Spurgeon: May PM
* 05/15/PM
"Made perfect."
--Hebrews 12:23
Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the
Christian needs--the perfection of justification in the person
of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by
the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the
breasts of the regenerate--experience soon teaches us this.
Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice
to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work
which He has begun; and He shall present my soul, not only
perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot
or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor
sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can
it be that this spirit, which often cries, "O wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?"
shall get rid of sin and death--that I shall have no evil things
to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh,
happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the
work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that
moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit
shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. Methinks
I long to die to receive that last and final purification which
shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall
be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, "I am clean,"
through Jesus' blood, and through the Spirit's work. Oh, how
should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us
fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope
of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now.
If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is
a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding
in us now or it cannot be perfected then . Let us pray to "be
filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth increasingly
the fruits of righteousness.