r _to_
Him, so that he lives here and hereafter in Him. +So let all+

Ver. 15. +us perfect ones+ (_hosoi oun teleioi_), with the perfection
not of ideal attainment but of Christian maturity and entirety of
experience, +be of this mind+; the "mind" of those who rest in Christ
immoveably for their acceptance, and press forward in Christ
unrestingly in their obedience, ever discovering fresh causes for
humility and for progress, as they keep close to Him. +And if you are
diversely+ (_eteros_) +minded in any thing+, if in any detail of theory
or statement you cannot yet see with me, +this also God shall unveil to
you+. Sure I am that "the Spirit of God speaketh by me," and that
ultimately therefore you will, in submission to Him, see as I have
taught you. But I am not therefore commissioned in this matter to
denounce and excommunicate; I lay the truth before you, and in love
leave it upon your reverent thoughts. +Only, as to+

Ver. 16. +what we have succeeded in reaching+,[5] so far as our
insight into Christ has actually gone, up to our full present light in
the Gospel, +let us step in the same path+ (_to auto stoichein_[6]), on
the unchanging principles of faith, love, and holiness, and with a
watchful desire to cherish to the utmost a holy harmony of spirit and
conduct.

Here, in suggestive contrast or complement to the section we studied
last, the Christian appears in full and energetic movement, animated
with a sacred discontent, repudiating all thought of finality in his
conformity to his Lord, and in his actual spiritual condition; running,
pressing on, remembering at every step that, although grace is present
in power, and glory is in view, still this is the journey, not the
home; the race, not the goal;

_Nil actum reputans dum quid sibi restat agendum._

The passage contains of course much divine teaching in detail. But two
main points come up conspicuously "for our learning."

i. We have here a strong, and at the same time a most tender, warning
against all approaches to a theoretical "perfectionism." Under that
word, as I am well aware, many varieties of opinion in detail may be
found. And again, few who hold opinions commonly called perfectionist
like the word "perfectionism." But I speak with practical accuracy
when I give that title to such views as on the whole affirm the
attainableness here below of a spiritual condition in which man needs
no longer confess himself as now a sinner,