An Urgent Call to
Christian Perfection
An Exposition of the Doctrine of Christian Perfection
by Tom Stewart
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;
For I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light
( Matthew 11:28-30).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface |
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I. |
Unrealistic Idea of Perfection? or, Are We Compassed About With So Great a Cloud of Witnesses? |
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A. |
Andrew Murray : Be Perfect: A Devotional Study of Christ 's Command (1893) |
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B. |
John Wesley A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (1767) |
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C. |
Charles G. Finney:Finney 's Systematic Theology (1846) |
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II. |
Be Perfect; What Saith the Scripture? |
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A. |
It is commanded. |
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B. |
We are able to obey the command. |
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C. |
Christians are perfect. |
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D. |
Perfect means sanctified. |
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E. |
Sanctification is fact. |
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F. |
Sanctification is entire. |
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G. |
Perfect means perfect heart. |
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H. |
Perfect means sinless. |
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III. |
Back to the Basics: The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ |
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A. |
Laying again the foundation |
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B. |
Existence of God |
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C. |
Faith in God |
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D. |
Repentance of sin |
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E. |
Sin |
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1. |
Scriptural definition of sin |
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a. |
Transgression of the law |
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b. |
All unrighteousness /td>
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c. |
Whatsoever is not of faith |
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d. |
Knoweth to do good, and doeth it not |
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2. |
In Adam 's fall, we sinned all? |
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3. |
Sin is criminal. |
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4. |
Objections answered |
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a. |
Genesis 5:3 |
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b. |
Job 14:4 |
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(1) |
Death to the sinner |
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(2) |
The flesh is the opportunity. |
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(3) |
Sin had physical consequences. |
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(4) |
Physical depravity is the physical consequence of sin. |
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c. |
"No man that sinneth not" |
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d. |
Psalm 51:5 |
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e. |
Psalm 58:3 |
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f. |
Romans 5:12 |
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g. |
Ephesians 2:3 |
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IV. |
Complete: Our Salvation from Sin |
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A. |
How clean is clean? |
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1. |
1 John 1:7 |
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2. |
1 John 1:9
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3. |
Titus 2:13-14 |
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4. |
1 John 3:5 |
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5. |
John 1:29 |
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6. |
Psalm 51:9 |
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7. |
Matthew 1:21 |
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8. |
Romans 6:18 |
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B. |
What must we do to be free from sin? |
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1. |
1 Corinthians 15:34 |
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2. |
Hebrews 12:1 |
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3. |
Hebrews 12:14 |
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4. |
Ephesians 1:4 |
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5. |
1 Peter 1:16 |
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C. |
Compare those who commit sin to those who commit righteousness. |
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1. |
1 John 3:6 |
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2. |
1 John 5:18 |
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3. |
1 John 3:9 |
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4. |
1 John 3:7-8 |
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5. |
1 John 3:10 |
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V. |
Christ: Our Saviour from Sin |
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A. |
Who is Christ ? |
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1. |
Jesus (literally, Saviour) |
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2. |
The Lamb of God |
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3. |
His Blessed Son Jesus |
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4. |
The Head of the Church and the Saviour of the Body |
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5. |
Our Redeemer from All Our Iniquity |
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6. |
Mercy Seat for Our Sins |
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7. |
In Him Should All Fullness Dwell |
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8. |
The Hope of Glory |
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a. |
Necessity of the Christian to continue |
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b. |
Scope of what it means to continue |
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(1) |
Continue in the love of God. |
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(2) |
Continue in the grace of God. |
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(3) |
Continue in the faith. |
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(4) |
Continue in the goodness of God. |
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(5) |
Continue in prayer. |
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(6) |
Continue in the doctrine. |
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(7) |
Continue in brotherly love. |
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9. |
The Very God of Peace |
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10. |
Our Sanctification |
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B. |
Christian perfection is to appropriate Christ by faith in all of His offices, capacities, and relations to meet our every need in life. |
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VI. |
Christian Perfection: "Almost Thou Persuadest Me"? |
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A. |
Romans 7, especially verses 14 through 25 |
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1. |
The dominion of the law (vv.1-3) |
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2. |
Deliverance from the law (vv.4-6) |
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3. |
The distress of sin (vv.7-13) |
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4. |
The Slough of Despond (vv.14-24) |
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5. |
The dawn of deliverance (v.25) |
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6. |
Victory! (Romans 8) |
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B. |
1 John 1:8 |
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C. |
Philippians 3:12 |
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D. |
1 Timothy 1:15 |
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VII. |
Christ: The Example of Christian Perfection |
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A. |
That God became man is astounding! |
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1. |
Prophecy |
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2. |
Fulfillment |
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3. |
In the likeness of sinful flesh |
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4. |
Made under the law |
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a. |
The law is holy. |
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b. |
Justification is by faith. |
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c. |
The law is still necessary. |
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d. |
The law is not ceremonial, but moral. |
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e. |
The purpose of the law is to define sin. |
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f. |
Christ upholds the law perfectly. |
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g. |
The law completely points to Christ . |
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h. |
Christ expects perfect obedience to His law. |
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B. |
That Christ became our servant is humbling! |
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C. |
That Christ suffered for us is sanctifying! |
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Urgent Call-Conclusion |
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Christ's Roll Call of Christian Perfection |
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