Bible Study Questions and Answers

500 Pages·2017·1.27 MB·English

by  Archie Miller

Bible Study Questions and Answers
JACK COTTRELL’S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THOSE BAPTIZED
UNBIBLICALLY?
2. IS THE “BAPTISM OF DESIRE” SUFFICIENT?
3. THE MEANING OF THE FOOTWASHING IN JOHN 13:1-17
4. THE IMPERATIVES OF ACTS 2:38
5. CAN WE COOPERATE WITH CHRISTIAN GROUPS?
6. IS REBAPTISM EVER NECESSARY?
7. DEGREES OF REWARD IN HEAVEN
8. WILL CHRISTIANS GO THROUGH THE JUDGMENT?
9. HEBREWS 12:15 AND THE QUESTION OF ETERNAL
SECURITY
10. ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
11. SUICIDE AND FORGIVENESS
12. IS FAITH A WORK?
13. IS SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT A CALVINIST
DOCTRINE?
14. ARE CHRISTIANS FORBIDDEN TO MARRY NON-
CHRISTIANS?
15. WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE DIE?
16. IS SOUND DOCTRINE A MORAL OBLIGATION? (PART
ONE)
17. IS SOUND DOCTRINE A MORAL OBLIGATION? (PART
TWO)
18. DOES IT MATTER WHAT CHURCH WE ATTEND?
19. DID THE EARLY CHRISTIAN FATHERS TEACH
CALVINISM?
20. TO JUDGE OR NOT TO JUDGE? THAT IS THE
QUESTION.
21. EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN NATURE IS CREATED
22. ETERNAL HELL AND “IMMORTAL” SOUL: HOW ARE
THEY RELATED?
23. “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED” – AGAIN! AND
AGAIN! AND AGAIN!
24. THE PARADOX OF PRAYER
25. PART TWO: APPLICATION TO OUR PRAYER LIFE:
THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF PRAYER.
26. WHEN DID CALVINISM BEGIN?
27. IMPUTED VS. IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS
28. GRACE IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
29. THE “PIOUS UNIMMERSED”
30. CHURCH UNITY: WHO ARE OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN CHRIST?
31. LOVE WINS, BY ROB BELL: A SYNOPSIS OF
COTTRELL’S REVIEW
32. BAPTISM FOR SALVATION: IT’S BIBLICAL BASIS
33. THE BIBLE AND CULTURE
34. INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE, PART ONE: SOME
HISTORICAL DATA
35. INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE, PART TWO: WHAT IS AT
STAKE?
36. INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE, PART THREE: EXAMPLE
OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DENIED
37. INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE, PART FOUR: AN APPEAL
38. ARE BABIES BORN IN ORIGINAL SIN?
39. WAS JOHN’S BAPTISM “FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF
SINS”?
40. IS BAPTIMS A NEW CONDITION FOR SALVATION?
41. DID JESUS’ POWER TO WORK MIRACLES COME FROM
THE HOLY SPIRIT?
42. OUR AUTHORITY: SCRIPTURE OR EXPERIENCE?
43. A SORT-OF PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
44. IF JESUS IS GOD, WHY DID HE NOT KNOW THE TIME
OF HIS SECOND COMING?
45. SHOULD WE TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER EVERY
WEEK?
46. ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART ONE
47. ELECTION, CALVINISM, AND THE BIBLE, PART TWO
48. CAN A CHRISTIAN WHO FALLS AWAY EVER BECOME
SAVED AGAIN?
49. CRANBERRY JUICE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER?
50. CAN A GOD OF LOVE BE A JEALOUS GOD?
51. APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT AND MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
52. MORE ON REMARRIAGE AFTER A NON-BIBLICAL
DIVORCE
53. THE PRETERIST VIEW OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMING
54. WHEN WAS SATAN CREATED?
55. CAN THE GUILTY PARTY REMARRY AFTER DIVORCE?
56. DIVORCE AND CHURCH LEADERSHIP
57. IS GENESIS ONE A POEM?
58. SALVATION AND “THE CHURCH OF CHRIST”
59. IS EVERYTHING “THE WILL OF GOD”?
60. DESCRIBING GOD
61. DIVORCE AND 1 CORINTHIANS 7:15
62. THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR (1 SAMUEL 28)
63. BAPTISM AND ORIGINAL SIN
64. WHO ARE THE “COWARDLY” IN REVELATION 21:8?
65. “IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?”
