Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-08-02
Written for the Standard
SUNLESS PERFECTIoN---IS IT AT
TAINABLE?
BY j. $. b.

canopy, under which sinners can fins
shelter from hell's scorching rays,
should be blessed and praised forever
more. Oh, christian, shout hozan-
nahs to the suffering Son, shout them
to the Father who sent His we'll be-
loved to the cross for us, shout them
to the Holy Spirit proceeding from
them both.
Oh this law of grace. Under it our
sins of the past,our sins of the future,
are blotted out forever.
Does it mean we will sin no more
while encased in flesh. No man can
in the face of God and angels, lay
claim to this. When such state is
reached, he need no more pray for
pardon, no penitential tear will
again course his cheek. With no sin
or evil lurking in his nature, prayer
andsupplication for strength and grace
to walk with God and combat sin
and satan will then no more be re-
CURED.
know not how it is with others,
but as for myself, while / live on the
earth in the future, as in the past, |
expect with a host of saints daily to
cry Lord have mercy on us miser-
able sinners"
have never yet seen the day [ can
dispense with this prayer. Human
nature, the facts Of life, and the scrip
lures all teach its necessity.
Grace does not at all times keep
from the saint the faint Of sin. In
deed do not consider it promised.
The promise is we shall not live in
sin. 1t shall not have dominion over
us. The office of grace is two-fold.
One is to keep us from sin, and it
does keep us from many, many a sin.
And the other is to bring us to
speedy repentance when overtaken
and overcome by Satan, and thus
loosen us from his grip.
Jesus illustrates this truth by the
parable of the lost sheep. He leaves
the 80 and 8 safe in the fold and ten
derby and surely brings the lost one
back to his fellows. 1t is grace which
makes the lost sheep cry for help. Ii
cannot abide in sin. And how many
times will the good shepherd thus
seek and find his own? How many
times will he pity and pardon the
wanderer? Seven times, yea, seventy
times seven-and perhaps even this
is not the limit of his saving love.
cannot subscribe to the doctrine tina
the righteous never sin. admit they
ought not to, that this is the standard
the goal for which their heart
should always part, as the thirst!
hand to the water brook. But in thi
life this standard is never reached
Ifany reach it, then they need N
longer the intercession of the Son.
While on this shore, and through
out eternity l for one want and nee'
this interceding love. Jesus ant
Jesus alone is my righteousness. /
is not in me. 1t is not on earth.
is in heaven. 1t is in the Lord on
Righteousness.
In one sense / admit the saint doe
not sin. The converted soul abhOr
it, he cannot rest under it. Like
child unluckily cast in mud an
mire, he will weep and weep bitterl
until cleaEsed from the pollution
Jesus to his saints is even kinder an
more gentle and more patient, tina
mother to her darling child. He a
ways stands ready to forgive, read
to cleanse, ready to wipe away tear
ready to pluck the poisoned barb
sin from the heart, heal the wounC
dispel the grief and pain, and agai
fill the stricken one with bliss an
JOY.
This is his glory. He will not II
his saints abide in sin. He will NJ
let Beelzebub or any satrap of hi
pluck from his own and his Father
hands the least and weakest of h
saints.
But grace Astounding, gives I
license to sin. All saints feel and rea
lie this. They therefore stand close
the cross, they seek dwelling i'll Il
secret place of the most High. 1t
their wish to abide under the shade
of the Almighty, and the promise
they shall tread upon the lion al
the adder, the types of sin and Sata
The christian should and W
strive to reach perfect ObedienC
But if through weakness Of the files
craft of the devil, or lust ofthe worl
he fails, he should not despair al
a. Il y