By the Grace of God

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 1 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 2

How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes, how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot – a human being, who is only a worm! 3 What a wretched man I am? Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord. 4

I was shown mercy, the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 5 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 6

I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, through the power of the Spirit of God. 7 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8

By the grace of God I am what I am, 9 not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. 10

 

1 Ps 51.5 2 Rom 7.18 3 Job 25.4-6 4 Rom 7.24-25 5 1Tim 1.13-14 6 Gal 2.20 7 Rom 15.18-19 8 Gal 6.14 9 1Cor 15.10 10 Phil 3.9