult to find any patriotic song that is doctrinally correct. For instance, in “God Bless America,” I mainly have trouble with the pledging allegiance part: “Let us swear allegiance to a land that is free.” I can see the idea of the song being a prayer, … 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 →

What About Tithing?

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What About Tithing? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 10:37am THE QUESTION: Does the Bible say anywhere that all of one’s tithe has to go to the local church, or can it go to other organizations? MY REPLY: First, I have some reservations about the view that the tithe is a requirement in this NT era (see below). But assuming for the sake of the question that the tithe is the standard, I will answer thus: nowhere does the NT say that all of our offering (10% or otherwise) must go to the local congregation. In … Continue reading →

More on the Christological Fallacy

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More on the Christological Fallacy by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 3:10pm I. HERE ARE REFERENCES to the Christological fallacy taken from my systematic theology, “The Faith Once for All.” The first is from the section on “The Normative Source for Theology” (pp. 24-25): The WHOLE Bible is our norm for theology, and not just the life and teachings of Jesus. It was never Jesus’ purpose simply to be a source and norm for truth, knowledge, ethics, or theology. The main purpose of Christ’s incarnation and work was to redeem mankind from sin through the atonement … Continue reading →

Women, Quietness, & Silence: 1 Tim. 2:12 & 1 Cor. 14:34

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Women, Quietness, & Silence: 1 Tim. 2:12 & 1 Cor. 14:34 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 12:39pm A RECENT QUESTION: In your book “The Faith Once For All” you say that “hesuchia” in 1 Timothy 2:12 does not mean “be silent” (as the NIV translates it), but that it means to have a quiet demeanor or attitude. I was wondering if the word “sigao” in 1 Cor. 14:34 has a different meaning; and if so, what is Paul saying there? Also, how does this fit in with 1 Cor. 11:5, where a woman is pictured … Continue reading →

Are We Justified by Christ’s Death or by Faith?

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Are We Justified by Christ’s Death or by Faith? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 11:40am QUERY: Are we justified by Christ’s death, or by our faith in Christ? ANSWER: Both are involved, but in different ways. Romans 5:9 says we are “justified by his blood,”and Romans 3:28 says that “one is justified by faith.” Justification (equivalent to forgiveness of sins) is God’s declaration that he accepts us as righteous before the law, in the sense that our debt of eternal punishment has been canceled. To be justified means that God, in his role as Judge, … Continue reading →