I. Be sincere in the search after truth.—Truth must be sought for its own sake, and is revealed only to the humble and sincere seeker. It is of supreme importance to you to find the truth. Truth has but one direction and one goal—it terminates in the radiant presence of a living personality. When you come into the presence of truth, you come into the presence of God. Truth has a living embodiment in Christ Jesus. If you desire a solution of the perplexing riddles of life, if you would understand the principles on which God governs the universe, if you wish to dissipate the doubts that becloud and harass the mind, if you desire rest and peace of conscience, and to obtain strength and inspiration to live a happy, useful, and noble life—then seek the truth as it is in Jesus; and if you are really sincere, you shall not seek in vain.
II. Be sincere in your social intercourse with one another.—1. In your friendships. 2. In your promises.
III. Be sincere in the service of God.
IV. Be sincere in the cultivation of your own personal piety.
Christian Rectitude—
I. Consists in internal sincerity.—1. This involves a concentratedness of heart upon one object. 2. A thoroughness of life’s uniformity to that one object. 3. An unostentatious but manifest integrity. 4. The completeness of that manifestation should be proportionate to the brightness of the testing light.
II. Consists in external blamelessness.—1. Without being found guilty of offence. 2. Without giving offence. 3. Without taking offence.
III. Consists in a present state of life, with a glorious future destination.—“That ye may be without offence till the day of Christ.” 1. Then life shall be judged. 2. Life shall be made manifest. 3. Rectitude of life shall be approved. 4. Rectitude of life shall be rewarded.—Lay Preacher.
Ver. 11. Fruits of Righteousness.
I. The nature of righteousness.—1. Sometimes the term refers to the Divine Being, and signifies the purity of His nature and the perfection of His works. 2. Here it signifies personal holiness.