God didn’t choose us because we were holy, but he called us so that we might become holy. Holiness is the beauty that comes from his work in us. The virtues we see in a believer are just as much the work of God as the atonement itself. This beautifully highlights the fullness of God’s grace. Salvation

must be by grace because the Lord is the one who creates it. Salvation must be by grace because the Lord works in such a way that our own righteousness is entirely excluded. This is the believer’s privilege—a present salvation; and the evidence of being called to it is a holy life.

A gardener doesn’t bother to prune wild roses, blackberries, or hawthorns—he doesn’t care enough about them. But look at how he carefully prunes the vines and fruit trees! My gardener pruned my roses so severely that I thought there wouldn’t be any flowers;

but when I saw the abundance of roses, I realized he knew better than I did. Good roses need to be pruned, and God’s people must go through trials.