Building Christian Character on the Rock
The building of Christian character must be erected upon Christ Jesus our rock through faith and repentance. The stability of that building will depend on the thoroughness and depth of the repentance. He who looks back upon his sinful deeds alone and counts them not very bad, will surely fall again and again till he either turns away from the truth or accomplishes a deep and thorough repentance. But he who looks at his past sins as the evidence of a sinful heart, a corrupt and unregenerate nature, who realizes that his sins would have been tenfold more numerous and greater had opportunity offered and the Spirit of God not restrained him, who truly sorrows for sin,—such an one is laying the foundation for a stable and permanent character. Rather, he is getting down to the foundation. He is meeting the conditions set forth by our Lord. He is digging deep that he may lay the foundation on the Rock. Luke 6:48. The foundation cannot fail, neither that which is built thereon, through a living and true faith.