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Articles & Essays

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

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145-153 of 186 articles

Christian Ministry & Preaching Fred Zaspel | July 1, 2012

Human Ingenuity and Gospel Preaching (part 1/4)

In 1821 in rural upstate New York, a young lawyer who had grown up a religious skeptic was converted to Christ. The next day in his law office he said to his client, “I have a retainer from the Lord Jesus Christ to plead his cause, and I cannot plead yours.” It was, he said, […]

Misc Fred Zaspel | June 1, 2012

No Condemnation!

Text by Fred G. Zaspel, Copyright, 1995* Sing to the tune of “Morning Has Broken,” traditional Gaelic melody No condemnation Now in Christ Jesus! Great consolation — Jesus has died! Our sin laid on Him, Full pardon gives us. Looking by faith dim, We’re justified! With judgment sure, must God recompense us? He perfectly just, […]

Hyper-Calvinism Fred Zaspel | June 1, 2012

Hyper-Calvinism and the Free Offer (Part 3/3)

The Doctrine of Eternal Justification: A Critique Definition Justification is a pronouncement of righteousness. It is God’s “legal” or official declaration that a person stands “righteous” before him as judged by his law. This righteous standing is grounded in the person and work of Christ, the sinner’s substitute who took the sinner’s guilt to himself […]

Hyper-Calvinism Fred Zaspel | June 1, 2012

Hyper-Calvinism and the Free Offer (Part 2/3)

Regeneration: Mediate or Immediate? Theological Clarification Regeneration is the life-giving work of God in which he brings the sinner out of spiritual death, thus radically transforming his inner being. Scripture variously represents regeneration as a new birth (e.g., Jn. 1:12; Jn.3:1ff), resurrection (e.g., Rom. 6:3-11; Eph. 2:5), creation (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. […]

Hyper-Calvinism Fred Zaspel | June 1, 2012

Hyper-Calvinism and the Free Offer (Part 1/3)

Introductory Considerations In a day in which Pelagianism reigns it may seem a strange discussion indeed to debate whether the gospel should be offered freely. But hyper-Calvinism remains with us, and the resurgence of Reformed theology in recent decades has witnessed with it a resurgence of hyper-Calvinism also. And one of its characteristic marks is […]

Misc Topics Fred Zaspel | June 1, 2012

Foolishness vs. What?

In the latter half of 1 Corinthians chapter 1 the apostle Paul famously expounds the theme of the wisdom of God in the gospel. Somewhat tongue in cheek he speaks of “the foolishness” of God; that is, the gospel — the message which the world considers so foolish. The gospel, of course, the message of […]

Revelation, Inspiration, & Canon Fred Zaspel | May 1, 2012

What is the Bible all about?

What is the Bible all about? What is its primary purpose in writing and its leading theme? We find the answer to our question when we examine the beginning and the end of Scripture. At the beginning God creates the world and all that is in it. We may be sure that he did this […]

The Christian Life Fred Zaspel | May 1, 2012

Unanswered Prayer

“Unanswered prayer” is a frustrating question virtually every Christian has faced. We know that God has promised to act in response to our prayers, but then he so often does not seem to at all. He has said he will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 20:4-5), but so often he doesn’t. Why? […]

Revelation, Inspiration, & Canon Fred Zaspel | May 1, 2012

General Revelation

By Fred Zaspel– The following helpful summary is from the late Robert J. Dunzweiler, my theology professor at Biblical Theological Seminary around 1990. These summary points are drawn from his analysis of such Biblical passages as Psalm 19, Romans 1, Acts 14:17, and 17:22-31. Doctrinal Formulation Concerning External General Revelation 1. There has been and […]