CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV]

Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness. 

Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.—see James 1:15. The commission of sin contracts fresh sense of guilt. This is the malady and sickness of the soul. Hence, the many symptoms attendant on guilt, legal fears, terrors of conscience, accusations from the law, triumphs of Satan, dejection of soul, distance from God, backwardness to duty, coolness of affection to Jesus, shyness at or neglect of a throne of grace. 

Alas! poor souls, when they have fallen, and are sensible of the melancholy effects, they feel the hurt they have received. Verily their hearts know the bitterness of it. Awful effects of fresh contracted guilt! How much to be deplored! how carefully to be watched against, and prayed to be kept from! But whilst there is "a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness," whilst the Mediator's "blood cleanseth from all sin," whilst the glad tidings of the gospel proclaim salvation by grace for the chief of sinners, there is no ground for black despair to any backsliding children, though they have revolted from a God of love. 

Here is all encouragement—to what? To love to live at a distance from Jesus, and lie down and wallow in the mire of sin because grace abounds? No godly soul can do this; for "the Spirit also lusteth against the flesh;" the Spirit renews again to repentance. Thus Luther: 'The more godly a man is, the more doth he feel this battle between the flesh and the Spirit.' Hereof cometh those lamentable complaints in the Psalms and other scriptures. It profiteth us very much to see sometimes the wickedness of our nature and corruption of the flesh, that by this means we may be waked and stirred up to call upon Christ. So a Christian is made to see Jesus a wonderful Creator, who out of heaviness can make joy; of terror, comfort; of sin, righteousness; and of death, life. This is our ground and anchor-hold, that Christ is our ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)