Knowing that our heats are deceitful by nature (Jeremiah 17:9), we should be especially watchful that they do not turn our liberty into license. How then can we watch in this area of Christian freedom? Paul gave some specific guidelines to the Corinthian believers who were asserting their freedom in Christ (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23-24)
– Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 212
Greater sins do sooner startle the soul, and awaken and rouse up the soul to repentance, than lesser sins do. Little sins often slide into the soul and breed, and work secretly and indiscernibly in the soul, till they come to be so strong, as to trample upon the soul and to cut the throat of the soul.
– Thomas Brooks
as quoted by Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 210
When we realize a constant enemy of the soul abides within us, what diligence and watchfulness we should have! How woeful is the sloth and negligence then of so many who live blind and asleep to this reality of sin. There is an exceeding efficacy and power in the indwelling sin of believers, for it constantly inclines itself towards evil. We need to be awake, then, if our hearts would know the ways of God. Our enemy is not only upon us, as it was with Samson, but it is also in us.
– John Owen
as quoted by Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 208
The avoidance of little evils, little sins, little inconsistencies, little weaknesses, little follies, little indiscretions and imprudences, little foibles, little indulgences of self and of the flesh, little acts of indolence or indecision or slovenliness or cowardice, little equivocations or aberrations from high integrity, little touches of shabbiness and meanness, …little indifferences to the feelings or wishes of other, little outbreaks of temper, or crossness, or selfishness, or vanity – the avoidance of such little things as these goes far to make up at least the negative beauty of a holy life.
– Horatius Bonar
as quoted by Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 209
Each of us is exposed to a number of temptations. We should study both ourselves and our situations to identify those areas where we are, or may be, especially vulnerable, then determine how we can best guard against them.
– Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 207
The evil desire within us constantly searches for occasions to express itself. It is like a radar system whose antenna is constantly scanning the environment for temptations to which it can respond.
– Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 204
Over time the world tends to wear down our resistance to sin. Values and practices that were at one time recognized as sinful become acceptable to us simply because our otherwise nice, decent neighbors hold those values. No iceberg infested sea was ever more dangerous than the society in which we live every day. It is the height of folly, then, not to watch against the temptations of the world.
– Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 203
The Bible speaks of three different sources of temptation: the world, the flesh and the Devil. Although references to and warnings about each are scattered throughout the New Testament, the one passage of Scripture that gathers all three together into on succinct statement is Ephesians 2:1-3. This passage actually speaks of our subjection to the world, the flesh (or sinful nature) and the Devil before our salvation. But they still wage war against us as children of God. Therefore, we need to know how they operate and how they tempt us.
– Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 202
It is forgiveness that sets a man working for God. He does not work in order to be forgiven, but because he has been forgiven, and the consciousness of his sin being pardoned makes him long more for its entire removal than ever he did before.
An unforgiven man cannot work. He has not the will, nor the power, nor the liberty. He is in chains. Israel in Egypt could not serve Jehovah. “Let my people go, that they may serve Me,” was God’s message to Pharoah (Exodus 8:1): first liberty, then service.
A forgiven man is the true worker, the true Lawkeeper. He can, he will, he must work for God. He has come into contact with that part of God’s character which warms his cold heart. Forgiving love constrains him. He cannot but work for Him who has removed his sins from him as far as the east is from the west. Forgiveness has made him a free man, and given him a new and most loving Master. Forgiveness, received freely from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, acts as a spring, an impulse, a stimulus of divine potency. It is more irresistible than law, or terror or threat.
– Horatius Bonar
as quoted by Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 199-200
Here then is where the deceit of sin intervenes. It separates the doctrine of grace from its purpose. It persuades us to dwell upon the notion of grace and diverts our attention from the influence that grace gives to achieve its proper application in holy lives. From the doctrine of assured pardon of sin, it insinuates a carelessness for sin.. the soul – needing frequently to return to gospel grace because of guilt – allows grace to become commonplace and ordinary. Having found a good medicine for its wound, it then takes it for granted.
– John Owen
as quoted by Bridges, Jerry; The Disciplined of Grace:God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness; NavPress; Colorado Springs; copyright 1994; p. 197
Notable Quotables 