Tag Archives: Justification

CAN ONE BE “SPIRITUALLY ALIVE” WITHOUT BAPTISM? (PART ONE)

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

CAN ONE BE “SPIRITUALLY ALIVE” WITHOUT BAPTISM? (PART ONE) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 8:47am QUESTION: When I was a young adult I learned that baptism was important for my salvation, so I was immersed. My problem is that this did not seem to result in the death to sin and rebirth to new spiritual life described in Romans 6:1-4 and Colossians 2:12 as happening in baptism. At another time, however, quite separate from my baptism, I went through a particularly strong life event when I did die to self and begin to live for … Continue reading →

ARE WE BORN SINNERS?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

ARE WE BORN SINNERS? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 7:08pm QUESTION: Are we human beings born sinners? What effect, if any, did the sin of Adam and Eve have on all their offspring? Did it affect our ability to choose whether or not to sin? ANSWER: This question is about the doctrine of original sin, which in one form or another is held by a large portion of Christendom. This doctrine says that Adam’s sin did indeed affect all of his descendants in serious ways. As early as the third century Christian writers began to … Continue reading →

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 2:02pm QUESTION: I know that we Christians go to Paradise to be with Jesus when die. But what about OT saints? What happened to them when they died? Did they go to Paradise? How could they, since Christ had not yet died for their sins? What does the Bible say? ANSWER: I answered a similar question a couple of years ago, but I will do it here again and include a couple of extra thoughts. A common idea has existed in … Continue reading →

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 1:55pm QUESTION: I know that we Christians go to Paradise to be with Jesus when die. But what about OT saints? What happened to them when they died? Did they go to Paradise? How could they, since Christ had not yet died for their sins? What does the Bible say? ANSWER: I answered a similar question a couple of years ago, but I will do it here again and include a couple of extra thoughts. A common idea has existed in … Continue reading →

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THEY DIED? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 1:52pm QUESTION: I know that we Christians go to Paradise to be with Jesus when die. But what about OT saints? What happened to them when they died? Did they go to Paradise? How could they, since Christ had not yet died for their sins? What does the Bible say? ANSWER: I answered a similar question a couple of years ago, but I will do it here again and include a couple of extra thoughts. A common idea has existed in … Continue reading →

The Cross and the Resurrection

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

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?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

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 →

DEGREES OF REWARD IN HEAVEN

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

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 →

SUICIDE AND FORGIVENESS

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

SUICIDE AND FORGIVENESS by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 4:29pm QUESTION: If a Christian commits suicide, does he or she automatically go to hell? Doesn’t the Bible say we must confess our sins in order for them to be forgiven? Surely suicide is a sin, but by its very nature it can be confessed only prior to the act. Is that sufficient in order to receive forgiveness for it? ANSWER: We can certainly agree on some crucial points here: suicide (self-murder) is certainly a very serious sin, being a violation of the sixth commandment; committing any … Continue reading →

Is Faith a Work?

Jack Cottrell Posted on by

Is Faith a Work? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 7:54am In response to a post by a facebook friend entitled “Faith Is Not A Work,” I attached the following comment: If “works” are defined generically as “things we do,” there are two kinds: obedience to law (the commands of our law code) and obedience to the gospel. Paul uses the term “works” for the former, and separates them from justification; he uses “obey the gospel” (Rom. 10:16; 2 Thess. 1:8) for what is necessary to receive salvation, including faith and confession (see context of Rom. … Continue reading →