Tag Archives: Original sin

CALVINISM IN A NUTSHELL

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QUESTION: Can you give me a concise summary of what is meant by “Calvinism”? Also, can you tell us briefly why these teachings are erroneous? What Bible verses would show this? ANSWER: Okay, this is a challenge; but here I will identify the main doctrines of Calvinism, and identify the key Bible passages that refute them. ONE. The OMNICAUSAL SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. In Calvinism, divine sovereignty means that God CAUSES everything, to the smallest detail. Whatever happens is simply the outworking of the DIVINE DECREE (essentially a nearly-infinite computer program or blueprint), defined as eternal, comprehensive, unconditional, and efficacious. The … Continue reading →

Saved by Grace #13 — ORIGINAL SIN–OR ORIGINAL GRACE?

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What about babies—when they are conceived, while in the womb, at birth? Are they under law, or under grace? This question is actually raised and answered in Romans 5:12-19, where Adam’s sin is contrasted with Christ’s cross. The issue being settled here is simply this: which of these is stronger? Which prevails over the other? At least since the time of Augustine (d. A.D. 430), the Christian world has tended to focus on what this text says about Adam more than what it says about Christ. Most see it as teaching the doctrine of ORIGINAL SIN. What does this phrase … Continue reading →

ARE WE BORN SINNERS?

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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 →

JESUS AND THE BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW

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JESUS AND THE BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 2:34pm QUESTION: Why are so many pious-sounding yet false doctrines held by so many people, and thought to be based on the Bible? ANSWER: OK, I admit it. I made up this question myself, just to give me an excuse for writing what follows. It does relate, however, to some recent comments related to the upcoming (Nov. 2012) election. I am coming more and more to realize that one of the most prolific sources of doctrinal error, or one of the biggest hindrances to … Continue reading →

HOMOSEXUALISM IN THE BIBLE

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HOMOSEXUALISM IN THE BIBLE by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, June 11, 2012 at 1:31pm QUESTION: Can you summarize the Biblical data on homosexualism? ANSWER: The Bible is clear about God’s creation-intention for sexuality. The male-female, husband-wife sexual relationship is established in the creation (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:18-25) and is assumed everywhere else in Scripture. Jesus reaffirmed the divine plan in Matt. 19:4-6; Paul does the same in 1 Cor. 7:2. The Bible clearly teaches that homosexual behavior is sinful. (My practice is to refer to homosexual behavior, which is always sinful, as homosexualism. I refer to the homosexual condition as … Continue reading →

How Can Unimmersed Persons Display the Fruit of the Spirit?

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How Can Unimmersed Persons Display the Fruit of the Spirit? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 8:52pm QUESTION: Is it possible for a person who does not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit of the Spirit as named in Galatians 5:22-23? I know individuals who have not obeyed Acts 2:38, which connects receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit with baptism, and yet they seem to exhibit aspects of the Spirit’s fruit. How can we explain this? ANSWER: The reason for the frequent confusion on this issue is the false assumption that none … Continue reading →

RELIGION VS. JESUS?

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RELIGION VS. JESUS? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Monday, January 16, 2012 at 2:33pm QUESTION: There is a video going around called “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus: Spoken Word.” Do you have any comments on it? REPLY: A lot of this is very good. I discuss this distinction myself near the beginning of my seminary course on the doctrine of grace. One problem, though, is the ambiguity of the word “religion,” to the point that it becomes mostly a matter of semantics. If you define “religion” up front as false, hypocritical, works-oriented, external-only, self-centered activity in the name … 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 →

THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE

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THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, November 25, 2011 at 3:37pm QUESTION: What is the conscience, and how does it work? ANSWER: I have written on this in my commentary on Romans, as part of my comments on Romans 2:15, where Paul says that even pagans “show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (ESV). The following paragraphs are taken from this commentary (1996 ed., I:203-205). The latter part of Romans 2:15 focuses on an … Continue reading →

WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THOSE BAPTIZED UNBIBLICALLY?

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WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THOSE BAPTIZED UNBIBLICALLY? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 1:15pm QUESTION: What is the spiritual status of the millions of people who have mistakenly followed the false views of baptism, whether in regard to meaning, subjects, or mode? E.g., here is a person who was sprinkled as a baby as a mark of membership in a local church, based solely on the fact that he was born to parents who were already members of that church. That person is now an adult and is actively involved in church activities and … Continue reading →