Why believe?

In a similar vein, and with thanks to commentator Doug Moo, here's another example of the counter-intuitive nature of grace:

Augustine: God does not choose us because we believe, but that we may believe.

Amazing!
HT: itsabeautifulgospel.com

Deep forgiveness leads to deep repentance

It's well known that the first of Luther's 95 Theses that sparked the Reformation is a recognition that Gospel discipleship call to life-long repentance: When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, "Repent" (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
That is, by the Spirit, we are to be continuously reorienting the direction of our believing hearts towards Christ and away from the idols of sinful self-justifying self-sufficiency and self-centredness.  But what about the element of contrition and sorrow for sin?  Where do we get the motivating power to sustain a deepening repentance from our sinful actions, attitudes, ambitions and affections?  The following brief quotation is both profound and practically helpful ...

“The saved sinner is prostrate in adoration, lost in wonder and praise. He knows repentance is not what we do in order to earn forgiveness; it is what we do because we have been forgiven. It serves as an expression of gratitude rather than an effort to earn forgiveness. Thus the sequence of forgiveness and then repentance, rather than repentance and then forgiveness is crucial for understanding the gospel of grace”
Brennan Manning

HT: Graced again