God's Perfection and Mercy by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 22, 1909

God's Perfection and Mercy

By F. M. W.

God is perfect in every attribute. All his ways are righteous. His character, as expressed in his law and as exemplified in his Son, is one of holiness and absolute perfection. Being perfect himself, he can accept none other than a perfect standard of righteousness in his children. He calls them to the same holy state which he occupies. He says: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.” The apostle John had in view this state of holy living when he wrote: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.”

God does not ask his children to reach the standard of holiness through their own efforts. This would be for them an impossibility. Man can not change his heart. By no system of philosophy or education can he make himself acceptable to his Maker. He can not do it by resolution or force of will. The sons of God are “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” By what means does God work the transformation? To “as many as received him [Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

How gracious are God's ways! He takes the poor, defiled sinner, awakens in his heart through the influence of the Spirit a desire for sonship, and then provides a way, by simple faith in Christ's sacrifice, for the attainment of that relationship.

But this new-born babe in Christ can not reach perfection of Christian character in a day. While he is made perfect as relates to his old life of sin, and has received “remission of sins that are past,” there is yet to be wrought out in his experience a righteousness of holy living, which can come only through the power of the indwelling Christ. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

This salvation by his life represents a work of daily conversion, a growing up into the perfection of Christ's character. It means a surrender of self, as self is revealed in the life experience; a yielding to the divine will; a subordination of all life's plans and purposes to the Spirit's leadings. It means in its ultimate fulness godlikeness, freedom from imputed sin, the perfection of the life of Jesus abiding in the soul as the life of the individual himself. This is the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, the exalted plane of holy living to which we are called by God's grace.

But while God calls his children to perfection, he takes into account their weaknesses. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” He knows how weak are our inherited natures, the force of sinful habit, the forbidding environment, the cunning and power of the adversary. And knowing this, his love provides a way of return for him who stumbles from the path and falls under the power of evil.

After saying, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not,” John adds: “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” We can take with us words, and turn again to God, and say unto him, “Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.” And his promise is that he will heal our backsliding, and love us freely. Hosea 14: 1-4.

But while Infinite Mercy may regard our weaknesses, and make provision for our need, we should not be encouraged thereby to repeat our failures, or to presume on divine forbearance. Rather should we seek to walk the more carefully. Paul refers to this: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” To willingly do so would be to deny our holy relationship in God, and to make of none effect the grace bestowed upon us.

Poor tempted soul, look up. Have you tried and failed, return to God, acknowledge your sin, and he will receive you. Once more he will give you justification for the sins that are past, through the blood of Christ. By faith he will impart to you the life of Jesus, to abide with you, and to give you power to keep you from sinning. He will subdue your iniquities, and give you victory over all the power of evil. He stretches out his hands to save; his heart yearns over you in love; his Spirit pleads with you to return. To-day come back to the Father's house.

F. M. W.