Zinger: “Every man is in tension until until he finds a satisfactory answer to the problem of who he himself is” (Francis Schaeffer).

Schaeffer remains a hero to me. He connected dots masterfully. He saw where ideas led. He was a master of pattern recognition. In that, I track with him profoundly.

Segue: I know it’s dangerous to say what we all know viscerally, namely, that we’re fallen creatures. Not some of us. All of us. “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10) because ” . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Each morning when I shave and have to look myself in the mirror, I’m keenly aware that I’m looking at a man in need of work. Just as I have to train in order to meet certain physical fitness levels required in my line of work, I likewise must train my nature, my character.

Why? Because there’s lots of room for improvement. But the only way that sinner staring me back in the face each morning when I shave will ever meet God’s standard is to be holy. And I most definitely fall short there. I am embarrassed at times when I’ve spoken when I should have remained silent, and embarrassed when I let myself go when I should have said no, and refrained. Maybe you, too, can relate.

In sum, I need grace. I need mercy. Otherwise, I’m a failure. That’s what the cross of Christ is all about, dear ones. It’s God’s righteousness imputed to His people. But the way that transaction works is when we are broken by our sin and look to Christ alone for atonement. That’s the Christian’s hope.

God’s righteousness is imputed to all who repent and believe. We’re to look away from ourselves and to Christ.

Encouragement: If you’re perhaps like I am (a sinner broken by the lingering sin he sees in his life, and by the graciousness of the cross of Christ, that he would come for such as I), that’s the greatest possible brokenness. You’re broken but beautiful because an alien righteousness, that righteousness of God in Christ, clothes you in His robes, because our filthy rags were worn by Him in His substitutionary atonement. Let us look to Him in repentance and faith, knowing that He will not lose any who are His.