Perfection in the Human Sphere

[devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org]

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    Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28
    Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org
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Perfection in the Human Sphere

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 
Matt. 5:48. 


Our Savior understood all about human nature, and He says to every human 
being. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is 
perfect." As God is perfect in His sphere, so man is to be perfect in his 
sphere. Those who receive Christ are among the number to whom the words so 
full of hope are spoken. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to 
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." These words 
declare to us that we should be content with nothing less than the best and 
highest character, a character formed after the divine similitude. When such a 
character is possessed, the life, the faith, the purity of the religion, is an 
instructive example to others. 

But those who are waiting to behold a magical change in their characters 
without determined effort on their part to overcome sin, will be disappointed. 
We have no reason to fear while looking to Jesus, no reason to doubt but that 
He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto Him; but we may 
constantly fear lest our old nature will again obtain the supremacy, that the 
enemy shall devise some snare whereby we shall again become his captives. We 
are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that 
worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. With our limited powers 
we are to be as holy in our sphere as God is holy in His sphere. To the extent 
of our ability, we are to make manifest the truth and love and excellence of 
the divine character. As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is 
to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ. 

We are to grow daily in spiritual loveliness. We shall fail often in our 
efforts to copy the divine pattern. We shall often have to bow down to weep at 
the feet of Jesus, because of our shortcomings and mistakes; but we are not to 
be discouraged; we are to pray more fervently, believe more fully, and try 
again with more steadfastness to grow into the likeness of our Lord. As we 
distrust our own power, we shall trust the power of our Redeemer, and render 
praise to God, who is the health of our countenance, and our God. 


>From Maranatha - Page 228