What They Said

How very true.
This is how God worked in my life.
He caused me to see the great bitterness of my sin in the light of His holiness.
I then saw myself as worthy of His just wrath on my sin.
It was then that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the beauty and sweetness of Christ
and I saw in Him my Savior.
How amazing to consider that Christ would become our substitute, that He would take our sins upon Himself and bear the full penalty of them from the hands of the Father!

My understanding of the bitterness of sin is continuing to increase as I get a fuller picture of God's holiness and His abhorrence of sin from His Word.
Habakkuk 1:13 tells us that "Thou [God] art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:.."

It grieves me knowing that I still sin and this dishonors my Lord who died for me.
I often think of the words of Paul in Romans 7:21-24.
And I say with Paul:

"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

But just as sin becomes more bitter to me so Christ is ever becoming more sweet!

Christ is our righteousness!

"In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness."
Jeremiah 33:16

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:"
Romans 3:21-22

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
2 Corinthians 5:21

What a wonderful reminder on Sunday from Pastor Joe that God will not leave us as we are, but that "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6

By God's upholding grace we will abide in Christ and bear much fruit.

Thank you so much for sharing this quote Mr. Konvalin.

In Christ,
John