We are all as an unclean thing. Isaiah 64:6
"THE believer
is a new creature, he belongs to a holy generation and a peculiar
people— but for all that the Christian is a sinner
still. He is so from the imperfection of his nature, and will continue
so to the end of his earthly life. The black fingers of sin leave smuts
upon our fairest robes.
--Sin mars our repentance, ere the great Potter
has finished it, upon 
the wheel.
--Selfishness defiles our tears, and
unbelief tampers with our faith.
The most golden faith or the purest degree of
sanctification to which a Christian ever attained on earth, has still so
much alloy in it as to be only worthy of the flames, in itself
considered.
Even now, though sin dwells in us, its power is broken. It has no
dominion; it is a broken-backed snake; we are in bitter conflict with
it, but it is with a vanquished foe that we have to deal. Yet a little
while and we shall enter victoriously into the city where nothing
defileth." Charles Spurgeon
