What Was the Reformation All About?
By Wade Johnston
11/21/24
10mins

What Was the Reformation All About?

Christ is the beating heart of Christian faith and its only object.
A Review of 'To Gaze upon God'
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
11/20/24

A Review of 'To Gaze upon God'

This is the basic argument of To Gaze upon God: that we who now see as if behind a veil will one day enjoy the unveiled splendor of God himself, who will dwell with us forever.
Self-Made Religion and the Gospel of Christ Alone
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
11/19/24

Self-Made Religion and the Gospel of Christ Alone

We love hearing about Jesus, but we also love hearing about how much effort we need to exert to truly pull off this whole “Christian life” thing.

All Articles

Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/21/21

Mapping God's Mercy: The Gospel in the Old Testament

How can we best talk about the Gospel with an Old Testament accent? Chad Bird provides us with a helpful "map" that highlights Egypt, the Red Sea, and Jerusalem. These three places represent the ways in which God graciously redeems, delivers, and sanctifies us. This brief essay was delivered at the 1517 Regional Conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, on April 17, 2021.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/03/21

God’s Sabbath Sleep: How Christ Filled in the Gap in the Creation Story

Tomorrow Jesus will laugh his way out of the tomb, spit in the face of death, and kick the devil in the throat as he dances to the clapping glee of angelic masses. But today he just rests.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
03/17/21

Parents: We All Choose Our Child's Religion

Let’s stop pretending that we’ll wait for our children to grow up so they can choose their religion. Parents always choose their children’s religion. Without exception. It’s just that, in some cases, this religion operates under a different name.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/28/21

What is Sanctification? Revisiting the Old Testament for the Answer

The words “sanctify” and “sanctification” have deep roots in the Old Testament. There, holiness is about nearness to the presence of God. He is the holy-maker. Sanctification is his gift. The Old Testament helps us to avoid the common misunderstanding today that sanctification is all about our life of good works.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/20/21

Are Images of Jesus a Violation of the Commandments?

Different groups within Christianity disagree as to whether Jesus should be depicted in icons, crucifixes, paintings, or other visual media. In this article, Chad Bird approaches the question from the angle of both the commandments and the incarnation.
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.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/16/21

Learning Hebrew and the Jewish Background of the New Testament: Recommendations and Resources

Do you want to learn Hebrew or expand your knowledge of the language? What are some online resources for studying the Bible in the original languages?
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/10/21

On This Mountain You Can See the Whole Bible

What do Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac, the place where David built an altar to stop a plague, and the temple of Solomon all have in common? All three were on the same mountain. On this mountaintop, you can see the whole story of salvation.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
01/27/21

The Old Testament and Alcohol: A Short Q&A

The Old Testament mentions wine about 140 times and beer ("strong drink") about 20 times. What can we learn from these passages? Chad Bird provides us with a short Q&A about the Hebrew background of alcohol, as well as a look forward to the Party of parties in the resurrection feast.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
01/23/21

The One Hebrew Word You Don't Want to Forget

In the Old Testament, to zakar ("remember") is not merely to rifle through the files in your head until you find that fact you’ve been searching for. To zakar is to employ your hands and feet and lips to engage in whatever action that remembrance requires.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
01/14/21

Hold on Loosely to Your Politics

Want to do yourself, your family, your friends, and the world a good deed? Hold on loosely to your politics. Don’t drop it. Don’t toss it aside. Don’t privatize it. But, above all, don’t hold on to your politics as if your life, your soul, and your salvation depend on it.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/29/20

You Are Not Enough and Other (Un)welcome Truths for the New Year

As we prepare to begin this new year, it is helpful to remember three painfully honest truths, one of which is "You are not enough."
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.