This coming August's edition of Reader's Digest features an eye-catching cover page: "Yes, you can!..."

Underneath this caption it says, "...Eat healthier, laugh more, be money savvy, live your dreams, believe in baseball again."

Even though I'm a digester of Reader's Digest, I have to admit that this periodical appeals to the classic middle-classer who likes religion, charities, organic food, and gym memberships, living to have a good life and die a nice person.

Don't get me wrong. I do believe in nurturing improvement and killing mediocrity, but when it comes to our sin, "Yes, you can!" just doesn't work. If I sin as a Christian with the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, how much less could I be "good" without the Holy Spirit. And even when I do excel in doing good for others, if it's not flowing from a consciousness that my good works are only possible because Jesus took away my sin and gave me His righteousness, then my good works are just another emanation of a sinful heart, all done in pride to exalt myself instead of the response of gratitude to exalt my Savior.