Grace and the Illusion of Control
By Ryan Couch
06/22/26
17mins

Grace and the Illusion of Control

The life we are trying to manage, improve, and secure is not something to be mastered. It is something to be surrendered. And this is where everything changes. Because in Christ, the approval we are seeking has already been spoken.
The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century
Adam Francisco
Adam Francisco
06/19/26

The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

It is within this charged atmosphere that Luther’s writings take on their full significance. His responses to the Turkish threat were not merely reactions to military events; they were rooted in a deep theological reflection on the nature of God’s rule over the world, the responsibilities of Christian rulers, and the role of the Church in times of crisis.
AI Can't Save You
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
06/17/26

AI Can't Save You

Your God is not artificially intelligent, but the source of all intelligence (including yours).

All Articles

Russ Lackey
Russ Lackey
01/05/26

Wake Up Dead Man: A Word Worth Saving for Lent

Wake Up Dead Man is not ultimately a story about mystery, exposure, or even justice. It is a story about what happens when mercy speaks to death—and death listens.
Jason Oakland
Jason Oakland
12/30/25

A Crown of Righteousness In Store for Me

The story of your life stretches beyond the dash on the tombstone.
Matthew L. Rubinstein
Matthew L. Rubinstein
12/05/25

Death and the Maiden

It is death that deserves derision, not the disciple who reaches through sorrow for his Lord.
Luke Kjolhaug
Luke Kjolhaug
11/18/25

Why AI Avatars Can’t Conquer Death

The Christian answer to death is not a disembodied app, but a bodily resurrection.
Sam P. Schuldheisz
Sam P. Schuldheisz
11/03/25

All Saints’ Day: A Holy Band of Brothers and Sisters in Christ

All Saints’ Day is a war story. And in Christ crucified and risen, it’s also a victory story.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
10/14/25

An Introduction to the Bondage of the Will: In Bondage to Sin

This is the third installment in our article series, “An Introduction to the Bondage of the Will,” written to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Bondage of the Will.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
10/07/25

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

We can lay down our sledgehammers of moralistic performance, which aren’t effective anyway, and we can trust that we are his and his life is ours.
Brian W. Thomas
Brian W. Thomas
09/05/25

Sacraments for the Rest of Us

The reason Christians argue so much about the sacraments is because, deep down, they matter.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
08/28/25

Teach Us to Pray

You’re permitted to call on “Our Father, who art in heaven” at all hours of the day and night with whatever you like.
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
08/04/25

When our Childhood Heroes Die

Why reflect on these three men — MacArthur, Ozzy, and Hulk Hogan — in the same breath?
Ryan Matthias
Ryan Matthias
07/31/25

Don't Miss This

The thief is the prophetic picture of all of us, staring hopelessly hopeful at the Son of God, begging to hear the same words.
Kathy Morales
Kathy Morales
07/22/25

An Excerpt from Remembering Your Baptism: Ordinary Water

This is an excerpt from Remembering Your Baptism: A Sinner Saint Devotional (1517 Publishing, 2025) by Kathy Morales, pgs 74-77.
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.
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