神若要追討每一個人的罪孽過犯，誰能站立得住呢？

捫心自問 ，神若要追討你的罪孽過犯，你能站立得住嗎？

John Newton，詩歌「奇異恩典」的作者，在一封書信裡引用了詩篇第130篇的第3節：「主─耶和華啊，你若究察罪孽，誰能站得住呢？」為題，寫了以下的一封簡短的反思的信件：

親愛的朋友：

在我們這城市裏，罪惡盛行和增加到了一個可怕的地步！我們街道上充滿了彼列(魔鬼撒但)的兒女，他們不敬畏神，也不尊敬人，我盼望我的心比我眼所見、耳所聽的更受影響，我常常準備好敬畏主，免得主以一些令人懼怕的方式來顯出祂的不悅。

的確，如果祂嚴格的記錄我一切罪惡過犯的事情，我會何等的恐懼戰兢啊！噢！若祂要指控我，我一個字也不能回答祂！哎呀！我親愛的朋友，你知道我是多麼貧乏的、沒用的、不忠的受造物！若果你知道我感覺到在我裡面的邪惡，而且被外在的網羅和困苦所纏擾的話，你確實會同情我的！

雖然祂對我有這麼多的寬恕，可是我卻有這麼少對耶穌的愛。
雖然祂對我有這麼多的憐憫，可是我卻有這麼少對祂的報答。
雖然蒙這麼大的恩惠和榮幸，可是我活出的生命卻是如此的可悲。

我裡面的罪，壓迫著我，使我墮落；當我想行善的時候，邪惡就與我一同顯現！沒有任何的善行我可以嘗試做得到，憑著我與生俱來的敗壞，任何的善行都被虧損了、沾污了、糟蹋了！我那些輕忽的罪真是難以數算啊！

簡而言之：
在我的悟性裡，有何等多的陰暗啊！
在我的意願裡，有何等多的邪惡啊！
在我的情感裡，有何等多的毛病啊！
在我的思路裡，有何等多的愚昧和狂妄啊！

總之，對我自己來說我真是一個難以測度、表裡不一的傢伙。

哎呀！幾時才會不一樣呢？我有一個與神同行的渴慕，但是我卻不能達得到這個目標，的確，離世與耶穌基督同在總比活在這深陷罪中與試探中好。

然而，「…在父那裡我們有一位中保。」（約翰壹書 2章1）這是我活下來的盼望！雖然在我裡面是如此的卑劣，可是在祂裡面我成為完全！

祂是我的智慧、我的公義、我的聖潔，也是我的救贖。
我要在這「磐石」上建造，從此時此刻直到永遠！

英文原文如下：

"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

Dear friend,

Wickedness prevails and increases in our city to a dreadful degree! Our streets are filled with the sons of Belial, who neither fear God, nor regard man. I wish my heart was more affected with what my eyes see and my ears hear every day! I am often ready to fear lest the Lord should show His displeasure in some dreadful way!

And surely, if He were strict to mark all that is amiss—I myself would tremble! Oh, were He to plead against me—I could not answer Him one word! Alas! my dear friend, you know not what a poor, unprofitable, unfaithful creature I am! If you knew the evils which I feel within, and the snares and difficulties which beset me from without—you would pity me indeed!

So much forgiven—yet so little love to Jesus.
So many mercies—yet so few returns.
Such great privileges—yet a life so sadly below them.

Indwelling sin presses me downwards; when I would do good, evil is present with me! I can attempt nothing—but it is debased, polluted and spoiled by my depraved nature! My sins of omission are innumerable. In a word, there is . . .
  much darkness in my understanding,
  much perverseness in my will,
  much disorder in my affections,
  much folly and madness in my imagination!

In short, I am a riddle to myself—a heap of inconsistency!

Alas! when shall it be otherwise? I have a desire of walking with God—but I cannot attain unto it. Surely it is far better to depart, and to be with Jesus Christ—than to live here up to the ears in sin and temptation!

But, "We have an Advocate with the Father." Here my hope revives! Though wretched in myself—I am complete in Him! He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. On this "Rock" I build—for time and eternity!"