Salvation

A saving apprehension or laying hold of Christ is not the simple thing so many suppose . Man must be humbled into the dust before he will , as a beggar , betake himself to the Redeemer . The Divine law is the appointed schoolmaster to drive sinners to Christ , but so many people play truant - run away from school . Not a few attempt to build upon Christ , but there has been no proper foundation work , and so in the day of testing the floods of opposition and persecution come in between their hearts and Christ , and temptations part them to the overthrow of their profession . By nature  our hearts are so filled with self-love and self-pity that there is no room for Christ . Many are willing to receive him for his benefits who have no love for his personand no resolution to bow to his Lordship , which is like a woman marrying a man solely for his money . Observe Paul's order : "For whom I have suffered the loss of all things , and do count them but dung , that I may win Christ , and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law , but that which is of the faith of Christ , the righteousness which is of God by faith ."   first Christ Himself and then His righteousness .    Pink