Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..."
Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God..." We often hear that verse quoted as, "We all
FALL short of the glory of God." And it is a very true statement. We know
it's true because the Word of God says it; but also, we know it is true because
our lives bear it out. Every day, we come short (fall short) of that
glory which God has ordained for us to walk in. When we come up short, there
are two ways to deal with it. We can either wallow in the fact that we failed
to be what God has called us to be, or we can ask God for forgiveness, get up,
and go again. God's Word says, "... a just man falleth seven times, and
riseth up again..."
What is the basis of our turning around and getting back up? Is it because we
turned over a new leaf? Is it because we picked ourselves up by the bootstraps
and kept on going? Is it our own power that reverses our wrong steps, or,
is it the power of "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son (that) cleanseth us
from all sin." I confess that I am not strong enough within myself
to "rise up again"; rather, it is the power of Jesus Christ within me
that enables me to confess my sins unto God and He is "... faithful and
just to forgive us (me of my) sins, and to cleanse (me) from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..."
We are just because we are "... justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus."