We must never think of salvation as a kind of transaction between God and us in which he contributes grace and we contribute faith. For we were dead, and had to be quickened before we could believe. No, Christ's apostles clearly teach elsewhere that saving faith too is God's gracious gift.
--From "The Message of Ephesians" (The Bible Speaks Today series: Leicester: IVP, 1979), p. 83.
If we come to Christ and put our trust in him, a marvellous
but mysterious exchange takes place. He takes away our
sins, and clothes us with his righteousness instead. In
consequence, we stand before God 'not trusting in our own
righteousness, but in God's manifold and great mercies',
not in tattered rags of our own morality but in the
spotless robe of the righteousness of Christ. And God
accepts us not because we are righteous, but because the
righteous Christ died for our sins and was raised from
death.
--From "Your Confirmation" (rev. edn. London: Hodder and
Stoughton, 1991), p. 19.
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