Here is a story inspired by Jerry Bridges’ teaching. Arthur Macon had been a faithful church treasurer for thirty-one years. He was meticulous, precise, and—by his own admission—exhausted.
One Tuesday, his pastor asked him to visit a man named Leo, a gruff retired fisherman who had recently stumbled into church, hungover and ashamed. Leo had accepted Christ the previous Sunday—mumbling a prayer between sobs—but now he was terrified. transforming grace jerry bridges pdf
“Because I failed.”
Every morning, he woke up with a ledger in his head. On one side: Deposits for God . He listed his quiet time (30 minutes), his patience with his forgetful wife (good), his donation to the food pantry ($50), and his avoidance of that gossipy neighbor (barely). On the other side: Withdrawals by God . He worried about his adult son, felt a spike of jealousy when a younger elder was praised, and skipped prayer before a business meeting. Here is a story inspired by Jerry Bridges’ teaching
Arthur felt a strange, trembling freedom as he spoke the next words. “The Gospel isn’t a ledger. It’s a gift. You didn’t get saved by trying harder. You got saved because Jesus finished the work. And here’s the secret that took me thirty years to learn: that same grace that saved you is the only thing that can change you. ” One Tuesday, his pastor asked him to visit
Here is a story inspired by Jerry Bridges’ teaching. Arthur Macon had been a faithful church treasurer for thirty-one years. He was meticulous, precise, and—by his own admission—exhausted.
One Tuesday, his pastor asked him to visit a man named Leo, a gruff retired fisherman who had recently stumbled into church, hungover and ashamed. Leo had accepted Christ the previous Sunday—mumbling a prayer between sobs—but now he was terrified.
“Because I failed.”
Every morning, he woke up with a ledger in his head. On one side: Deposits for God . He listed his quiet time (30 minutes), his patience with his forgetful wife (good), his donation to the food pantry ($50), and his avoidance of that gossipy neighbor (barely). On the other side: Withdrawals by God . He worried about his adult son, felt a spike of jealousy when a younger elder was praised, and skipped prayer before a business meeting.
Arthur felt a strange, trembling freedom as he spoke the next words. “The Gospel isn’t a ledger. It’s a gift. You didn’t get saved by trying harder. You got saved because Jesus finished the work. And here’s the secret that took me thirty years to learn: that same grace that saved you is the only thing that can change you. ”