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  THE TRUE VIRGIN
  by Clement of Rome
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of imitating Christ and
living a life of purity and holiness to please God.

Topics: "Christian Living", "Holiness"
Scripture References: 1 Peter 1:16

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DESCRIPTION
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Clement of Rome emphasizes the importance of imitating Christ earnestly,
stating that those who have truly put on Christ should reflect His
likeness in every aspect of their lives - in thoughts, behavior, words,
deeds, patience, fortitude, knowledge, chastity, long-suffering, pure
heart, faith, hope, and love towards God. He highlights that only those
who are completely like Christ can be saved, especially virgins who are
called to be holy in body and spirit, serving the Lord with constancy,
purity, and holiness. Clement stresses the need for virgins to please
the Lord by living purely and without stain, always seeking to be
pleasing before Him in everything, remaining in His presence and
striving to be holy as He is holy.

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CONTENT
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Those, therefore, who imitate Christ, imitate Him earnestly. For those
who have put on Christ in truth, express His likeness in their thoughts,
and in their whole life, and in all their behaviour: in word, and in
deeds, and in patience, and in fortitude, and in knowledge, and in
chastity, and in long-suffering, and in a pure heart, and in faith, and
in hope, and in full and perfect love towards God. No virgin, therefore,
unless they be in everything as Christ, and as those who are Christ's,
can be saved.

For every virginwho is in God is holy in her body and in her spirit, and
is constant in the service of her Lord, not turning away from it any
whither, but waiting upon Him always in purity and holiness in the
Spirit of God, being solicitous how she may please her Lord, by living
purely and without stain, and solicitous to be pleasing before Him in
every thing.

She who is such does not withdraw from our Lord, but in spirit is ever
with her Lord: as it is written, Be holy, as I am holy, says the Lord.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/clement-of-rome/the-true-virgin/
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