Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And so we see that Christian perfection is not becoming perfected as in the resurrection, but is simply perfecting the our faith toward God in singleness of heart with faithful works, even as our father Abraham and our Lord Jesus gave us example to do.
And those works must accompany salvation, else there is no justification by Christ. They are not optional when we feel like it, but are done obediently when God calls upon us to do so.
Those who want to separate their faith from works to be saved and justified by, therefore, are the same who never perfect their faith in doing the righteousness of God, but rather embrace dead works of the flesh unto the grave.
Christian perfection is simply perfecting the faith of God to have a perfect heart, clean spirit, and blameless life without the sinful works of the flesh.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.
There is no faith nor perfect heart toward God, where there are not the necessary works done good in sight of Christ to perfect that faith and purify that heart.
Until then, the faith is dead, and the heart is double, and the soul is wretched in need of deliverance the same as any unbeliever on earth doing the same sins.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And so we see that Christian perfection is not becoming perfected as in the resurrection, but is simply perfecting the our faith toward God in singleness of heart with faithful works, even as our father Abraham and our Lord Jesus gave us example to do.
And those works must accompany salvation, else there is no justification by Christ. They are not optional when we feel like it, but are done obediently when God calls upon us to do so.
Those who want to separate their faith from works to be saved and justified by, therefore, are the same who never perfect their faith in doing the righteousness of God, but rather embrace dead works of the flesh unto the grave.
Christian perfection is simply perfecting the faith of God to have a perfect heart, clean spirit, and blameless life without the sinful works of the flesh.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.
There is no faith nor perfect heart toward God, where there are not the necessary works done good in sight of Christ to perfect that faith and purify that heart.
Until then, the faith is dead, and the heart is double, and the soul is wretched in need of deliverance the same as any unbeliever on earth doing the same sins.
