When the Philadelphia Eagles returned home for an heroic parade after winning the NFC Championship, city officials sent workers out with cans of Crisco. The “Crisco Cops,” as they were called, greased all the light poles on the parade route to keep rowdy fans from climbing them.

Sometimes trying to live a godly life feels like trying to climb a greased pole. Sin is slippery, and the gravity of our fallen nature works against us. The apostle Paul gave his own testimony about this in Romans 7, saying, “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me” (verse 21, NIV).

When we fall into sin, we must confess it to God honestly. But we must also resolve to do better with His help. He knows how to take His hand and uphold us, pressing us upward and onward in the glorious growth of godliness. Proverbs 24:16 says that a righteous person may fall seven times but will rise again. Psalm 37:24 is similar: “If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up” (GNT).

Don’t give up on personal holiness!

It is inconceivable that the Christian should ever think of sin without also thinking of his Savior.
John Stott