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

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