When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not
By Russ Lackey | Mark Mattes
01/20/26
19mins

When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not

American religion did not become optional because the gospel failed. It became optional because religion slowly redefined itself around usefulness.
Behold the Lamb
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/19/26

Behold the Lamb

The Passover wasn’t just Israel’s story; it’s ours.
Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
01/16/26

Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies

God makes us pure saints by planting us back in the earth we imagined we needed to escape.

All Articles

Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
03/02/21

The Demon of Acedia

Apathy, melancholy, and disillusionment plague the footsteps of the up-and-coming generations more than ever, especially in the realm of religion, and it’s worth asking, “Why?”
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
02/28/21

Gospel: John 2:13-25 (Lent 3: Series B)

At times, our Church struggles with clutter which distracts us from what is most important: Listening to our Lord and gathering at His table where we are fed.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
02/28/21

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (Lent 3: Series B)

Christianity is not about principally about ethics. It was the Cross on the Hill rather than the Sermon on the Mount that produced the impact of Christianity upon the world.
Jeffrey Pulse
Jeffrey Pulse
02/28/21

Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17 (Lent 3: Series B)

While these are familiar words to us, frequently they are dealt with in ways that fail to take into account the context and the situation.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
02/26/21

Repentance According to the Scriptures: Mark 1:1-8

Repentance comes on account of suffering, loss, failure, and death. It happens when the promise of forgiveness of sin given in Jesus’ death is proclaimed to us down-and-outers.
Haroldo Camacho
Haroldo Camacho
02/25/21

The Third Petition: Your Will Be Done

The place where it is most difficult for us to accept God’s will is when suffering, calamities, and finally, death itself.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
02/22/21

What to do When Life Goes to Pieces

The Bible is a book for the desperate. That is its target audience. Recognizing our desperation readies us to hear the consolation that only God’s Word can offer.
Peter Nafzger
Peter Nafzger
02/21/21

Gospel: Mark 8:27-38 (Lent 2: Series B)

Make no mistake, the life to which Jesus is calling His disciples is radically other than what our world preaches.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
02/21/21

Epistle: Romans 5:1-11 (Lent 2: Series B)

We were enemies, but because of the self-sacrificing love of Christ, we are made friends, indeed, even the adopted children of our Heavenly Father.
Jeffrey Pulse
Jeffrey Pulse
02/21/21

Old Testament: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 (Lent 2: Series B)

The Church has traditionally understood Baptism as a naming Sacrament. It reminds us of our new baptismal identity.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/19/21

Repentance According to the Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 7:14

We cannot scan any random passage of Scripture and automatically assume the words are unconditionally addressed to us. Often, very often, they are not.
Haroldo Camacho
Haroldo Camacho
02/18/21

The Second Petition: Your Kingdom Come

The kingdom of God has a proper name, and his name is Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
1517.org
Search
Academy
Donate

1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.