There is indeed a responsibility for the church to share the gospel in the world, but never at the expense of the church’s charity and mercy for those neighbors who are nearby.
The only hope for idol-addicted sinners who are utterly incapable of decluttering their souls is Jesus, the one at the heart of the gospel, and the only one who stands before the Father with an undivided heart.
More than a friend, Amsdorf was also an important figure in the work of religious reform, providing counsel to Luther on key occasions, shepherding the churches, and defending the faith until his death.

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God chooses to clothe himself in promises and hides himself in his word.
If you struggle with doubt, take heart: You are not alone.
In grace, God chooses to love his people.
This is an excerpt from Ditching the Checklist: Assurance of Salvation for Evangelicals (and Other Sinners) by Mark Mattes (1517 Publishing, 2025), pgs. 5-7.
This is the second article in a special three-part Advent series on how Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
The Lord has an answer to your tears, your trouble, your weariness, your enemies, your grief, your shame, your sin.
You have real freedom through the gospel of Jesus Christ, a freedom that doesn’t rest on founders, votes, or power plays.
More certain than death or taxes and more certain than “anything else in all creation” is the fact that God loves you.
Below is the Thinking Fellows Essential Reading List with contributions from each of the Thinking Fellows hosts.
“Praying the Bible” sounds odd to the ears of most believers today. That’s unfortunate.
God does not give us an undebatable answer to suffering. Instead, God suffers, too.