Refreshed By His Word

"who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? - Proverbs 20:9

We have all fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23), and being the just and Holy God He is, perfect and set apart - all sin must be punished (Romans 6:23). If someone committed a crime, you would expect them to be punished or that justice would be brought - correct?

We have all sinned, from the adulterers and the murderers to the liars and the slanderers. No one can come before God and say that they are righteous (Romans 3:10), at the same time, we cannot work our way to a right standing before God also (Ephesians 2:8-9). God demands perfection, and pretty much from the moment we were born, even in the womb, we were sinful (Psalm 51:5).

So, "who can say "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?"

This summer, i've been doing the Proverbs challenge - where you read one chapter a day for the month since there are 31 chapters in the book - and i've been read through the book once a month since May. It's gone from just light reading, to memorizing stand out verses to writing and reflecting on the text. It's cool how you each time you read it through you end up picking up and noticing different things - and this morning, it was this verse.

The answer was clear in my head - no one! No one can say that they are without sin. But as I pondered on the text more, I wondered if I have deceived myself thinking that as I've grown and as I've been sanctified - have I almost put myself in this position, thinking that I am without sin, or am "good enough" - out of pride perhaps? Thinking "wow look at how far i've come, i've been pretty pure and clean right" - when i'm really not?

Of course, as we are sanctified we are being grown closer and closer the the likeness of Christ and that is something to give thanks for - but it is ONLY by his grace alone that we are saved. Saved through the death and resurrection of Christ, while we still sinners (Romans 5:8). We are NOT saved by works at all, works are NOT the means to salvation, but rather are a result and are an overflow of our faith and salvation.

What a good reminder to praise the glorious grace He lavishes on us!
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Corinthians 6:11
Though getting up early to do your devotions and to spend time with God can be a hard thing to discipline oneself to do, but it is crucial, it's necessary, and when you taste and see the joy and life it brings, it's incredibly refreshing. May our Heavenly Father meet with you in His Living Word today.

Grace So Glorious - Elevation Worship

Comments

Popular Posts