Emphasis Preaching Journal

Many will remember the adages from Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac: "Haste makes waste." "Early to bed and early to rise make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." "A good example is the best sermon." Franklin is said not to have supported any particular religion, but he owned a pew and attended Christ Church in Philadelphia, and was very intent in improving himself as a person. As a young man, he made a list of the personal virtues that he determined should define his life. He found pride to be his most difficult challenge to subdue. His morality was built on a sincere commitment to lead a virtuous life, serving the country he loved, and hoping to achieve salvation through good works. And he believed that service to his country was a service to God.

We are to seek to live a virtuous life also. But our goal to be blameless at the coming of Jesus Christ is not to earn salvation, but to thank God for the salvation that he has offered us in the gospel.