Socrates taught, “Know thyself;” and argued that the unexamined life is not worth living. But as noble as it sounds, it is elusive counsel. To truly know ourselves through the mirror of Scripture (Jas. 1:25) reveals that even a believer’s heart is Jacob-like (Jer. 17:9, Hebrew): meaning twisted, deceptive, plotting, and scheming; but alternately through the renewed man in Christ, desiring the Lord and holiness. The Bema will probably reveal that no motive of man has ever been 100% pure. So apart from Scripture, the assessor is flawed, as will be the assessment.
In the following Olney Hymn, the poet Cowper (pronounced Cooper), rightly assesses common maladies of a believer’s condition and pleads the Blood of Christ for the remedy. It resonated with me today.
Dear Lord! accept a sinful heart,
Which of itself complains,
And mourns, with much and frequent smart,
The evil it contains.
There fiery seeds of anger lurk,
Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter’s work,
To fan them to a flame.
Legality holds out a bribe
To purchase life from Thee;
And Discontent would fain prescribe
How Thou shalt deal with me.
While Unbelief withstands Thy grace,
And puts the mercy by;
Presumption, with a brow of brass,
Says, “Give me, or I die!”
How eager are my thoughts to roam,
In quest of what they love!
But ah! when duty calls them home,
How heavily they move!
Oh, cleanse me in a Saviour’s blood,
Transform my by Thy power,
And make me Thy beloved abode,
And let me roam no more.
