An Upright Person is Sound of Heart

"An upright saint is like an apple with rotten specks, but a hypocrite is like the apple with a rotten core. The sincere Christian has a speck of passion here, there one of worldliness, and there one of pride. But cut him up and anatomize him, and he is sound at heart; there Christ and Christianity live and reign. A hypocrite is like an apple that is smooth and lovely on the outside, but rotten within. His words may be exact, his duties devout, and his life blameless; but look within, and his heart is the sty of sin, the den of Satan." -- From Richard Steele's (1629-1692) article, "The Nature of an Upright Man".

A Great Candidate for Particular Redemption

One of my pastors recently suggested this test of sinfulness: For one week, do not boast about yourself, do not defend yourself, and do not speak evil of others. After a week of failure, I sent my pastor a text briefly relating my experience. He replied that my guilt made me a great candidate for particular redemption.

I commend the experiment.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless - James 1:26