( 1 Cor. 13:9-11 ; Isa. 40:3-8 ; 1 Pet. 1:7,14 ) That which is perfect is a Being: Christ. He is the substance of all things. He is unchangeable, immovable, and without Whom and beside Whom there is no true substance, in Whom all things have their substance. The fallen self, the creature, the I, the self, the me, the mine, must all be lost, and done away. As long as we think of the interest of the self, so long remains the Perfect unknown to us. That which is Perfect is come, by the pure word of God, and through the word may be known, felt and tasted by the soul. Thus, we are nurtured and grown into complete salvation which is the substance of Christ Himself: all of Him, none of the self.

( 2 Pet. 1:4 ; 2 Cor. 5:17,21 ; John 3:3-6 ; 2 Pet. 1:2-4 ; 1 Cor. 1:30 ; 1 Cor. 3:11 ; Gal. 2:20 ; Col. 2:10 ) God took human nature or manhood upon Himself and was made man, and man was made divine; thus, healing was brought to pass. As I accepts this, I die to the self, the I, the me, the mine, and move from the flesh to the spirit. A new creature emerges entirely, cleansed and washed clean, made righteous. The center of my being replaced by God Himself from Whom I live and breathe and have my being: all that I need to live the righteous life, giving glory to His Holy Name.

( John 15:5 ; 2 Cor. 12:9-10 ; John 8:31-32 ) Man should acknowledge that in himself, he neither has nor can he do any good thing. None of his knowledge, wisdom, will, love and good works come from himself. But the righteous acts are of the eternal God, from Whom all good things proceed. When we recognize this and refrain from claiming anything for our own, we shall have the best, fullest, clearest and noblest knowledge that a man can have as well as the purest love, will and desire. When the vain imagination and ignorance are turned into an understanding and knowledge of the truth, the claiming of anything for our own will cease of itself: all goodness is of God.

( 1 Cor. 13:9-11 ; 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ; 1 Cor. 2:7 ; 1 Cor. 4:4 ) Accordingly, we are to make judgments, discriminate, and discern all outward things on the basis of inward truths. It is of sin that we do not love the best. As the inward man holds to the truth of God's word, he will see that the Perfect is without measure, better and nobler than all which is imperfect. Thus, that which is imperfect and in part would become tasteless and be as nothing to us.

( Matt. 19:17 ; 1 Cor. 2:9-16 ) All manner of virtue and goodness and even the Eternal Good which is God Himself can never make a man virtuous, good or happy: so long as it is outside the soul, so long as man is holding conversation with outward things by his senses and his reasons. The like is true of sin and evil. Sin and wickedness, can never make us evil: so long as it is outside of us, so long as we do not commit it, or give consent to it.