St. Paul Recorder

Perhaps the most common error

circulating in the religious world

today is the thought that if one

does the best he can God will be

satisfied with his life. This is a

very accommodating theory. for in

effect it does not require any per-

son to do any more than he wishes

to do. Certainly it lowers God and

His requirements to a shamefully

low level, and leaves us with no

standard with which to measure

our lives. The Word of God. how-

ever, is very plain on this subject.

God tells us, "Be ye perfect"

(Matthew 5:48.) There is no room

in the kingdom of God for any-

thing less than absolute perfection

in its citizens. That makes us stop

and think. It also shows us two

things. First. we must admit that

no person who has ever lived can

possibly meet those requirements

-ourselves included. Thus, unless

God had not sent His Own Son,

Jesus Christ to fulfill the Law

perfectly for us and die in our

place, there would be no hope for

any person to be saved. But that

He has done in His love and

mercy, so that the perfect right-

eousness of Christ is imputed, or

given, to everyone who believes

and trusts in Him as their Savior.

Secondly, we must realize that we

shall never be perfect until our

final glorification in heaven, and

that this life on earth, for the

Christian, is a constant walk and

struggle towards perfection. In

this work of becoming more and

more perfect it is the Holy Spirit

who does the work, using the word

of God and the Sacraments as

His tools. Day by day He brings

the Christian man or woman a

little closer to his goal. All this

is the subject of next Sunday's

sermon - "Be Ye Perfect" by

pastor Anderson. We invite you

to be with us at 9:30 a. m. See our

ad for further details.

Our Sunday school got off to a

good start last Sunday in spite

of the adverse weather conditions.

New pupils are coming in every

Sunday. We invite you to send

your children at 9:30 a. m. for

regular instruction.