PRECIOUS TRUTHS ABOUT GOD'S GRACE
by William R. Newell
There being no cause in the creature why Grace should be shown, the creature must be brought off from trying to give cause to God for His Grace…. He has been accepted in Christ, who is his standing! He is not 'on probation.' As to his life past, it does not exist before God: he died at the cross, and Christ is his Life. Grace, once bestowed, is not withdrawn: for God knew all the human exigencies beforehand: His action was independent of them, not dependent upon them…
The Proper Attitude of Man Under Grace:
To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
To refuse to make 'resolutions' and 'vows'; for that is to trust in the flesh.
To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth. ...
To rely on God's chastening [child training] hand as a mark of His kindness. ...
Things Which Gracious Souls Discover:
To 'hope to be better' [hence acceptable] is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
To be discouraged is unbelief,– as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion….
To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so, – in proper measure. (Quoted in: The Principles of Spiritual Growth (The Green Letters), by Miles Standford, Zondervan Publishing Co., pg. 21.) ˘