Grace Greater than Our Sin

"Then I approached the person who lifted him out and
said, 'Sir, since the way from the City of Destruction to the
Wicket-gate ahead runs directly through this place, why is it that
this low-lying piece of land is not repaired so that travelers
might pass through with greater safety?”

In this paragraph Bunyan is the speaker and asks why the Slough of Despond is there? Here is the answer.


"And he said to me, 'This miry Slough is peculiar in that it cannot
be mended. Being low-lying it attracts a continuous stream of scum
and filth that is associated with conviction of sin; for this reason it
is called the Slough of Despond. As the traveling sinner is
awakened about his lost condition, there arise in his soul many
fears, doubts, and discouraging perceptions concerning himself;
then all of these accumulate and pile up in this place. And so this is
the reason for the badness of this ground.”

The closer we get to God we are discouraged to, because of our sin? We know that we are unworthy and do not want to be hypocrites. We think, if we wait to be better, than we can come to God.  The truth is that we do not need to act (which is the same word as hypocrite), we will never be good enough to come before Holy God. God knows the state of sin that we are in and has never-the-less called us to Himself. This is glorious grace!

Grace Greater than Our Sin

Text: Julia H. Johnston
Music: Daniel B. Towner 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, 
 grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! 
 Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, 
 there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. 
Refrain:
 Grace, grace, God's grace, 
 grace that will pardon and cleanse within; 
 grace, grace, God's grace, 
 grace that is greater than all our sin! 

2. Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, 
 threaten the soul with infinite loss; 
 grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, 
 points to the refuge, the mighty cross. 
 (Refrain) 

3. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. 
 What can avail to wash it away? 
 Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, 
 brighter than snow you may be today. 
 (Refrain) 

4. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, 
 freely bestowed on all who believe! 
 You that are longing to see his face, 
 will you this moment his grace receive? 
 (Refrain)