Man Under Grace
By: William R. Newell
The Proper Attitude of a Man Under Grace:
- To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
- To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows": for that is to trust in the flesh.
- To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
- To testify of God's goodness, at all times.
- To be certain of God's future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him.
- To relay on God's chastening hand as a mark of His kindness.
- A man under grace, if like Paul, has no burdens regarding himself; but many about others.
Things Which Gracious Souls Discover:
- To "hope to be better" is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
- To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
- To be discouraged is unbelief, as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
- To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
- The lack of Divine blessing. therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
- Real devotion to God arises, not from mans will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and undevoted.
- To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse Gods order, and preach law, not grace.
- The law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing; our devotion may follow, but may not always do so, in proper measure.