Nothing in Us

There is nothing in us, or done by us, that we can plead before the LORD for His blessing. We, in the matter of our justification before God renounce everything but the person, blood and righteousness of Christ, so, in our approaches to the Majesty of heaven, we must renounce everything but the name, the blood, and righteousness of Jesus, who for our comfort said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you.” (John 16:23).

We come before God, and look to ourselves, we tremble, and wonder the LORD does not cut us down, as cucumbers of the ground. When by living faith we are enabled to look to Christ, we feel something of that humble boldness Paul speaks of – “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter in the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20). This new and living way which is Christ and Him crucified is the only ground upon which we can plead the promises of God, and look to Him for blessing; and Christ and Him crucified is the only ground upon which a just and holy God can meet and bless such guilty sinners as we are; for in Christ, “mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

—John Kershaw (1834)

via 10/15/23 bulletin of Eager Avenue Grace Church, Albany, Georgia