News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1916-05-31

with the perfec-
ton which will come in the future. 1t
may seem to some unnecessary that
man should disavow this final per-
lection since he is evidently not yet
raised from the dead; but the human
mind Is capable Of very strange things,
and this same apostle Paul speaks Of
some in his day who taught that the
resurrection is past already. On
some such basis, it seems that teach
ers arose who declared that even now
we may reach the perfection which be-
longs to the resurrection state. The
apostle is clearly against such a doc
trine.
Bishop Moule, one of the most saint
ly men the modern church has pro-
duced, in commenting upon this pas
sage says: "As far as my own obser-
walton goes, such views Ii. g. Of per-
fection) are not uncommonly attended,
in those who hold them, by certain
oblivion to personal shortcomings and
Inconsistencies; by an observation of
consciousness, and of conscience,
more or less marked, towards the sim
fulness of ordinary everyday VIOLA
lions of the law of holiness in respect
of meekness, humbleness of mind, long
suffering, sympathy, and other quiet
graces."
Indeed, the saints of all the ages
unite with Paul in declaring that they
are not already perfect. The apostle,
after suffering many things for
Christ's sake so that he bore in his
body the marks of the Lord Jesus,
writes of himself as "chief of sinners"
John Bunyan although he spent twelve
years in Bedford Jail for his Lord,
calls his life story Grace Astounding
to the Chief of Sinners" When John
Wesley thought he was dying, he re-
viewed his labors of sixty years, but
could find no peg upon which to hang
any hope of salvation; he could only
repeat the sentiment of the hymn,
the chief of sinners am,
But Jesus died for me.
hO SplIII was ludulltSl6u ny
Charles Spurgeon, who said during the
serious illness, that if he got we'll he
would have many things to preach,
but just at that time four words were
enough for him, Jesus died for me-"
DR.. A. J. Gordon was a man of such
sanity character that his very face
gave evidence of the indwelling light.
But the other portion of our text
speaks of sense in which we may
be perfect. The context shows that
the apostle is using the figure of run
ner in a race. He has not yet at
tanned the prize, but forgetting the
things which are behind and reaching
forth unto those which are before, he
presses toward the mark. 1t is this
to which the word perfect"
Is applied. The man has laid aside
the weights and the easily besetting
sin; he is not content with what he
has attained, but forgetting that which
Is behind, he presses with neck
stretched forth and every muscle
strained, to the goal It will be seen
At once that this sort of perfection is
very imperfect and is in no sense a
inality. 1t only prepares us to be
made perfect in the day of Christ's
coming. Nevertheless we are bound
by the grace of Christ to fulfill this
deal and not to put him to shame.
Two matters are involved in the ex-
lortation to be thus minded" First
If all if we feel like the apostle, we
will have the lowly estimate of our
elves of which we have spoken, the
ceiling that we have not attained.
yery far from Christian perfection is
ride; on the contrary, humility is its
cry essence. Again, if we are per-
ect in the sense of which the apostle
peaks, we will emulate him in
ressing forward for the prize of final
Tory. This is the very opposite of
as to our attainment. 1t
J said that Thorwaldsen once wept
ecause he was satisfied with a statue
g had made. "Alas," he said, 81 shall
ever improve now, for l have reached
ly ideal" How ought they to be
reused who, because they have come
, Christ and are living with some
are satisfied! Life mani
.sts itself by growth and he who is
OF growing may well examine him.
slf to see whether he be in the faith.
ow good it is that the apostle goes
4 to assure US that IF in anything
2 be otherwise minded, God will re-
eal even this unto you" May he give
grace to walk in this light!