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Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way

{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15

The Doctrine Explained

Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way}


Precisians are upright and exact in the way; they walk in the narrow way with a strict foot. “Blessed are the blameless in the way” (Psalm 119:1). (Or, blessed are the perfect or the entire in the way.) “I said, ‘I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not’” (Psalm 39:1). It is said of Caleb that he followed the Lord fully (Numbers 14:24). “This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our consciences, that in all simplicity [straightforwardness] and godly sincerity we have had our conduct of life in the world” (2 Corinthians 1:12). “You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:10 ESV). Observe it, they lived a holy, innocent, and blameless life. The holiness they showed was not a cheat or juggle to deceive the world, but it was really what it appeared to be. For this they appealed to a threefold witness. The first witness was in their own hearts: the testimony of their own consciences. “This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our consciences” (2 Corinthians 1:12). The second witness is in the world: “You are witnesses.” Your eyes have seen what our life has been; just be true witnesses, and there are your witnesses: you yourselves. Only speak what you have seen, and speak the worst (among you who believe). The world will be ready to say, “You are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are among yourselves.” But he says to let those who believe (those who have been with them publicly and privately) speak as to what their conduct of life has been. If it is said that they are of your own party and will not speak all they know, then he appeals to a third witness, a witness in Heaven. Implying: God sees all things and our ways are directly in front of Him. He who sees all things sees our integrity and blamelessness.

But here, that the reader not mistake me, I must distinguish between the aims of Precisians, or what they are pressing and reaching towards, and their attainments, or how far they have actually reached. In their whole course, the aims of these circumspect Christians are at perfection. “I press toward the mark” (Philippians 3:14). They desire to keep their way without the least wandering and they desire to not tread off the path or step away. They desire to not speak one word amiss and they desire to not think one thought amiss. They desire to not neglect any one duty or commit any one sin. Rather, they desire to be what the apostle would have them to be: holy and innocent, and children of God who are without reproach in the middle of a crooked generation. These are their aims. And, as to their attainments, they fall short in their duties and cannot do as they desire to do. “The good that I would do, I do not” (Romans 7:14–25).60 Yet, they do their best. They follow the Lord with the best of their understanding and serve the Lord with the best of their strength. And when they have done their best, they mourn and grieve that it is not better.


That I may more distinctly explain this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord upon which their hearts are set, I will consider it:



60 “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (Romans 7:14–25 ESV).

61commandment: any command of God, whether or not expressly stated in the Ten Commandments.

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