The True Virgin
The sermon emphasizes the importance of imitating Christ and living a life of purity and holiness to please God.
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.
Text
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.
Sermon Outline
- Imitating Christ
- Characteristics of a true virgin
- The importance of pleasing God
- Living purely and without stain
- Being pleasing before God in every thing
- Purified in the Spirit of God
Key Quotes
“No virgin, therefore, unless they be in everything as Christ, and as those who are Christ's, can be saved.” — Clement of Rome
“She who is such does not withdraw from our Lord, but in spirit is ever with her Lord:” — Clement of Rome
“Be holy, as I am holy, says the Lord.” — Clement of Rome
Application Points
- We must strive to imitate Christ in our thoughts, life, and behavior.
- Living a life of purity and holiness is essential to pleasing God.
- We must be constantly mindful of our service to the Lord and seek to please Him in every thing.