Can we anyone of us be perfect in and of ourselves? We are called to perfect though yes?
Philippians4:6 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
6 Be carefulfor nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving letyour requests be made known unto God.
Philippians4:4 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
4 Rejoice inthe Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians4:8 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
8 Finally,brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoeverthings are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there beany praise, think on these things.
1 Peter 1:16Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
16 becauseit is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
John 7:38 Authorized(King James) Version (AKJV)
38 He thatbelieveth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow riversof living water.
Philippians2:15 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
15 that yemay be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst ofa crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Matthew16:24 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
24 Then saidJesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,and take up his cross, and follow me.
Luke 14:26 Authorized(King James) Version (AKJV)
26 If any man come to me, and hate not hisfather, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, andhis own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Colossians3:1 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
3 If ye thenbe risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sittethon the right hand of God.
So is this above enough to show us that no flesh can be perfect, yet are we nit to be perfect as our heavenly Father is?
Enough. We dare go no further. It would only increase Our shame, and our pain. We stand indicted. We are not "What Christ would have us to be. If this is the measure of the Christian life, if this is the basis upon which we are to be judged, if this is what God requires of us as Christians, like Isaiah we cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone."
Why does not the Savior, so tender and so understanding, so loving and so wise, not make requirements more in keeping with human nature? Why does He seem to be so unreasonable? Why does He not demand of us what we might reasonably attain? He bids us soar, yet we have no wings. Talk about the super-man; it is not so much a mere overabundance of man that is required. It seems to be rather man-deified, if I may so speak, which the New Testament pronounces as the true type of Christian. Why does the Savior go so far beyond the merely natural, and put Christian living on the basis of the supernatural? I protest, it is not natural to love our enemies; it is not natural to rejoice always; it is not natural to be thankful for the things that hurt; it is not natural to hate ourselves; it is not natural to walk as Jesus walked. Have we honestly faced this dilemma? Have we had the courage to face the implications of Christ's Word? Is anything gained by subterfuges, by pretending that the gulf between the humanly possible, and the law of Christ (i.e. what we can attain by nature and what God requires in His Word) is after all not so great?
So is there a satisfactory answer anyone?
WOE IS ME I AM UNDONE
6 Be carefulfor nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving letyour requests be made known unto God.
Philippians4:4 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
4 Rejoice inthe Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians4:8 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
8 Finally,brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoeverthings are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there beany praise, think on these things.
1 Peter 1:16Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
16 becauseit is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
John 7:38 Authorized(King James) Version (AKJV)
38 He thatbelieveth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow riversof living water.
Philippians2:15 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
15 that yemay be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst ofa crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Matthew16:24 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
24 Then saidJesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,and take up his cross, and follow me.
Luke 14:26 Authorized(King James) Version (AKJV)
26 If any man come to me, and hate not hisfather, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, andhis own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Colossians3:1 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
3 If ye thenbe risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sittethon the right hand of God.
So is this above enough to show us that no flesh can be perfect, yet are we nit to be perfect as our heavenly Father is?
Enough. We dare go no further. It would only increase Our shame, and our pain. We stand indicted. We are not "What Christ would have us to be. If this is the measure of the Christian life, if this is the basis upon which we are to be judged, if this is what God requires of us as Christians, like Isaiah we cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone."
Why does not the Savior, so tender and so understanding, so loving and so wise, not make requirements more in keeping with human nature? Why does He seem to be so unreasonable? Why does He not demand of us what we might reasonably attain? He bids us soar, yet we have no wings. Talk about the super-man; it is not so much a mere overabundance of man that is required. It seems to be rather man-deified, if I may so speak, which the New Testament pronounces as the true type of Christian. Why does the Savior go so far beyond the merely natural, and put Christian living on the basis of the supernatural? I protest, it is not natural to love our enemies; it is not natural to rejoice always; it is not natural to be thankful for the things that hurt; it is not natural to hate ourselves; it is not natural to walk as Jesus walked. Have we honestly faced this dilemma? Have we had the courage to face the implications of Christ's Word? Is anything gained by subterfuges, by pretending that the gulf between the humanly possible, and the law of Christ (i.e. what we can attain by nature and what God requires in His Word) is after all not so great?
So is there a satisfactory answer anyone?