Only when we see that the way of God's law is absolutely inflexible will we see that God's grace is absolutely indispensable. A high view of the law reminds us that God accepts us on the basis of Christ's perfection, not our progress. Grace, properly understood, is the movement of a holy God toward an unholy people. He doesn't cheapen the law or ease its requirements. He fulfills them in his Son, who then gives his righteousness to us. That's the gospel. Pure and simple.

To focus on how I'm doing more than what Christ has done is Christian narcissism

The bad news that we are all guilty is met with the best news that God loves and forgives guilty people.

Suffering reveals to us the two things that ultimately matter: that we are weak but He is strong.

Here's one way I can know that I've forgotten the gospel of grace: when your sin bothers me more than my sin.

Rest assured: Before God, the righteousness of Christ is all we need; before God, the righteousness of Christ is all we have.

We are all both victims and victimizers. Just as everyone suffers, no one is innocent of causing suffering themselves.