Reading Classics Together: The Discipline of Grace, Chapter 11

The Discipline of Choices

This week’s reading for Tim Challies Reading Classics Together program was about the constant choices we make in developing Christlike habits of living. I’m going to quote my favorite bit of this chapter, a bit about the nature of genuine repentance and the truth that brings us to it.

Godly sorrow is developed when we focus on the true nature of sin as an offense against God rather than something that makes us feel guilty. Sin is an affront to God’s holiness, it grieves His Holy Spirit, and it wounds afresh the Lord Jesus Christ. It also gratifies Satan, the archenemy of God. Dwelling on the true nature of sin leads us to godly sorrow, which in turn leads us to repentance.

Having come to repentance, however, we must by faith lay hold of the cleansing blood of Christ, which alone can cleanse our consciences. In fact, it is faith in Christ and the assurance of the efficacy of His cleansing blood that leads us to repentance. 

Sometimes I find it hard to admit the extent of my sin to myself and to God, even though I know, deep down, that it’s there and it’s ugly. But the gospel is the key to true repentance. There’s no reason to hide sin when there is a sure way for me to be cleansed of it. This is another reason for me to constantly preach the gospel to myself. Knowing and believing the gospel with all my heart is what allows me to let myself see my sin as it is so I can seek God’s forgiveness.

Next week’s reading is chapter 12, The Discipline of Watching. 

William Cowper and Olney Hymns

I posted at Out of the Ordinary this morning, recommending that you read Olney Hymns, particularly the hymns written by William Cowper.

I love Olney Hymns for Cowper’s hymns especially. Because of his illness, he contributed only 67 of the 379 hymns, but his verses include some of the finest poetry found in hymns. And knowing a little of Cowper’s story makes them even more remarkable. When you read the words of Cowper’s best known hymn, There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood1 (“and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains”), set them against the background of his conversion. Because Cowper felt so deeply the despair of condemnation for sin, he understood more fully that his only hope was Christ’s sacrifice.

Read the whole post.

(If you go to church with me, you can wait to read until next month’s Good News if you prefer.)

Thankful Thursday

I’m thankful that oldest daughter and her family finally have a working furnace, and just in time, judging by the weather forecast. They’ve been spending most of the day at my house for the past week or so, even eating lunch and supper here, because their own house was breath-seeing cold except for one bedroom where they had a space heater. I’m thankful that my home could serve them, but I’m also thankful for a day to catch up on tasks put off until things were quiet again.

And I’m thankful that oldest daughter is such a good cook. Having her here to make supper each night while I played with the baby was a blessing!

I’m thankful that I’m ready for winter because it might be already here. I’m thankful for a dusting of snow and the promise of more to come over the next week. I’m thankful for an extraordinary fall after a mediocre summer.

I’m thankful that God is good and all-powerful, so he is worthy of my trust. I’m thankful I’ve seen his providential hand in so many things this past week.