Oh how differently the grace of God makes a justified sinner view themselves before the true and living God, as opposed to the way false religious professions makes the lost moralist view themselves.. All you need to do is read the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee - "And he spake this parable unto certain WHICH TRUSTED IN THEMSELVES THAT THEY WERE RIGHTEOUS, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."(Luke 18:9-14)
Before the Lord revealed Himself to me and in me, I thought quite highly of myself. My stars - I was a deacon; a Sunday School teacher; a preacher; was under deep conviction after hearing LEGAL messages, walking the aisle so much I had worn a path in the carpet. I was in my mind a good son, a good father, a good husband, a good friend, a GOOD MAN. I tithed, went to church every time the doors were open, prayed long prayers, and had achieved a level of creature holiness that convinced me that the only way any other person could be saved was if they lived like me. BUT THEN, the grace of God found me in this self-righteous condition, pierced me through and through by His law, turned my heart and my mind toward "Him who loved me and gave Himself for me", and I was PETRIFIED with a true fear of God. Now some 32 or so years later (I do not know nor do I care exactly what day I came to know the Lord) I see myself every day as I ACTUALLY AM, a sinner by birth, by nature, by practice, and even by choice, still with ONLY ONE PLEA, the same plea I had when first I saw HIM with my eyes - "God be merciful (BE PROPITIOUS, i.e., be PERFECT SATISFACTION to God's law and justice) to me A SINNER"." The way this is stated, "a sinner", means A SINNER STILL. For this I owe God an infinite debt of gratitude for the fact that He would be merciful to one who is the least.
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