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Morning and Evening

May 15, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Made perfect." — Hebrews 12:23 · KJV

Remember that there are two kinds of perfection the Christian needs: the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification worked in him by the Holy Spirit. At present corruption still remains even in the hearts of the born again; experience soon teaches us that. Wrong desires and evil imaginations are still within us. But I rejoice to know that a day is coming when God will finish the work He has begun, and He will present my soul not only perfect in Christ but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish or anything of the kind. Can it really be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which so often cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?" will be rid of sin and death that no evil thing will trouble my ears and no unholy thought will disturb my peace? What a happy hour; may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan the work of sanctification will be complete, but not until that moment will I claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit will have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. I almost long to die and receive that last and final purifying that will bring me into heaven. No angel will be purer than I will be then, for I will be able to say in a double sense, "I am clean," through Jesus' blood and through the Spirit's work. How we ought to praise the power of the Holy Spirit for making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet do not let the hope of perfection hereafter leave us content with imperfection now. If it does, our hope cannot be genuine, for a good hope purifies us even now. The work of grace must be at home in us now, or it cannot be completed then. Let us pray to be filled with the Spirit, so that we may bring forth more and more the fruits of righteousness.