Tag Archives: Trinity

JESUS AND YAHWEH: HOW ARE THEY RELATED?

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Question: Recently I saw an article that declared that Yahweh (Jehovah) in the Old Testament is God the Father only, and that he does not include the other persons of the Trinity. The article specifically said that Yahweh and Christ Jesus are two distinct individuals. Is this Biblical? What do you think? Answer: I saw the same article, and I disagree with the view presented there. I believe that Yahweh as the name for God revealed in the Old Testament includes all three persons of the Trinity. Depending on the context, this name may refer to all three persons or … Continue reading →

THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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QUESTION: Who is the Holy Spirit? How is he related to the Father and the Son? Is the Holy Spirit a divine person, one of the three persons of the Trinity? ANSWER: I have addressed this issue in chapter one of my larger book on the Holy Spirit, Power from on High: What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit (College Press, 2007). This chapter is called “The Person of the Holy Spirit.” In it I establish three basic facts. According to the Bible, (1) the Holy Spirit is a person in the full and true sense of the word; … Continue reading →

WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM AS TRINE (TRIPLE) IMMERSION?

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WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM AS TRINE (TRIPLE) IMMERSION? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 4:36pm QUESTION: I have heard that some churches baptize their new converts by immersing them three times. They call this “trine” (or “triune”) immersion. Where does this idea come from? ANSWER: Today practically all Orthodox Churches (e.g., Greek Orthodox) immerse both infants and adult converts three times as their form of baptism. They are simply continuing a practice that began in the early church around the beginning of the third century. Also, the Church of the Brethren practices believers’ baptism by immersing three … Continue reading →

In the Atonement, Did God the Father Suffer Along with the Son?

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In the Atonement, Did God the Father Suffer Along with the Son? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, March 9, 2012 at 2:40pm QUESTION: We talk a lot about how Jesus suffered to accomplish atonement for our sins, but did not God the Father also share in this suffering? If Christ’s suffering was separation from the Father (Matthew 27:46 – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”), did the Father not also experience the grief of this separation, this broken relationship? Thus it seems that not only did Christ pay for our sins, but so did the Father … Continue reading →

IS GOD MORE THAN THREE PERSONS?

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IS GOD MORE THAN THREE PERSONS? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:11pm QUESTION: We speak about the “three persons in the Godhead,” i.e., the Trinity. We also say that God has revealed Himself in these three persons as performing different roles for salvation purposes. Is it not possible that the omnipotent God could reveal Himself in MORE than three persons with other roles? Perhaps he has revealed Himself in just three persons because these are enough and sufficient to save mankind. ANSWER: This speculation is quite faulty, and it is based on a false assumption … 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 →

CHURCH UNITY: WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST?

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CHURCH UNITY: WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 12:21pm QUESTION: What can we say about the unity of the church as a whole? Can we call Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Roman Catholics, etc., our brothers and sisters in Christ? ANSWER: Everyone who is presently in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ is my brother or sister in Christ. Everyone who has obeyed the gospel has entered into this saving relationship with Christ and is thus my brother or sister in Christ. Obedience to the gospel consists of FAITH (believing … Continue reading →

Did Jesus’ Power To Work Miracles Come from the Holy Spirit?

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Did Jesus’ Power To Work Miracles Come from the Holy Spirit? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 10:13am QUESTION: I have a question about Jesus’ ability to perform miraculous deeds. Do you think that He had this ability of His own accord, or did He need the Spirit’s empowerment to be able to do such things while on earth? Is this a “false choice” question? I know that Jesus surrendered some of His divine prerogatives (Phil. 2:5ff.), but He certainly didn’t cease being God. While on earth, though, did He need the Spirit’s empowerment to do … Continue reading →

If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Not Know the Time of His Second Coming?

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If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Not Know the Time of His Second Coming? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 2:02pm QUESTION: If Jesus is part of the Godhead, i.e., if he is the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity, why did he not know the dates and times suggested in Matt. 24:36 and Mark 13:32? ANSWER: Matt. 24:36 says concerning the day of the second coming, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Mark 13:32 is the … Continue reading →

Books By Jack Cottrell

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BOOKS BY JACK COTTRELL by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 1:35pm Someone asked me recently to make a list of my available books. I thought some of you may be interested in the list, so I am publishing it here, mostly as written for another purpose. I, Jack Cottrell (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary), have taught theology at Cincinnati Christian University for 43 years. During this time I have written 20 books, 16 of which are still in print. The following is a list of these available books. The first seven are available from College Press Publishing … Continue reading →