THE TREASURE IN THE FIELD

The wisdom of the fathers

THE TREASURE IN THE FIELD

The treasure in a "good man" is holiness or the "divine nature." The treasure of an "evil man" is the "carnal mind" which is enmity against God. The Apostle says that Christians are "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." "The end of the commandment is, CHARITY OUT OF A PURE HEART."?

Rev. Dr. Chalmers says, "It is not purity of action that we contend for, it is exalted purity of heart." "Habits (says Bishop Foster) merely express back-lying states and tempers. When these are corrected or removed, the habits have no cause for their existence." -?

Purity or holiness significant of quality, implies entirety. It does not mean a mixture of purity and pollution, partly clean and partly defiled. He who is pardoned is fully pardoned for all guilt is forgiven; and he who is "cleansed is entirely pure, is "clean," free from "all iniquity," "all unrighteousness," "all sin," "holy and without blame." Verily, "The blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanses us from all sin."?

Holiness is expressive, not of an advancing process of growth, but of moral quality; and has respect mainly to kind or quality, rather than to degree. In degree, there is no absolute perfection in holiness, except in the infinite God. "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!" With Him, holiness is underived, unchangeable, unlimited, and infinitely glorious -- the model and source of all holiness -- "BE YE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY."?

(from "Purity and Maturity" by J.A. Wood)