 |
| While Christian life is firm and
unflinching in its integrity and uprightness, it is yet beautiful in its
amiability and gentleness. The immutable principles of uprightness, like
mountain-crags, are wreathed over with the tender vines and covered with
the sweet flowers of grace and charity. True religion is never meant to
dry up the life and make it cold, hard, and dead. It is meant to bring out
ever-new beauties, to clothe the soul in garments of loveliness. It
insists on the development of every power of body, mind, and soul to the
farthest possibility. It presents the strongest motives. It points to the
finest examples. Its ideal includes not only "whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are just, "but also "whatsoever things are lovely."
(Philippians 4:8) Philippians 4:4-8: Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV) James 1:22-27: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (KJV) |
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