Tag Archives: Theology

“The Spirit’s Sword”: Resisting Temptation Through the Word

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“The Spirit’s Sword”: Resisting Temptation Through the Word by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 6:46pm THE SPIRIT’S SWORD Part of the “full armor of God” is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:13, 17). An old hymn speaks of “overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword.” The question here is this: how can we use the Word of God most effectively in our battle against temptation? For one thing, we must SEEK, KNOW, BELIEVE, and LOVE the truth of God’s Word. We know that when Jesus was tempted, he quoted Scripture … Continue reading →

“Once Saved, Always Saved” & Luke 8:13

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“Once Saved, Always Saved” & Luke 8:13 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 12:18pm A RECENT REQUEST: “I have been debating a Calvinist over necessary perseverance, and I was wondering your view on Luke 8:13. Do you believe this describes a true believer or a false believer? The Calvinist is arguing that Jesus shows that if someone falls away from the faith, they were never saved to begin with. He believes that his arguments for eternal security rise and fall based on the four soils of Jesus’ parable. If you could offer any advice or input, … Continue reading →

Depravity: Total, Partial, or None at All?

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Depravity: Total, Partial, or None at All? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, October 2, 2009 at 1:26pm A QUESTIONER ASKS, what Scriptures disqualify (I take this to mean disprove) Total Depravity in human beings? And if Total Depravity is ruled out, does that mean we are PARTIALLY depraved? MY REPLY: Depravity as such has to do with the sinfulness of our human nature, i.e., having a nature that has been infected with sin like the body can be infected with disease. It means having a sinful, evil, spiritually diseased or dead nature. The first issue is WHETHER a sinner’s … Continue reading →

The Difference between the Authority & the Applicability of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16)

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The Difference between the Authority & the Applicability of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16) by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, October 2, 2009 at 9:43am ONE OF MY READERS sent the following (edited) query: In your book, “Set Free: What the Bible Says About Grace,” you say that Paul’s assertion that “we are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14-15) means that we are not under the law SYSTEM of salvation. It does NOT mean, however, that we are no longer under a law CODE, i.e., a list of commandments we are obligated to obey. You say that everyone is … Continue reading →

Is Biblical Inspiration a Proof of Calvinism?

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Is Biblical Inspiration a Proof of Calvinism? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 2:26pm SOMEONE HAS WRITTEN about a “Calvinist challenge,” thus: “I wanted to pass along a challenge a Calvinist has thrown down. My answer, thus far, has been that Scripture is silent on the ‘mode’ of inspiration, leaving the Calvinist with the same conundrum. I wondered if you might have a further thought on the following challenge:” “How is it that God inspired the Scriptures in such a way that every word—indeed, every jot and tittle—was what He determined? Every standard evangelical definition of … Continue reading →

Forgiveness in the Old Testament

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Forgiveness in the Old Testament by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 1:32pm HERE’S A QUESTION ABOUT FORGIVENESS: In your Romans commentary (Vol. I, p. 264) you say that the sins of OT saints were not just “rolled back” until Jesus’ crucifixion, but that the certainty of Jesus’ propitiatory sacrifice enabled God to forgive the sins of OT saints even during the OT era. What, then, is Isaiah referring to when he says in 22:14: “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for.” What is the sin? Why was it not forgiven during their … Continue reading →

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 →

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 14:34

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Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 14:34 by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 8:02pm A RECENT REQUEST ASKS, “Could you point me to some literature regarding Paul’s intent with his comment in 1 Corinthians 14:34 and what we are to make of it today? I am just now beginning a study on this and wanted a place to begin. Also, what is your take on this text?” MY REPLY: The place to begin on this or any similar text is at this web site: www.cbmw.org . This is the site for a scholarly evangelical non-feminist organization (for which … 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 →

What about tongue-speaking?

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What about tongue-speaking? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 2:13pm A FaceBook fan asked, “What can you say about speaking in tongues?” My brief answer: Well, I have already said a LOT about it! In 2006 I published a small book, “The Holy Spirit: A Biblical Study” (College Press, pb., 131p.), in which the last three chapters are all about miraculous spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues. In 2007 I published a large book, “Power from on High: What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit” (College Press, hb, 506p.), in which the last (long) … Continue reading →