The Duty of Perfecting Holiness.
By C. F. Phelps
To every true lover of Christ, the theme of holiness will not be unwelcome, and there is no class of believers that may more appropriately labor for the highest privileges of the gospel of Christ than those who acknowledge their obligation to the unchanged law of God, and are striving to live in obedience to its precepts. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” 1 Tim. 1:5. Paul earnestly exhorted the church at Corinth, that were doubtless living in obedience to the law, and including himself he says, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Cor. 7:1. But in order that this work of purity and holiness may be truly wrought in us, the law of God must be appreciated, loved, and obeyed from the heart with no reservation; and having thus laid the true foundation of “a faith unfeigned,” we should leave these first principles of the doctrine of Christ, and “go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, and of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” Heb. 6:1, 2. Having in these “principles” “a good conscience,” it is our privilege, yes, it is our bounden duty, to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, and, “reaching forth unto those things which are before,” to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:8, 13, 14. He has recorded for the encouragement of our faith and hope: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7. “All things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23. To place the standard of the faith of Jesus lower than this, endangers our final salvation; for it is dishonoring to Him who has promised us such excellent gifts, and is at once a proof that our faith is not of that exalted character “that works by love” and purifies the heart. At this time, when infidelity in the most alluring guise meets the unwary in every path of life, how great is the responsibility resting upon those who through the Spirit have become enlightened in the way of truth and holiness. The world needs the light that emanates from truly sanctified lives. It needs noble examples of a real faith in God and of trust in his word, and it needs those whose daily life exhibits that self-sacrificing spirit that would be expected in a people that confess themselves “pilgrims and strangers” here, looking for “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” Sweet Charity, the crowning grace of redeeming love, how oft she veils her lovely face from the spirit of many professors of Jesus, who seem to forget her gentle admonitions, and suffer envy and jealousy to embitter their hearts against those they should love in Christian fellowship. This precious spirit of love is allied indissolubly to holiness of life, as the beloved St. John writes, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. It should be our constant aim to live daily in the spirit of Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you, to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” 1 Thess. 3:12, 13. C. F. PHELPS.