Tke Problem of Perfection Wkat Is The Bible Teaching Regarding “Sinless Perfection.” Taken from “The Witness” (London) By REV. GEORGE GO ODM AN
CHRISTIAN t>f old is said to have prayed, “Lord, make me as lioly as a saved sinner can be!” And how holy is that? This iS a question that has exercised the hearts and minds of the children of God all
direct revelation and sinlessness. In the revival in France, Fenelon and Mde. Guyon suffering persecution and the Bastile at the hands of Bossuet for their doctrine of perfect love. In later days Whitfield and Toplady contending with John Wesley and the saintly Fletcher of Madeley for their teaching of perfection. And John Angel James repudiating the teaching of the great revivalist, Chas. G. Finney, on the same subject, who only allowed what was wilful to be sin. In our own day “eradication” and “advanced” holiness teaching have caused much exercise of heart. What shall we say to these things? Perhaps two points may first be noted, one that much lay in the faulty expression and use of language, and then that whatever there was of failure in expression must not discourage us from seeking The Highest and Best; from aiming at the enjoyment of all that the Lord has for us in Christ. There is no doubt that the Lord Jesus can do far more for us than we have yet known. Perhaps the case of Wesley furnishes us with the best illustration of differ ences arising from the use of language. As is well known, John Wesley taught that a believer could be perfect. These are his words: “They are now in such a sense perfect as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.” He did not himself claim to be perfect, but in a letter written in 1762 he tells of “forty or fifty people who de clare (and I can take their word, for I know them well) each for himself, ‘God has enabled me to rejoice ever more, and to pray and give thanks without ceasing. I feel no pride, no anger, no desire, no
down the ages. They 'have observed that in Scripture no limit is put. “All things are possible to him that believ- eth” (Mark 9. 23), and “Nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt. 17. 20), are the words of our Lord. Is it any wonder, then, that those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, whose hearts have been ravished by His dying love, should long intensely to cease from sinning and thus grieving Him, and should strain every muscle as they reach forth and press toward this prize? At every revival that has swept over the land the question has been raised afresh and fiercely contested. Those converted and carried along in the stream of the. enthusiasm gendered by such revivals have generally been found contending for sinless" perfection, for perfect love, for full consecration, or en tire sanctification. The phraseology has differed on almost every occasion, but the contention has been the same, the young life, new born and vigorous, has urged that Great Heights of Experience are to be known; the older and soberer have hesitated and called for caution. Daring, language has been used by the one, and no doubt unbelief has often limited the other. On both sides were giants and holy men. In Cromwell’s days we find John Bun- yan rebuking Geo. Fox for his claim to
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