December 6, 2008

Grace Gems: Sustaining Grace

If we were left to ourselves

(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)

"What makes you better than anyone else?"
1 Corinthians 4:7

Reader, are there not the same lusts lodging in your
heart
--which are reigning in wicked men's lives? The
reason why there is so little self-condemnation, is
because there is so little self-examination.

If we were left to ourselves but for a moment--we
would destroy ourselves in that moment! We can defile
ourselves--but we cannot cleanse ourselves. The sheep
can go astray alone--but can never return to the fold,
without the assistance of the shepherd.

"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117

(From Grace Gems)

2 comments:

Angela said...

Penn,
Hi! I hope you are doing well! I am in total agreement with this post. If we didn't have Jesus, we would give into all of our sin. It is still a struggle- but we have hope, and in that hope a reason to crucify our sin nature. I have had to deal with some Pharisee issues realized I had. I have had to ask God for more grace. Because, you're right, I am still just a sinner. I'm just a sinner with hope.

Penn Tomassetti said...

Hi Angela,

I totally understand what you are saying. I have been teaching through the book of Romans with a group of young people, and we are in Romans chapter 6, which is all about being dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. You can check out those studies for some more insight into this important aspect of our faith on my other blogs. Thanks for commenting on this. God bless.