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

Craig Donofrio
Craig Donofrio
09/06/19

For You: An Answer to Anxiety

Jesus Christ has finished his work of delivering you from the consequences of your sins and the brokenness of this fallen world.
Michael Berg
Michael Berg
09/04/19

Whatever is Excellent

What is supposed to be given by Christ through us for neighbor is used up by us, twisted for our righteous gain.
Brandon Hanson
Brandon Hanson
08/27/19

Ten Thoughts on Law & Gospel from Gerhard Forde

Here’s a little “devotional” for you; some thoughts on Law and Gospel from Gerhard Forde. Drink deep, drink full. These are rich streams of thought.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
08/06/19

Chasing the Spotlight

We are so free as Christians that we don't even have to compare ourselves to other Christians.
Jacob Corzine
Jacob Corzine
08/05/19

Original Sin and Actual Sins

As I weigh briefly here the advantages and disadvantages of preaching original sin and preaching actual sin, I don’t mean to argue for one and against the other. Instead, I mean to suggest a benefit in focusing a given sermon on one or the other, and that neither type of sermon should be the only type a Christian hears.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/18/19

The Escape from a Religious Sodom

In this religious Sodom, we had a Jesus with the heart of Moses whose gospel was a new and improved law.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
07/09/19

God the Father

All God's fatherly goodness and mercy is concrete and real, born of a virgin, crucified for our trespasses, raised for our justification.
Joshua Miller
Joshua Miller
07/01/19

Freedom from Food Piety

Our righteousness and the righteousness of our neighbor have nothing to do with what we eat or do not eat.
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
07/01/19

Making Preaching Great Again

The whole Reformation, and the reason for Lutheran theology at all, is to improve preaching.
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
06/18/19

Vice, Virtue & the Christian

Naturally each individual forgets the beam in his own eye and perceives only the mote in his neighbor’s. One will not bear with the faults of the other; each requires perfection of his fellow.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
06/12/19

Stop Sign Theology

All I need to know about your spiritual condition, I can discover by watching you drive your car. What I’ve learned is that everyone is a lawbreaker, including me. It’s as simple as asking a few short questions about your driving habits...
Scott Davis
Scott Davis
05/29/19

Fig Leaf Righteousness

My earliest memory of seeing a cartoonist drawing of Adam and Eve was in the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office. I probably had the flu. Sitting with my mom- I was waiting for the nurse to come and call our name. Also, I was hoping that I wouldn’t get a shot.
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.