Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-01-22

3:17 1t means well equipped. That
the man OF God may be perfect, thor
oughly furnished unto all good works"
In James IA 1t means whole, com.
plete: But let patience have her per-
feet work, that We may be perfect
and entire, wanting nothing"
So tn l. Cor. 1910; when that
which is perfect is come. then that
which Ia in part shall be done away"
In Hebrews 1928 we have the word
which applies to heaven: THE spirits
OF just men made perfect"
Such is Gods standard and we are
not to lower it. God said to Israel.
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord
thy God" (Deut 1919 Jesus said
to his disciples, BE We perfect. even
as your Father which Is in heaven is
perfect" Matt 5:4S) Tell me to be
perfect like man, and am not quite
sure whether l will Is it worth while?
But tell me to be perfect like God and
it is worth all time and eternity in
the effort and sacrifice,
Perfection Of Standing.
In our Lord Jesus Christ we have
the perfection of standing before God.
In Christ, we are whole. In Christ we
are complete.
l was on Ellis Island, New York,
few weeks ago, watching the incoming
immigrants. We went into a court,
where a man about 65 years of age
was before the judges. They asked
him question after question Where is
your SOM" HE lives somewhere in the
United States" We'll, why isn't he
here to stand for you?" Don't know.
He invited me over here, but he is not
here" For the lack of a sons stand
ing for him the old man had to turn
his face back to the old country, and l
do not remember when my pity was so
stirred as when / saw him with down
cast countenance go out of the room
in charge of an official to be put on
the steamer and sent back home be-
cause the son was not there to give
him standing.
Imperfection of Experience.
While we confess the perfection OF
our standing in Christ, let us be just
as willing to confess the imperfection
of our experience That is exactly
what Paul did when he said: Not as
though l had already attained, either
were already perfect" philippians 3:
12), while in the fifteenth verse, which
follows, he continues, Let US, there
fOrn n "a "a n0Tfn0f 70 fhIIn
minded" Here is perfection OF
standing with an imperfection of ex-
perience. We have perfect standing,
but the experience may not be per-
fected until we are among "the spirits
of the just made perfect" Make your
boast in the Lord, but not in the
graces of the Holy Spirit. You can
stand before the world and say, II am
perfect before God in Christ Jesus"
But the moment you claim that
you are perfect in character your
claim proves that you are mistaken. In
feet it shall prove me peryerse.
Though l were perfect, yet would
not know my SOUL In other words,
If l say l am perfect, my saying 1t
proves that am not perfect, but rath-
er perverse And if l were perfect
would not know my own soul. Other
folks might know 1t, but would not
be conscious of it. When Moses came
down from the presence of God he
knew not that his face shone. When
Paul was comparatively young he
wrote, Il am the least Of the apos-
ties" After he had grown awhile in
grace he added: 81 am less than the
least of all the saints" AS mature
Christian ready to be martyred he
confessed, II am the chief Of sim
ners." During all those years Paul
had been growing into the experience
of perfection, while he became more
and more conscious of his sinful ma.
ture. Be perfect, but don't say 1t. Let
your wife find it out, and you may be
sure that she will tell on you. She
cannot keep it to herself The sun,
when it rises, does not ring bell or
boom a cannon 1t simply shines.
LET your light so shine before men
that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father" Light needs
no label. 1t speaks for itself.