1517 Blogcast

The phrase, “simultaneously justified and sinner,” or simul iustus et peccator (simul for short), is a statement or confession concerning the Christian life in this world. While the saying is simple, unpacking its implications can take some time due to the number of doctrines which support it.

We pursue what matters most to us and sacrifice what’s necessary to reach that goal. Whether it’s time, money, or health, we must sacrifice something if we want to achieve our goals. But, there’s often an unaddressed dichotomy as regards to what we want and what we’re willing to sacrifice to get it.

Each verb is jarringly violent. The visceral lyrics and fiery enunciation pair with an oddly upbeat melody, artfully crafted to be relevant to the human experience.

One of the items that often comes to the fore in any discussion on the authority of Scripture alone (sola scriptura) is the relationship between the Bible and preaching. If the Bible alone is authoritative, what relationship does it have with the traditions of the Church, preaching from the pulpit, or the confessional documents to which we subscribe?

In early 1945, Japanese Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda was deployed to Lubang Island about 100 miles south of Manila in the Philippines. He was leading one of several groups sent to the Pacific Theatre.

We're always in search of a spotlight. It's natural for us to crave attention.  Just watch a baby when everyone else in the room is pre-occupied -- especially if they're focused on another baby! When we see a light shining on someone, we want to push them out of the way and take their place. We want the accolades.

We recently explored ways Martin Luther comforted those experiencing sickness, depression, anxiety, and more through his Letters of Spiritual Counsel. We saw that Luther, the Reformation celebrity known for boldly clinging to the Word of God and taking a stand against the errors of the Catholic Church, also served as a personal pastor to many suffering souls in his hometown of Wittenberg.

The following is an excerpt from “Let the Bird Fly” written by Wade Johnston (1517 Publishing, 2019).

Christmas in July is one of those made-up holidays that seems to be growing in popularity these days. Its origins date back to a 1933 girls camp in North Carolina, but now it has become an excellent reason for shopping centers, strip malls, and the online retail giant, Amazon, to have mid-summer sales. Even the White House is planning a Christmas in July event.

It was on this day, the 31st of July in 1970, that the Lockman Foundation first published the New American Standard Bible (NASB). While new vernacular and sometimes sectarian translations might not cause us to bat an eyelash, the history of translating the Bible into various English vernaculars has been a bloody affair.