Learning in the School of Christ.

This is a lesson that we all need to learn.  It is so good and refreshing to know that we can keep learning day by day and Jesus is our strength.

"We must learn in the school of Christ.  Nothing but His righteousness can entitle us to one of the blessings of the covenant of grace.  We have long desired and tried to obtain these blessings but have not received them because we have cherished the idea that we could do something to make ourselves worth of them.  We have not looked away from ourselves, believing that Jesus is a living Savior.  We must not think that our own grace and merits will save us, the grace of Christ is our only hope of salvation.  Through His prophet the Lord promises, 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.' Isaiah 55:7.  We must believe the naked promise, and not accept feeling for faith.  When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a sin-pardoning Savior, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.

We look to self, as though we had power to save ourselves; but Jesus died for us because we are helpless to do this.  In Him is our hope, our justification, our righteousness.  We should not despond and fear that we have no Savior or that He has no thoughts of mercy toward us.  At this very time He is carrying on His work in our behalf, inviting us to come to Him in our helplessness and be saved. We dishonor Him by our unbelief.  It is astonishing how we treat our very best Friend, how little confidence we repose in Him who is able to save to the uttermost and who has given us every evidence of His great love. (Faith and Works p. 36)

(Grandma Joan's remarks)  Is this your struggle, thinking that your works will recommend you to the favor of God, or that you must be free from sin before you can trust Him to save you?  If this is your struggle, then be free in Christ and know that it is His power that saves, not ours.  What a relief to know this.  Grandma Joan