Final Perfection Instalment

The Word of Truth Ministries

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Final Installment on Perfection

The world, which is greatly influenced by Satan, holds as its truth and doctrine that, “Nobody is perfect.” But that worldly belief defies the teachings and commands of God. Christians/saints are not to be limited by the limitations of this world because we are not of this world but are of Christ; we are not to conform to this world’s teachings. For our witness is in heaven and our doctrine comes from upon high. [Job 16:19] God has told saints to be what the world believes is not possible—be perfect—and that is our goal and that is the state we are to be in when Jesus returns for his church. [Mat. 5:48; John 8:23;18:36]

The worldly doctrine of imperfection is probably concocted to justify the wretched way human beings live and conduct their lives. [Luke 16:15] Not only do they hold fast to the idea that no one is perfect, but they define perfection in a way that is different from God’s definition. [Isa. 55:8] Since they are flesh-oriented, they define perfection in terms of fleshly content. But Christians know that the things of this world war against the things of God. The world goes from their belief that no one is perfect to saying, “I have not met anyone who is perfect.”

Such notions configure the paradigm of the world; a paradigm steeped in ignorance about the things of God, and a paradigm stoutly influenced by the flesh of man and the voice and will of Satan. Some would even attempt to go beyond the fleshly content from which they base their primary definition of perfection to measuring of actual good deeds, but they know not that without Christ, we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is mere filthy rags in God’s sight. [Isa. 64:6] Yet many supposed-Christians are voicing, even trumpeting, this worldly definition as if it were the voice or the teachings of God. There are even songs to that end, saying, “God is not finished with me yet.” The implication is that I am not perfect, and when I am, God will be finished with us. I assure you, at perfection, God will not be finished with us; at perfection God will be able to use us in a more profound and significant way for his pleasure. Short of perfection, God is able to use us to a limited degree; when we are perfect, we will experience the many adventures of God because God is able to talk with us, place us in certain conditions, circumstances, show us his secrets, send us on his missions, etc. This is not the case for imperfect saints who cannot even live a holy life. And merely living holy is only a step in the process of perfecting ourselves; it is not perfection. Perfection, simply but correctly defined, is growing into the express image of Christ Jesus. Jesus was without sin, but he was more than that. He grew into the express image of God as a man, and so must we grow into Christ, which is to grow into God.

Tragically, many Christians even venture to put up a scriptural argument against perfection and mount one for imperfection of the saints—they are carnal Christians. Too many Christians and Christian ministers simply ignore the teaching of perfection in Christ as if it is not in scripture, or as if Christ and the apostles did not really mean for saints to be perfect. And most ministers, even those of Good intent—and the majority of ministers may well not be of good intent—are often earnestly ignorant about the teaching of perfection. That is why there are fewer spiritual demonstrations of the living God in the midst of God’s people. God works in very limited ways with imperfect saints; He works best, more extensively with perfect saints. [Hos.4:6; Eph. 4:11-15]

The argument some weaken Christian ministers mount against perfection is centered on Paul’s statement, “Not as though I had already attained either were already perfection…,” and/or the statement of James, the brother of Christ, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body.” This statement by James, they reason, implies that to be perfect one cannot offend in words, and they stress the difficulty (actually, they claim the impossibility) of man’s ability govern himself, or to bridle his body, which is to imply that man is a wild beast with uncontrollable urges and desires, and he cannot tell what he will do most of the time. [Phil. 3:12; James 3:2]

Man is not a beast, though the beast of the field were made on the sixth day, even as man was made on that sixth day; man was made in the image of God and has the power of self-control over his urges, desires, even his needs. The immature child is one with uncontrollable urges and desires because he has not been brought to the civility of self-governance. Such a child will bring his father’s name and himself to shame, as many supposed Christians have brought the name of Christ to shame by their behavior.

