Tag Archives: Restoration Movement

Are We Arminian , Pelagian, or Whatever?

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Are We Arminian , Pelagian, or Whatever? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 12:45pm HERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION: How does the Restoration Movement compare with Calvinism and Augustinianism? I am assuming that we are of an Arminian persuasion, but I would flatly deny the doctrine of total depravity and original sin, which many Arminians claim to believe. So, does that make me a Pelagian or semi-pelagian? HERE IS MY ANSWER: Not all Arminians affirm total depravity and original sin. Even those who say they do (mostly Wesleyan Arminians) have a device called “prevenient grace” that nullifies … Continue reading →

Are Demons Active Today?

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Are Demons Active Today? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 8:26am QUESTION ABOUT DEMONS: Where does the Church of Christ (nondenominational) stand on the issue of demonic activity in modern times? Does demonic possession exist only in Catholic lore and legend, or does our fellowship also believe in its possibility, but not enough to ever really mention it? If you could refer me to any reputable reading on the matter, I’d be deeply appreciative. MY REPLY: There is no unanimity on this issue within Restoration Movement circles today. In earlier times, including my student days, the … Continue reading →

The Visible and the Invisible Church

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The Visible and the Invisible Church by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 7:49pm HERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION recently received: “In a lesson on the Protestant Reformation Roger Chambers makes the claim that the invisible church, as Calvin, Zwingli, and even Augustine viewed it, is a ‘myth.’ Chambers says that their view was that the ‘real’ church was the invisible church, mainly because they looked around and saw the visible church as being so corrupted. This is why, when Protestant literature speaks of the ‘real’ church, or invisible church, they use the words ‘Christian’ or ‘Church of … Continue reading →

A wrong view of law and grace

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A wrong view of law and grace by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:41pm TODAY I RECEIVED the following (edited) inquiry: “In a Bible study, a member asked me about (I can’t recall the exact names, but I believe she said) ‘star, morning and evening’ dispensations. I don’t recall the exact terms. A previous minister had taught on these dispensations. I know he is a Premillennial Dispensationalist. Is this part of dispensational theology, or am I forgetting something? I can’t find any reference to these in the Bible, and neither could I find them in your … Continue reading →

Bibliography on homosexualism

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Bibliography on homosexualism by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 2:33pm A FaceBook friend asked for suggestions re books on both sides of the homosexual question (same-sex attraction). Here is such a list, with notations. Double-asterisk means they are especially recommended. J.Cottrell BAILEY, Derrick Sherwin. Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition. London: Longman, Green and Co., 1955. An early revisionist view of Biblical teaching, defending homosexual behavior. BAKER, Don. Beyond Rejection: The Church, Homosexuality and Hope. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1985. The story of a Christian homosexual who asked for his church’s help, and how they responded. … Continue reading →

What about Norman Geisler’s Systematic Theology?

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What about Norman Geisler’s Systematic Theology? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 1:47pm Someone asked me for my opinion of Norman Geisler’s four-volume systematic theology. My opinion of Geisler in general is that he is a much better apologist than theologian. I like his works in the area of apologetics quite a bit and have made use of them often. I don’t agree with him on some things, e.g., his attempt to explain the presence of evil in the world (without evil we could not appreciate the good). Still, I don’t use any of his apologetics … Continue reading →

“Second Work of Grace”

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“Second Work of Grace” by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 2:06pm I HAD A REQUEST about Wesleyanism: “The Wesleyan church believes there are two forms of grace. I don’t understand this. Their doctrine is similar to the Christian Church. Can you help me understand this?” MY REPLY: Wesleyanism includes those groups growing out of John Wesley’s teaching: Methodist churches, Holiness churches, and many Pentecostal churches. This theological school is similar to the Christian Church (Restoration Movement) in one main way: it is non-Calvinist, or Arminian; it accepts truly free will in human beings. In many other … Continue reading →

Books that Have Influenced Me

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Books that Have Influenced Me by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 9:39am Some recently asked me this question: Would you mind sharing some of the books, besides the Bible, that helped to shape your views and understanding of the Bible? Also, who are the contemporary authors which continue to influence you? I thought I would share my (amplified) answer with everyone: “This is always a hard question for me to answer since the list is shorter than it seems it should be: Martin Luther (on grace and salvation issues); B. B. Warfield (for his meticulousness in … Continue reading →

Faith and Reason

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Faith and Reason by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 9:21am Someone asked in a post, “Do you believe faith is independent of reason?” I answered thus: NO — the separation of faith and reason is a myth. You exercise faith EVERY TIME you accept someone else’s word about something, whether it be your doctor, your friend, the newspaper, a politician, or apostles. That is the ESSENCE of faith. But we must always ask, WHY should I accept another person’s word about anything? This is where reason enters. We should never accept someone’s word without adequate evidence–even … Continue reading →

SOME THOUGHTS ON 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14 – 7:1

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SOME THOUGHTS ON 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14 – 7:1 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 8:58pm Recently a friend wrote me asking about the meaning of 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1. This was my reply: The background for this text is God’s permanent standard and rule that his people should always remain distinct from the world, which is “the domain of darkness,” Col. 1:13. God applied this principle to Israel under the Old Covenant by separating them geographically from the world; this is why he gave them the “promised land,” the land of Canaan. He commanded them to be … Continue reading →