Some people have a misunderstanding of the possibility of living a victorious life free from sin because they think that this implies a freedom from ignorance, mistakes, temptations and physical ailments and weaknesses of the body or mind. There is no such perfection in this life as implies an entire deliverance, either from ignorance or mistake, in things not essential to salvation, or from manifold temptations, or from numberless infirmities, wherewith the corruptible body, more or less, presses down the soul. We cannot find any ground in Scripture to suppose that any inhabitant of a house of clay is wholly exempt, either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many things; or to imagine any is incapable of mistake, or falling into divers temptations.

What do we mean by purity of heart and life? To use Bible language we mean a person in whom is the mind that was in Christ. We mean a believer who walks as Christ walked. We mean a man that hath clean hands and a pure heart. We mean a believer that is cleansed for all filthiness of flesh and spirit; one in whom there is no occasion of stumbling, and who, accordingly, does not commit sin. We understand by the scriptural expression, "a perfect man," the believer in whom God hath fulfilled His promise, "From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses." "A perfect man" is a person whom God has sanctified in body, soul, and spirit; one who walks in the light, as He is in the light and in Whom there is no darkness at all; the blood of Jesus Christ His Son having cleansed him from all sin. This man can testify to all mankind, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me." He is holy, as God who called him is holy, both in life and in all manner of conversation. He loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and serves Him with all his strength. He loves his neighbor (every man) as himself, even as Christ loved us. He loves his enemies, blesses those who curse him and does good to those who hate him. He prays for those who despitefully use and persecute him. His soul is filled with the mercies, kindness, meekness, gentleness, and longsuffering. His life is full of the work of faith, the patience of hope, and the labor of love. Whatever he does, either in word or deed, he does it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. In a word, he does the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven.

A consecrated Christian is one who continually offers up every thought, word, and work, as a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Christ. May every thought of our hearts, every word of our tongues, every work of our hands, show forth the praises of Him Who has called us our of darkness into His marvelous light! O that both we, and al who seek to serve the Lord Jesus  in sincerity and truth, may thus be made perfect in One!