We need not be deceived by these high professions of holiness which deny the power thereof by rejecting the law of God. "Sin is the transgression of the law," writes the beloved John; and "he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." Here is the test of every man's profession. We cannot accord holiness to any man without bringing him to the great measurement of God's only standard for holiness, in Heaven or in earth. If men feel no weight of the moral law, if they belittle and make light of God's precepts, if they break one of the least of these commandments and teach men so, they shall be of no esteem in the sight of Heaven, and we may know their claims are without foundation. Christ, who died to magnify the law, and to attest its validity and immutability, says of such, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

Vi behøver ikke at blive bedraget af disse høje bekendelser om hellighed, som fornægter kraften ved at afvise Guds lov. "Synd er lovbrud", skriver den elskede Johannes; og "den der siger: Jeg kender ham, og ikke holder hans bud, er en løgner, og i ham er sandheden ikke; men den, der holder hans ord, i ham er sandelig Guds kærlighed blevet fuldkomment". Her er ethvert menneskes bekendelses prøve. Vi kan ikke tilskrive et menneske hellighed uden at måle ham med Guds store målestoks standard for hellighed, i himmelen eller på jorden. Hvis menneskene ikke føler morallovens vægt, hvis de tager let på Guds forskrifter, hvis de bryder et af de mindste af disse bud og lærer andre at gøre ligeså, så vil de ikke have nogen agtelse i Himlens øjne, og vi vil vide at deres påstande er uden grundlag. Kristus, som døde for at opløfte loven og attestere dens gyldighed og ubrydelighed, siger om sådanne: "Jeg kender jer ikke, vig bort fra mig, I som øver uret."