100
PERFECTION
PERDITION
100
OR
he referred to as the words of the Holy Ghost. That Psalm is still `living and energetic'. The Lord can still use it to
reveal the vital difference between `soul and spirit'. This is a distinction that is not kept clear in the minds of many
of the Lord's people.
Much that enters into Church life, witness and worship, if viewed in the pure light of the Word, would prove to
be of the soul rather than the spirit. While body, soul and spirit compose the complete man, the highest service and
the only acceptable worship is that of the spirit or the new nature. Philippians, the epistle of the Prize, shews that
discernment is necessary:
`And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment (discernment); that ye
may try the things that differ (margin); that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ' (1:9,10).
2 Timothy, the epistle of the Crown, also urges discernment:
`Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of
truth' (2:15).
Hebrews, the epistle of the Perfecting, also reveals the need for discernment. Soul and spirit must be kept
distinct.
The last words of verse 13 read in the A.V. `with Whom we have to do'. In Hebrews 13:17 the word rendered
`do' (logos) in 4:13 is translated `account', and this is its meaning in Hebrews 4:13 `to Whom we must give an
account'. The atmosphere is that of the Judgment Seat of Christ, and verses 12 and 13 leave the mind impressed
with the `terror of the Lord'. This is but one side of truth however. There is another, which equally impresses us
with infinite sympathy, tender care, wondrous grace, and bids us to come boldly. That other phase is expressed in
Hebrews 4:14-16:
`Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
fast our profession' (not AV JP).
With this `profession' chapter 3 opened:
`Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,
Christ Jesus, Who was faithful ...'.
We have turned aside to consider the unfaithful of Israel and their forfeiture. We turn again and see in Him the
great Captain and Perfecter of faith, Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is
set down at the right hand of the throne of God. An added reason for continuance is given in 4:15,16:
`For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, APART FROM SIN'.
As we have stressed before, God never tempts a man to sin. Temptation is an essential feature in the record of
the race and the crown, but it is a temptation which is of the nature of trial and test. Temptation which springs from
our own sinful selves is another matter. James clearly distinguishes between the two sorts of temptations in the first
chapter of his epistle:
`My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ... blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for
when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life' (verses 2 and 12).
That is the temptation of Hebrews and of Revelation. The other kind of temptation to which Hebrews 4 takes
exception is next reviewed by James:
`Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He
any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed' (1:13,14).
Just as Hebrews 4:14 looked back to 3:1,2, we find 4:15 looking back to 2:18:
`For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted'.
An example of the temptation that is intended here is found in Hebrews 11:17: