In handling the subject of Christian Perfection, it might seem sufficient to say that the believer is perfect in a risen Christ:" " Complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power." This, surely, comprehends everything. Nothing can be added to the completeness which we have in Christ. All this is blessedly true; but does it not still hold good that the inspired writers use the word " perfect" in various ways? And is it not important that we should understand the sense in which the word is used? This, we presume, will hardly be questioned. We cannot suppose, for a moment, that any thoughtful reader of Scripture would be satisfied to dismiss the matter without prayerfully seeking to understand the exact force and just application of the word, in each particular passage in which it occurs. It is plain that the word " perfect" in Heb. 9:99Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (Hebrews 9:9) is not applied in the same way as it is in Phil. 3:1515Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Philippians 3:15). And is it not right—is it not profitable- is it not due to our own souls and to the sacred volume, to seek, through grace, to understand the difference? For our part, we cannot question it; and, in this confidence, we can happily pursue our examination of the subject of Christian Perfection, by calling the reader's attention, in the third place, to Perfection in the principle of our walk.
This is unfolded to us in Matt. 5:4848Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48). "Be ye therefore perfect, (τελειοι) even as your Father in heaven is perfect." " How," it may be asked, " can we be perfect as our Father which is in heaven? How can we reach to such an elevated point as this? How can we attain to so lofty a standard? We can understand our being perfect as to the conscience, inasmuch as this perfection is based upon what Christ has done for us. And we can also understand our being perfect as to the object of the heart, inasmuch as this perfection is based upon what Christ is to us. But to be perfect as our Father in heaven, seems entirely beyond us." To all this it may be said that our blessed Lord does not ask us to do impossibilities. He never issues a command without furnishing the needed grace to carry it out. Hence, therefore, when He calls upon us to be perfect as our Father, it is plain that He confers upon us a holy privilege, that he invests us with a high dignity, and it is our place to seek to understand and appreciate both the one and the other.
What, then, is meant by our being perfect as our Father in heaven? The context of Matt. 5:4848Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48) furnishes the answer. " But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that (οπως) ye may be the children (υιοι) of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust........be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Here we have a lovely phase of Christian Perfection, namely, perfection in the principle of our walk. We are called to walk in grace toward all, and, in so doing, to be imitators of God as dear children. Our Father sends His sunshine and His showers even upon His enemies. He deals in grace with all. This is our model. Are we formed upon it? Reader, search and see. Are you perfect in the principle of your walk? Are you dealing in grace with your enemies and those who are in your debt? Are you demanding your rights? Are you, in principle, taking your fellow by the throat, and saying, " Pay me that thou owest?" If so, you are not "perfect as your Father." He is dealing in grace and you are dealing in righteousness. Were He to act as you are acting, the day of grace would close and the day of vengeance open. Had he dealt with you as you are now dealing with others, you should, long since, have been in that place where hope is unknown.
Let us ponder this. Let us see to it that we are not misrepresenting our heavenly Father. Let us aim at perfection in the principle of our daily walk. It will cost us something. It may empty the purse, but it will fill the heart; it may contract our pecuniary resources, but it will enlarge our spiritual circle. It will bring us into closer contact and deeper fellowship with our heavenly Father. Is not this worth something? Truly it is. Would that we felt its worth more deeply. Would that we felt more of the dignity conferred upon us in our being called to represent, in this evil, selfish, dark world, our heavenly Father who pours, in rich profusion, His blessings upon the unthankful and the unholy. There is no use in preaching grace if we do not act it. It is of little avail to speak of God's dealing in longsuffering mercy, if we are dealing in high-handed justice.
But, it may be said by some, " However could we carry out such a principle? We should be robbed and ruined. How could business be carried on, if we are not to enforce our rights? We should be imposed upon and plundered by the unprincipled and the designing." This is not the mode in which to arrive at a just conclusion on our point. An obedient disciple never says, " How?" The question is, " Does the Lord Jesus call upon me to be perfect, as my Father in heaven is perfect? " Assuredly. Well then, am I aiming at this, when I summon my fellow-creature to a bar of justice? Is this like my Father? Is this what He is doing? No; blessed be His name I He is on a throne of grace. He is reconciling the world. He is not imputing trespasses. This is plain enough. It only needs full subjection of heart. Let us bow our souls beneath the weight of this most glorious truth. May we gaze upon this most lovely aspect or Christian Perfection, and seek to aim at the attainment of it. If we pause to reason about results, we shall never reach the truth. What we want is that moral condition of soul that fully owns the power and authority of the word. Then, though there may be failure in detail, we have always a touchstone by which to test our ways, and a standard to which to recall the heart and conscience. But if we reason and argue—if we deny that it is our privilege to be perfect in the sense of Matt. 5:4848Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48), -if we justify our going to law, when our Father is not going to law, but acting in the most unqualified grace, we deprive ourselves of that perfect model on which our character and ways should ever be formed.
