Horatius Bonar emphasizes that personal character and goodness cannot provide peace or acceptance before God, as God's judgment on sin is absolute and condemning. He argues that true conviction of sin reveals our helplessness and the futility of relying on our own efforts to gain favor with God. The only way to approach God is through Christ, who alone provides the necessary grounds for acceptance, independent of our flawed character. Bonar warns against self-righteousness and the delusion of finding peace in our own deeds, asserting that real peace comes from recognizing our need for Christ's redemptive work. Ultimately, he calls believers to rest in God's grace rather than their own merits.