QUESTIONING THE QUESTION
66. “RELIGION” VS. A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
67. BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD (2)
68. IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT?
69. WHAT ABOUT REWARDS IN HEAVEN?
70. CAN NON-CHRISTIANS DO GOOD WORKS?
71. WHY WAS JESUS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?
72. IS BAPTISM AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO A COMMAND?
73. DID JESUS GO TO HELL TO PAY FOR OUR SINS?
74. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF FREE WILL?
75. THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
76. WHAT WILL BE OUR ACTIVITIES IN HEAVEN?
77. LOVE OR TRUTH? A FALSE CHOICE!
78. WHAT IS THE GIFT OF APOSTLES?
79. MAY WOMEN SPEAK IN CHURCH?
80. THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND BAPTISM
81. ARE SINNERS “BEGOTTEN” TO NEW LIFE BEFORE
BEING “BORN AGAIN” IN BAPTISM?
82. IS BODY AUGMENTATION MORAL?
83. WILL THERE BE SEXUAL ACTIVITY IN HEAVEN?
84. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ESSENTIALITY OF BAPTISM
85. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17 AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
BAPTISM
86. THE ONE TRUE GOD VS. FALSE GODS
87. HOW DO CALVINISTS EXPLAIN 2 PETER 3:9
88. WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT GOD’S GIVING HIS
SON?
89. SHOULD THE EMBLEMS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER BE
TAKEN BY CHRISTIANS ONLY?
90. JEWS AND THE LAND OF ISRAEL: DOES AMOS 9:14-15
APPLY TODAY?
91. DOES 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14 SUPPORT CALVINISM?
92. IS BAPTISM A SACRAMENT?
93. WHO ARE THE “ELECT ANGELS” IN 1 TIMOTHY 5:21
94. WERE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS TRULY FORGIVEN?
95. WERE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS TRULY FORGIVEN?
96. ARE “THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES” PLANNED OR SET BY
GOD?
97. IS IT NECESSARY TO BE A MEMBER OF A LOCAL
CHURCH (I)
98. IS IT NECESSARY TO BE A MEMBER OF A LOCAL
CHURCH (II)
99. WHY WE NEED THE CHURCH (III)
100. IS HOME COMMUNION NECESSARY?
101. DOES COLOSSIANS 1:15 SAY THAT JESUS IS A
CREATED BEING?
102. THE “NOT A NEW CONVERT” RULE FOR THE
ELDERSHIP
103. WHAT IS THE SALVATION STATUS FOR THE
UNEVANGELIZED?
104. MODALISM: AN HERETICAL VIEW OF THE TRINITY
105. WHO IS THE “TRUE GOD” IN 1 JOHN 5:20b
106. WHAT DOES 1 JOHN 1:9 MEAN?
107. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GRACE
108. WHAT ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?
109. GRACE, LAW, AND THE NEW COVENANT
110. WHAT IS THE TRINITY?
111. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE “BAPTISM IN FIRE”
IN MATTHEW 3:11?
112. WHAT IS THE “ONE BAPTISM” IN EPHESIANS 4:5?
113. WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THE
UNIMMERSED?
114. IS INFANT IMMERSION A VALID BAPTISM?
115. CAN A PERSON DISPLAY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
WITHOUT THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT?
116. WHAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR BAPTISM?
117. WAS IT POSSIBLE FOR JESUS TO SIN?
118. TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT FREE WILL
119. SUNDAY: THE CHURCH’S SPECIAL DAY
120. THOUGHTS ON JUDAS’ FIELD
121. TIPS FOR PREPARING LORD’S SUPPER MEDITATIONS
122. MY BOOK ABOUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
123. IS MULTICULTURALISM WRONG?
124. IS IT WRONG TO EAT BLOOD (ACTS 15:29)?
125. HOW SHOULD ONE STUDY THE BIBLE?
126. WHY SHOULD A CHRISTIAN STUDY THE BIBLE?
127. SHOULD NON-MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN LEADING
OUR CHURCH SERVICES?
128. DOES JESUS HAVE “THE SAME BODY” FROM BIRTH
THROUGHOUT ETERNITY?
129. FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN: THE INCARNATION
AND PHILIPPIANS 2:5
130. MUST DEACONS HAVE CHILDREN?
131. DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE, AND CHURCH OFFICES
132. DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE IN LIGHT OF 1
CORINTHIANS 7:10-16
133. PATRIOTIC SONGS IN THE CHURCH?
134. “A CHURCH THAT FITS”
135. BAPTISM AND CALLING ON HIS NAME
136. CAN SATAN CAST OUT SATAN?
137. WHAT ABOUT TITHING?
138. GOD HATES SIN AND THE SINNER
139. IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?
140. MORE ON THE CHRISTOLOGICAL FALLACY
141. THE CHRISTOLOGICAL FALLACY
142. WOMEN, QUIETNESS, AND SILENCE: 1 TIMOTHY 2:12
& 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34
143. ARE WE JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST’S DEATH OR BY
FAITH?
144. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STUDYING GREEK
145. DID JESUS GO TO HELL WHEN HE DIED (1 PETER
3:18-19)?
146. HEBREWS 6:4-8 AND “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED”
147. WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY?
148. DOES SILENCE MEAN PROHIBITION OR
PERMISSION?
149. IS FAITH A GIFT?
150. WHAT IS BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD?
151. ACTS 22:16 AND BAPTISM
152. WHAT ABOUT HALLOWEEN?
153. THE WONDERS OF CHRISTMAS – 1 TIMOTHY 1:15
154. CAN CHRISTIANS BE CALLED “SINNERS”?
155. ARE EXORCISMS MIRACULOUS?
156. GOOD FRUIT FROM THE “UNBAPTIZED”
157. WHY DEMONIC WORKS IN A CHRISTIAN CONTEXT?
158. THE LEVIRATE LAW AND RUTH
159. THE CANE RIDGE PHENOMENA
160. WHY MUST CHRISTIANS ASK FOR FORGIVENESS?
161. ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA: SAVED OR LOST?
162. “THE SPIRIT’S SWORD”: RESISTING TEMPTATION
THROUGH THE WORD
163. IS 1 TIMOTHY 2:12 A CONCESSION TO CULTURE?
164. THE BIBLE: REVEALED, INSPIRED, OR BOTH?
165. WOMEN PREACHERS
166. “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED” AND LUKE 8:13
167. HEAD COVERINGS IN 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1
168. HEAD COVERINGS IN 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1
169. DEPRAVITY: TOTAL, PARTIAL, OR NONE AT ALL?
170. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AUTHORITY AND
THE APPLICABILITY OF SCRIPTURE (2 TIMOTHY 3:16)
171. IS BIBLICAL INSPIRATION A PROOF OF CALVINISM?
172. FORGIVENESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
173. ARE WE ARMINIAN, PELAGIAN, OR WHATEVER?
174. THOMAS CAMPBELL’S DECLARION AND ADDRESS
175. MARTIN LUTHER ON IMMERSION
176. ARE DEMONS ACTIVE TODAY?
177. THOUGHTS ON 1 CORINTHIANS 14:34
178. “COMMON GRACE” IN CALVINISM
179. THE VISIBLE AND THE INVISIBLE CHURCH
180. SONS OF GOD AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN IN GENESIS
6
181. TO WHOM SHOULD WE PRAY?
182. A WRONG VIEW OF LAW AND GRACE
183. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON HOMOSEXUALISM
184. ARE WE JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST’S LIFE OR BY HIS
DEATH OR BOTH?
185. HOW CAN 1 KINGS 15:5 SAY THAT DAVID SINNED
ONLY IN THE CASE OF URIAH?
186. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND THE DEITY OF CHRIST
187. WHAT ABOUT NORMAN GEISLER’S SYSTEMATIC
THEOLOGY?
188. ORIGIN OF THE NAME “HEBREW”
189. GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN HEALTH CARE
190. DOES GOD HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR?
191. A NOTE ON PSALM 105:18
192. “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED?”
193. “SECOND WORK OF GRACE”
194. CALVINISM SUMMARIZED
195. MORE ON BAPTISM IN JESUS ONLY
196. OLD TESTAMENT JUDICIAL KILLINGS
197. MORE ON ORIGINAL SIN
198. WHAT ABOUT REBAPTISM?
199. FOLLOW UP ON “BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF JESUS
ONLY”
200. ORIGINAL SIN AND THE INCARNATION OF JESUS
201. BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF “JESUS ONLY”
202. WHEN WERE THE APOSTLES BAPTIZED?
203. BAPTISM AND 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
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1. WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THOSE
BAPTIZED UNBIBLICALLY?
by Jack Cottrell on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 3:16pm
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 sincerely believes that he
is a Christian (i.e., saved). What is your assessment of this
situation?
ANSWER: I will say first of all that I may have addressed this
kind of question in an earlier note. I tend to forget what I have
already covered, and am not inclined to dig through all the old
files. So I beg my readers’ indulgence if this is repetition. (Much of
the following comes from page 373 of my book, “The Faith Once
for All,” and page 374 of my book, “Power from on High.”)
