O blessed Lord, whom, without faith, it is
impossible to please, let Thy Holy Spirit, I
beseech Thee, work in me such a faith as
may be acceptable in Thy sight, even that
faith which worketh by love. O let me not
rest in a dead faith; but grant that it may
be such as may show itself by my works;
that it may be that victorious faith, which
may enable me to overcome the world, and
conform me to the image of that Christ in
whom I believe; that at last I may receive
the end of my faith, even the salvation of
my soul, through the same Jesus Christ, our
blessed Redeemer. Amen.
Moralism – the idea that we merit God’s favor by being good – is the deadly enemy of [the] Christian... Moralism trusts in its own goodness, virtue, and principled intentions to get a “not guilty” verdict from God on the Day of Judgment. It is deceptive. A cloak of morality over an unregenerate heart can make it difficult to discern [one’s] true spiritual condition.
William Farley