The Gospel

The gospel, applied to our hearts every day, frees us to be brutally honest with ourselves and with God.  The assurance of His forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Christ means we don’t have to play defensive games anymore.  We don’t have to rationalize and excuse our sins. ~Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace

The Greatness of Grace

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.  And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.  ~Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace

The Desire for Holiness

Only one who has a strong desire to be holy will ever persevere in the painfully slow and difficult task of pursuing holiness. There are too many failures. The habits of our old nature and the attacks of Satan are too strong for us to persevere unless the Holy Spirit is at work in us to create a desire for holiness. ~Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

Holiness

The Holy Spirit strengthens us to holiness first by enabling us to see our need of holiness. He enlightens our understanding so that we begin to see God’s standard of holiness. Then He causes us to become aware of our specific areas of sin. One of Satan’s most powerful weapons is making us spiritually blind—unable to see our sinful character. ~Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

Dead to Sin

Only as we reckon on these twin facts—that I am dead to sin and its reign over me and that I am alive to God, united to Him who strengthens me—can I keep sin from reigning in my mortal body. ~Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

Holiness

Holiness is not a series of do’s and don’ts but the conformity to the character of God and obedience to the will of God. Accepting with contentment whatever circumstances God allows for me is very much part of a holy walk. ~Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

Knowing Right from Wrong

“’Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 1: Is it helpful—physically, spiritually, and mentally?

“’Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Question 2: Does it bring me under its power?

“Therefore, if whatever I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again so that I will not cause him to fall” (1 Corinthians 8:13). Question 3: Does it hurt others?

“So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Question 4: Does it glorify God? ~cited by Jerry Bridges, Pursuit of Holiness

The Battle for Holiness

If we are to win this battle for holiness, we must recognize that the basic problem lies within us. It is our own evil desires that lead us into temptation. We may think we merely respond to outward temptations that are presented to us. But the truth is, our evil desires are constantly searching out temptations to satisfy their insatiable lusts. ~Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

Living Dangerously

"In the deceitfulness of our hearts, we sometimes play with temptation by entertaining the thought that we can always confess and later ask forgiveness.  Such thinking is exceedingly dangerous.  God's judgment is without partiality.  He never overlooks our sin.  He never decides not to bother, since the sin is only a small one.  No, God hates sin intensely whenever and wherever He finds it."  ~Jerry Bridges, “The Pursuit of Holiness”, p 29