Because we are children when born again, we must do as Peter said and as Paul said, which is, of course, what God has said: Desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby. [1 Pet. 2:2] And Paul says that we must grow into him, because as children we are tossed to and from in our instability. And that is to be perfect, as Jesus has said. [Mat. 5:48]

In the book of Philippians that many anti-perfectionists ministers use to construct a non-perfectionist perspective, Paul is merely offering the mindset, the mental gestalt, the frame of reference that the perfect man must have if he is to be and if he is perfect. That man must not think or assume that he has already attained perfection or else he will not strive for it. But notice the language of Paul, through that 15^th verse of Philippians 3: “But I follow after if I may apprehend…I press toward the mark…and let us, as many as be perfect be thus minded….” Paul is here laying out the mental state that the perfect saint is to be possessed with; he is not saying that one is not perfect! Indeed, there is a mindset that we must have, for if we assume that we have attained, we will not strive to attain perfection, yet Jude 1:3, said we must earnestly contend for that faith once delivered to the saints: “Walk before me [Abraham] and be perfect.” [Gen. 17:1-2]

Even Jeremiah wrote that we must stand in the ways and see, ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls, but they [the people] said, we will not walk in it. [Jer. 6:16] God has given us that way, and we are without excuse if we do not walk in that way of perfection that we may grow into him. He left us an example that we should follow in his steps. [1Pet. 2:21]

It idea that we are perfect only when we are dead is utter foolishness, yet it is one of those ideas that some anti-perfectionists teach. Death does not perfect anyone or anything; death merely tolls whatever state we are in: He that is holy, let him be holy still, righteous, etc., let it be as it has been. That is all death does. Walking in the word of God and deliberately seeking and striving for perfection makes you perfect. Nothing else. [Rev. 22:11]

James, on the other hand, says, the tongue is a world of antiquity, no man can tame it. Yet God can tame it and, as we walk with God, striving for perfection according to God’s word, we learn to and indeed do, tame that unruly member of our body. God gives us a glimpse of that power to control the tongue when He baptizes us with his spirit: the tongue, that most unruly member, is brought under subjection, and it speaks in a language we have never been trained to speak in. [See these books, Acts 2; 10; 19]

Most ministers’ sin is not to preach against perfection; their sin is to ignore the teaching of perfection altogether or once it is preached to diminish its importance or applicability to them and to their congregations. Their behavior is much like Satan’s: When the word is preached and the hearers understand it not, Satan comes and take it away. [Mat. 13] For Satan knows that the word of God is too powerful to allow to linger on the peripheral edges of a Christian’s mind, lest he finally pick it up, believe and do it so that Satan is rendered powerless in the life of that believer. The ministers who ignore God’s teaching on perfection know that once one attempts to be perfect, such a person will ask meaningful questions and demand reasonable answers to those questions. Furthermore, that person will attempt to prove all things and hold fast to the good. [1Thes. 5:21] Also, that person, so educated in God’s word, will no longer be children who are manipulated and tossed to and fro, carried about by every wind and doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. [Eph. 4:14] That person will be a mature saint in God who cannot fall victim to mind-bending rhetoric that does not conform to God’s word, regardless of its eloquence or the mouth from which it comes.

Perfection is a defense against weak and malevolent ministers who would lead God’s people to perdition in the name of God. Finally, going on to perfection is the next step after one has been born again out of sin into the glorious kingdom of God. Christ is not returning to rapture (catch up) a church composed of flawed saints, but a church that is glorious, a church that has prepared itself for his return. That is a church composed of saints who have endured great tribulation down here in this house of preparation to be ready for translation up to him. A church without spot, wrinkle, blemish, or any such thing, but a church that is holy and one in his image so much so that they will have the identity of Christ, even as Daniel saw them going to Christ, who is God. [Dan. 7; Eph. 5:27]

Although I have discussed perfection at some length to some, this discussion is only a primer; I will be writing more extensively on this subject in a book on perfection, if the Lord tarries and gives me the wisdom to do so.