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Explore in-depth theological articles, essays, and blog posts on various topics of faith and theology.

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136-144 of 186 articles

The Christian Life Fred Zaspel | November 1, 2012

Legalism or Obedience?

Try to imagine it. You are playing a game of Monopoly, and your opponent throws a ten with the dice. Then he picks up his player marker and begins counting his steps. Immediately you realize he will land on the corner — “Go to Jail!” Well, he doesn’t want to land there, so he stops […]

Divine Attributes Fred Zaspel | October 1, 2012

The Happy Threads of Divine Providence

Today’s blog is personal. I hope you will indulge me while I explain a certain happy providence that has brought a smile to my face recently. Sixty-one years ago this month (October, 1951) my dad, then age 22, preached a week of special meetings in a small town in northern Wisconsin. The church was newly […]

Biblical Studies Fred Zaspel | October 1, 2012

Christ’s Message to the Spirits in Prison: An Analysis of 1 Peter 3:18-19

Volumes have been written on the interpretation of 1 Peter 3:18-19. J. Ramsay Michaels’ commentary on the passage1is the best I have seen on the subject, and if you can’t make sense of what I say here I suggest you read him. (Any similarities you find are confessedly not coincidental!). 1 Peter 3:18-19 read as […]

Biblical Studies Fred Zaspel | October 1, 2012

Baptism Saves?

In 1 Peter 3:21 we find a statement that has been puzzling to many: “Baptism . . . now saves you.” Are we saved by baptism? In much of the nineteenth century conversion for many American Evangelicals came at “the altar call.” This was so much a part of the conversion process that when asked […]

Spiritual Gifts Fred Zaspel | September 1, 2012

Quenching the Spirit

In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 the Lord gives us a command through his inspired apostle that I have often found fascinating. In most translations the verse reads, “Do not quench the Spirit.” In our NIV it reads more colorfully, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” I find this verse fascinating not simply because of what […]

Soteriology Fred Zaspel | August 13, 2012

Fred Zaspel’s Preface to Whomever He Wills

Download PDF A century ago in his Plan of Salvation B.B. Warfield argued powerfully that if a Theist allows the necessary implications of the Theism he has already embraced, he must be a Calvinist. That is to say, soteriological Calvinism is but the implicate, the necessary consequence of Theism. It is simply God being God. […]

Current Events & Politics Fred Zaspel | August 1, 2012

Reflections on Chick-Fil-A Day

Any which way you look at it, yesterday was quite an event. It was quite an event to see so many people willing happily to endure long lines for their food in order, by that, to support both traditional values and the freedom of speech. I’ve read the criticisms — from the left and the […]

Christian Ministry & Preaching Fred Zaspel | July 1, 2012

Human Ingenuity and Gospel Preaching (part 3/4)

By Fred Zaspel– Previous posts in this series can be found here and here. Christ Crucified: Our Only Theme In our previous two posts we explored the apostle Paul’s model for Christian ministry in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, and we noted his emphasis that it is the gospel alone that God uses to claim his people […]

Christian Ministry & Preaching Fred Zaspel | July 1, 2012

Human Ingenuity and Gospel Preaching (part 2/4)

In our previous blog we highlighted the difference between two prominent evangelists of the early nineteenth century, Asahel Nettleton and Charles Finney. Finney carried “revival in his briefcase,” convinced that the mere application of stated means could produce results. Nettleton, by contrast, decidedly removed himself from any “revival” that seemed to be grounded in excitement […]