What Kind of Christian do Sinners Need?

But when people come and have been broken by sin and have fallen into temptation and are ashamed to confess the awful mess they have made of their life, it is not a Christian who has been sanctified by vinegar that they need. It is a Christian that has been mastered by the unconditional, free grace of God. It is a Christian from whom ironclad orthodoxy has been torn away and the whole armor of a gracious God has been placed upon his soul-the armor of one who would not break the bruised reed or quench the dimly burning wick.

You see, my friends, as we think together in these days about a Godly pastor we have to ask, what is a Godly Christian? A Godly Christian is one who is like God, who has a heart of free grace running after sinners. The Godly Christian is the one who sees the prodigal and runs and falls on his neck and weeps and kisses him and says, “This my son was dead, he was lost and now he is alive and found.” - My apologies to Tillian Tchividjian and Sinclair Ferguson (Marrow Controversy Lectures) for removing "Pastor" and adding "Christian" in its place. DG