Friday, June 08, 2007

CHRISTIAN PEREFECTION

What is Christian Perfection? What does it mean? It means loving God with all our heart; mind, soul, and strength. This implies that no wrong temper, none contrary to love, remains in the soul and that all the thoughts, words and action are governed by pure love.

Do you affirm that this perfection excludes all infirmities, ignorance, and mistake? We affirm quite the contrary, and always will do, “How can every thoughts, word be governed by pure love and that at the same time be subjected to ignorance and mistakes you ask”. We see no contradiction here: A man may be filled with pure love, and still be liable to mistakes. We do not expect to be freed from actual mistakes till this mortal puts on immortality. This fact is a natural consequence of the soul’s dwelling in the flesh and blood. For we can not think at all without the mediation of our bodily organs, which have suffered equally with the rest of our frame. And hence we can not avoid sometimes thinking wrong till this corruptible shall have put on incorruption.

Your idea of Christian Perfection may go beyond or at least beside, the scriptural account. It may include more than the Bible includes therein, or however, something which that does not include. Christian Perfection is pure love filling the heart and governing all the words and actions. If your idea includes anything more or anything else, it is not scriptural; and then no wonders that a scripturally perfect Christian does not come up to it.

Now let this perfection appear in its native form, and who can speak one word against it? Will any dare to speak against loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and or neighbor as ourselves; against a renewal heart, not only in part, but in the whole image of God? Who is he that will open his mouth against being cleansed from all pollution, both of flesh and spirits; or against having the entire mind that was in Christ walked? What serious man would oppose the giving God all our heart and the having one desire ruling all our tempers? May we say again, let this Christian Perfection appear in its own shape, and who will fight against it?

Are we your enemies because we look for a full deliverance from carnal mind which is enmity against God? Nay, we are your brethren. Although this we confess we expect to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. Yes, we do believe that He will in this world so, “cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit, that we shall perfectly love Him and worthily magnify His Holy name.

Church of God, Christian Perfection is yours to experience! It is yours to proclaim. It is holiness inwardly and outwardly. Unto it, you are called. With it, you can see God!

I Thank You!

No comments: