The Great Commission. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. IVMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
The Great Commission. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. IV
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
With the Christian worshiper, however, it is different. He has,
blessed be God, reached his moral end. He has arrived at a point, so
far as the state of his conscience is concerned, beyond which it is
utterly impossible for him to go. He cannot get beyond the blood of
Jesus Christ. He is perfect as to his conscience. As is the sacrifice,
so is the conscience that rests thereon. If the sacrifice is
imperfect, so is the conscience. They stand or fall together. Nothing
can be simpler, nothing more solid, nothing more consolatory, for any
awakened conscience. It is not at all a question of what I am; _that_
has been fully and forever settled. I have been found out, judged, and
condemned in myself. "In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good." I
have got to the end of myself, and there I have reached the blood of
Christ. I want no more. What could be added to that most precious
blood? Nothing. I am perfect, as to the state of my conscience. I do
not want an ordinance, a sacrament, or a ceremony, to perfect the
condition of my conscience. To say so, to think so, would be to cast
dishonor upon the sacrifice of the Son of God.
The reader will do well to get a clear and firm hold of this
foundation-point. If there be any darkness or uncertainty as to this,
he will be wholly unable to understand or appreciate the various
aspects of "Christian Perfection" which are yet to pass in review
before us. It is quite possible that many pious people fail to enjoy
the unspeakable blessing of a perfect conscience by reason of
self-occupation. They look in at self, and not finding aught there to
rest upon--who ever did?--they deem it presumption to think of being
perfect in any respect whatever. This is a mistake. It may be a pious
mistake, but it is a mistake. Were we to speak of perfection in the
flesh (what many, alas, are vainly aiming at), then, verily, true
piety might recoil with just horror from the presumptuous and silly
chimera. But, thank God, our theme is not perfection in the flesh,
through any process of improvement, moral, social, or religious. This
would be poor, dreary, depressing work indeed. It would be setting us
to look for perfection in the old creation, where sin and death reign.
To look for perfection amid the dust of the old creation were a
hopeless task. And yet how many are thus engaged! They are seeking to
_improve man and mend the world_; and yet, with all this, they have
never reached, never understood--yea, they actually deny--the very
first and simplest aspect of Christian perfection, namely, perfection
as to the state of the conscience in the presence of God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account