The Bitter Fruits of Self-Knowledge

This summer I am participating in a Bible study on the book of Galatians. The study was written by Tim Keller and a sample of the study can be seen here. It has been so good. Part of lesson 3 included a sermon he preached on The Prodigal Sons. I've never looked at that passage that way before!

In addition, at church, our pastor has just started a series on the Beattitudes.

It's interesting how God brings it all together with the last book I'm studying called Loving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George. It is very good too.

This quote by Spurgeon helped emphasize what I've been learning.

Wherever the truth about our condition is truly known, it has been spiritually revealed. To be spiritually poor is the condition of all men. ...For my own part, my constant prayer is that I may know the worst of my case, whatever the knowledge may cost me. I know that an accurate estimate of my own heart can never be anything but lowering to my self-esteem, but God forbid that I should be spared the humiliation that springs from the truth! The sweet apples of self-esteem are deadly poison; who would wish to be destroyed by them? The bitter fruits of self-knowledge are always healthy, especially if washed down with the waters of repentance and sweetened with a draught from the wells of salvation. He who loves his own soul will not despise them.

Taken from God Will Bless You by Charles Spurgeon, emphasis mine.