In the healthy Christian life, there are no double standards, no dual aims. The private life and the public life are equally oriented to the glory of God. This is manifested as true Christian authenticity in the world.

Legalism is a wicked lie that puts a mirror in front of our faces and makes us think we are looking at Christ when we are actually adoring the ghost of our own self-righteousness.

Time, not image, makes Heroes.

My annual goal is to read seventy-five books, which may sound like a lot.

If we neglect Scripture in order to read only other books, we not only cut ourselves from the divine umbilical cord that feeds our souls, we also cut ourselves from the truth that makes it possible for us to benefit from the truth, goodness, and beauty in the books that we read.

Desirable and precious as sanctification is, it is not, I trust it will never be, the ground of my hope. Nor, were I as sinless as an angel in glory, could I have a better ground of hope than I have at present. For acceptance, I rely simply, wholly, and solely, upon the obedience unto death of my surety. Jesus is my righteousness, my life, and my salvation.

Freedom in Christ is not freedom to do whatever you want; it is for sure-footed self-reflection and for avoiding the cultural bondage of sin. My freedom in Christ gives me eyes to see that not all things are helpful for me, helpful for others, or acceptable for my witness in the world.

Humbled I ought to be, to find I am so totally depraved; but not discouraged, since Jesus is appointed to me of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and since I find that, in the midst of all this darkness and deadness, he keeps alive the principle of grace which he has implanted in my heart.48.

The progressive cure for our maladies is looking to Christ’s glory as we endure the proper medications of necessary pain and trials, the bitter circumstances that make us whiny patients.61 Yet Christ is always on call, his patience is infinite, and he bears with our complaints as he works out our spiritual health.62 Only in him do sinners find healing.

Sin is what makes the things we know we ought to do so difficult and lifeless.