The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-01-27
lEzisasilziIS| "a;
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Perfect as Your Father is
Perfect

Perfect.
Matthew 5:i0-s0, 3s.4s.---January 30
BE ye therefore perfect, even as
your father which is in Heaven is
Perfectly. As.
Since the Lords followers have
fallen flesh 1t is not possible for
them to be perfect as God is per-
feot--except I'm heart. in intention.
But this good heart intention is not
sufficient to prove us worthy of q
share with Christ as his "elect' to
the glories of his Kingdom Our
profession of pure heart and Cod
likeness must be tested. 1t must be
demonstrated and developed to the
point of fixity of character. It must
stand tests of temptation. 1t must
endure faithfulness under stress.
Hence those accepted disciples OF
Christ are required to be faithful
under very trying circumstances.
The Jews had gradually lost sight
of the Divine Law and had filled
their minds with certain traditions
which were more or less contrary
to the Law.
Tradition quoted the Law, "Thou
shalt not kill" and then added,
whatsoever shall kill shall be in
danger of the judgment"-in danger
of trial and punishment by the APP
pointed Judges But Jesus taught a
still more rigid application, namely,
that anger against a Brother 0n the
heart unexpressed) would be q
murderous condition Of mind which
would be reprehenslble in Coos
sight, even though the murder might
never actually be committed. More
than this. HE rcprehended unkind
remarks, as "rakah." signiflinp
'blockhead," and ''thou fool" as
meaning still worse moral degen-
crate. Our Lord declared that such
expressions indicated wrong condl-
tions of heart. which might ultimate
ly bring the individual before the
aSa1hedrin, or possibly. eventually
lead him on into Second Death,
symbolzed by Gehenna.
He'll fire In this study is literally
Gehenna fire. 1t refers to the fire
kept burning in the Valley of Hin
nom (Gehenna) for the destruction
of offal and the prevention of con-
tagion. Into this fire the carcases OF
malicious evil-doers might be thrown
for destruction. It thus symbollzed
the Second Death.--Rev. 20.14.
According to the Galilean Prophet
IL would be useless for anyone to
approach Gods altar with a sac
riflcial gift while his heart contained
any enmity against another. Hence
M Chrfct,s,
fering gift to the Lord should
search their hearts and purge them
from enmity. knowing that other
wise their sacrifices and praises
would be in vain.
The advice of verses 25, 26 is
sound. II there is an obligation
against us we should settle and dis
charge II as quickly as possible. II
was an important lesson for all Jews
TO learn that their Law Covenant,
which they supposed was their
friend and assistant. was really their
Adversary and condemned them all.
Because of imperfectlon OF flesh,
they were unable to keep the Law
and could not have its approval, and
hence had its condemnation. The
proper course for all who recognize
this was to seek as good settle
ment with the Law as possible, con-
Tossing their imperfection.
Those who needed our Lords ad-
vice. realized their imperfect con-
dition and cried for help and found
forgiveness In Jesus through sacri-
flee. Thus, by faith, these were per-
mitted to come into Gods favor and
blessing at Pentecost.
The Mosaic Law laid down the
Divine principle which the Judges OF
Israel were to follow, "an eye for
an eye" the exaction of strict justice
The people had applied this to their