I was journaling and lamenting my up and down way of dealing with my sin and happened across a long quotation from George Whitefield that I won’t recount here, but it was a good grace from the Lord to me.
For me, avoiding sin makes me prideful and arrogant because I did good. Giving in to sin makes me self-loathing. Neither of those are gospel saturated responses. They are responses of unbelief.
The essence of the old evangelist’s statement was that until I believe my very best works and determined avoidance of sin still deserve hell, and my worse sin doesn’t change my status with the Father, I’m not living in the reality of the good news.
That right there will change one’s attitude. That right there helps me to hate sin more from the inside out. That right there helps me to not run in shame front he Lord when I do sin…rather run to him.
Maybe that thought will give you a little encouragement and hope this afternoon.
Theology in the Dirt 