Matthew 5:48 Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. I. God is PERFECTLY WISE. Wisdom implies right use of knowledge, and lies in the will as well as in the understanding He acts wisely whose will is directed by right reason. Practical improvement we should make of the wisdom of God. 1. We should be hereby excited to seek wisdom (Proverbs 4:5, 7). 2. We should ask wisdom of God to direct us in our ways. 3. It becomes us to resign to His will and acquiesce in His appointments. II. God is PERFECTLY GOOD. His other attributes are rendered engaging to us by His goodness. How extensive the Divine goodness (Psalm 145:9, 16). Is God perfectly good? 1. Then all our powers ought to be awakened to bless His name. 2. Then how hateful should sin be to us. 3. Then we ought to be careful to practise goodness. III. God is PERFECTLY HOLY. This denotes the transcendent excellence of His nature, while He is infinitely distinguished from all other beings. Then we should follow after holiness. IV. God is PERFECTLY JUST. Justice is commonly distinguished into commutative and distributive, the former in an equal exchange of benefits; this can have no place in our dealings with God. Distributive justice, which ought to be exercised by rulers towards their subjects, consists in the equal distribution of rewards and punishments. God cannot be awed by any power to pervert judgment. The judgments of God cannot be fathomed at present. Is God just? 1. This should awaken in us holy awe. 2. It is of great concern to us guilty creatures to be found in Jesus Christ, having on His righteousness. V. God is TRUTH. 1. Then we must embrace whatever God has revealed to us. 2. The reasonableness of reliance on God's promises.Conclude: — 1. It should yield us satisfaction that such a perfect Being as God is governs the world. 2. We should in our contemplations of Him have a strict regard to the harmony of His attributes. 3. Blessed are they who upon good grounds can call this perfect Being their Father and God. (S. Price.) Parallel Verses KJV: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.WEB: Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. |
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