“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of the world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body.” Ephesians 2:1-3a
The story of John Newton is a fascinating story of a man who lived according to his own pleasures, fueled by money and lust, only to be changed by the grace of God to become a devoted follower of Christ. Once a slave trader, he was changed by the grace of God and penned one of the most famous Christian hymns, Amazing Grace. John Newton said this of his life, “I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle [Paul] ‘By the grace of God I am what I am.’” I agree with Newton and Paul, I am not what I know I should be, but thanks to God, I am not what I used to be. All believers find themselves on a journey, not a journey to self-discovery and enlightenment, but a journey of truth about the condition of our souls.
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