First, I unequivocally affirm that the NT consistently and
unambiguously teaches that Christian baptism is the immersion of
believing, repentant sinners for the purpose of receiving salvation.
I have set forth the textual evidence for this in my book,Baptism: A
Biblical Study(College Press: 2006 edition). The conclusion (p.
155) sums up what this book accomplishes: “Altogether we have
studied twelve separate texts in detail, with references to several
others along the way. What is remarkable is not only the fact that
theydopresent baptism as the time God has appointed for initially
bestowing salvation upon believing, repentant sinners, but also the
fact that they areunanimousin doing so. This is not some obscure
inference that must be laboriously forced from the fringes of a few
texts, but is the central theme of them all! And at the same time, no
other meaning emerges to serve in even a secondary role, much
less to challenge the one main idea that baptism is for salvation.”
In spite of this clear Biblical teaching, many who have not been
thus Biblically baptized, but (e.g.) have been sprinkled as babies,
assume that their baptism was sufficient and that they are saved.
Others who have observed their lives draw the same conclusion.
The main reason for these assumptions is the ongoing presence of
Christian commitment and service, and especially the presence of
the “fruit of the Spirit” described in Gal. 5:22. Surely, anyone who
manifests this fruit must have the indwelling of the Spirit and
therefore must be saved!
However, this is not necessarily the case, for two reasons. First, the
various virtues listed by Paul—love, joy, peace, and the rest—are
in reality thenaturalstate for human beings made in God’s image.
Such “righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph. 4:24) are part
of the original “image of God” which the Creator gave to the
human race in the beginning and which is still present in every
sinner to some extent. Thus we can expect these virtues—at least
some of them, to some degree—to be present in most people.
(From the negative side, this is the same reason why we do not
findallof the “deeds of the flesh” present inallsinners.)
The second reason why individuals who do not have the Spirit’s
indwelling presence can manifest the fruit of the Spirit is that such
folks have been convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment by
the Spirit-inspired Word of God (John 16:8-11), and they are
making an effort to obey the Word and to lead a virtuous life. They
are trying to live according to the Bible, under the knowledge and
motivation engendered by Biblical teaching. Those who have thus
come under the influence of the Word (Heb. 4:12-13) will be able
to bear the fruit of the Spirit to some extent. This explains why OT
saints, none of whom had the indwelling of the Spirit (which began
on Pentecost), were able to exhibit these virtues.
Thus when anyone seeks to live according to the moral teaching of
the Word of God, the Spirit of God is at work in his life. When that
person, through free-will effort, becomes more loving, more
patient, or more self-controlled, he is under the influence of the
Holy Spirit and is thus producing “the fruit of the Spirit.” This
doesnotmean that every person who thus bears some of the Spirit’s
fruit is saved. It doesnotmean that the Spirit is dwelling within
him. He may simply be under conviction through the power of the
Word.
Because of the clear teaching of Scripture on baptism itself, I must
conclude that only those who have consciously received immersion
as a saving work of God can be confident of theirpresentstatus as
Christians and as members of the body of Christ. It is, of course,
possible that in some cases God has made exceptions and has acted
outside his stated plan of bestowing salvation upon believers in
immersion; but if so, only He knows about it. We have no right to
presume upon God in this respect.
If someone who has not been Biblically baptized is convinced that
God has saved him, we may follow this procedure. One, while
granting that God may have made an exception, we must insist that
no one can know this for sure. Experience (e.g., observations about
the “fruit of the Spirit”) can be deceiving (Matt. 7:21-23). Two, we
must make sure that the Biblical teaching on baptism is clearly
understood and accepted. Three, we must invite the person of
unsure status to receive baptism properly, while calling upon God
to work upon him and within him whatever works of salvation He
has not already worked. See 1 Peter 3:21: baptism is “an appeal to
God for a good conscience”; and Acts 22:16: “calling on His
name” for salvation is the sinner’s prayer just before baptism.
This sinner’s prayer can be something like this: “Thank you,
Father, for salvation through Jesus Christ, and for whatever works
of salvation you may already have bestowed upon me. Thank you
that I have been able to live under the light and power of your
Word. Thank you for showing me the true meaning of baptism as
taught in your Word. Though I have not yet done so, I gladly now
submit to your command to be baptized for the forgiveness of my
sins and for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And I call upon you to give
me now whatever aspects of salvation you have not already given
me. Thank you so much. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
We thus leave it in God’s hands to know about this person’s past;
our concern and our confidence are now focused on the present
and the future. By submitting to baptism thus, in the Biblical way,
a person can now be sure of his present status before God.