May God the Holy Spirit enable us to understand, to submit to, and carry out, in practical life, this perfect principle! It is most lamentable to see the children of God adopting, in daily life, a course of acting the direct opposite of that adopted by their heavenly Father. We ought to remember that we are called to be His moral representatives. We are His children, by spiritual regeneration, but we are called to be His sons, in moral assimilation to His character, and practical conformity to His ways. "Do good to them that hate you........that ye may be the sons of your Father which is in heaven." Striking words! In order to our being, morally and characteristically, the sons of God, we are called to do good to our enemies. This is what He does, and we are called to be like Him. Alas! how little we enter into this! How unlike we are! Oh! for a more faithful representation!
Time and space would fail us to dwell, as we should like to do, upon this deeply practical part of our subject; we must, therefore, pass on, in the fourth place, to the consideration of
Perfection in the character of our Service.
" I have not found thy works perfect (πεπληρωμενα) before God." (Rev. 3:33Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (Revelation 3:3).) The English reader should be informed that the word here rendered " perfect" is not the same as that used in the three passages already referred to. It is usually translated " fulfilled"—" finished"—" accomplished." Its use in reference to the works of the Church of Sardis teaches us a deeply solemn and heart-searching lesson. There was a name to live; but the works were not fulfilled under the immediate eye of God. There is nothing more dangerous to a Christian than to have " a name:" It is a positive snare of the devil. Many a professor has fallen by means of being occupied with a name. Many a useful servant has been destroyed by the effort to keep up a name. If I have gotten a reputation in any department of service—as an active evangelist—a gifted teacher—a clear and attractive writer—a man of prayer -a man of faith—a person of remarkable sanctity, or great personal devotedness—a benevolent person—a name for anything, in short, I am in imminent danger of making shipwreck. The enemy will lead me to make my reputation my object instead of Christ. I shall be working to keep up a name instead of the glory of Christ. I shall be occupied with the thoughts of men instead of doing all my work under the immediate eye of God.
All this demands intense watchfulness and rigid censorship over myself. I may be doing the most excellent works, but if they are not fulfilled in the presence of God, they will prove a positive snare of the devil. I may preach the gospel—visit the sick—help the poor—go through the entire range of religious activity, and never be in the presence of God at all. I may do it for a name—do it through habit—through the force of surrounding circumstances and influences—do it because others do it, or expect me to do it. This is very serious, beloved reader. It demands much prayer—much self-emptiness—much nearness to, and dependence upon, God—much singleness of eye -much holy consecration to Christ. Self will be continually intruding upon us. Oh! yes, self, self, self, even in the very holiest things; and, all the while, we may appear to be very active and very devoted. Miserable delusion! "We know of nothing more terrible than to have a religious name, without spiritual life, without Christ, without a sense of God's presence possessing the soul.
Reader, let us look closely into this. Let us see that we begin, continue, and end our work under the Master's eye. This will impart a purity and a moral elevation to our service beyond all price. It will not cripple our energy, but it will greatly tend to raise and intensify our action. It will not clip our wings, but it will guide our movements. It will render us independent of the thoughts of men, and fully deliver us from the slavery of seeking to maintain a name, or keep up a reputation—miserable, degrading bondage t May the good Lord grant us full deliverance from it! May He give us grace to fulfill our works, whatever they may be, few or many, small or great, in His own most blessed presence!
Having said thus much in reference to the character of our service, we shall close with a few lines on Perfection in our equipment for Service.
" All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect (αρτιος) thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:16, 1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17).) Here again, we have a different word, and one which only occurs in this one place in the entire New Testament. It is most expressive. It signifies present readiness for any exigence. The man who is acquainted with, and subject to, the word of God, is ready for every emergency. He has no need to go and cram for an occasion—to consult his authorities—to make himself up on a point. He is ready now. If an anxious inquirer comes, he is ready; if a curious inquirer comes, he is ready; if a skeptic comes, he is ready; if an infidel comes, he is ready. In a word, he is always ready. He is perfectly equipped for every occasion.
The Lord he praised for all these aspects of Christian Perfection! What more do we want? Perfection as to the conscience; perfection in object; perfection in walk; perfection in the character of service; perfection in our equipment. What remains? What wait we for? Just this—perfection in glory—perfect conformity in spirit and soul and body, to the image of our glorified Head in heaven!
May the Lord so work in our hearts, by His Spirit, producing that which is well-pleasing in His sight, that we may stand " perfect and complete in all the will of God!"
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