Part 9 of 9"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation... And this will we do, if God permit" (Heb 6:1, 3).
What precious truths we have seen regarding the foundation of God. These truths are to be surely and firmly laid in the lives and hearts of ALL believers, for these are the very core and crux of the Christian faith! To forsake God's truth is to, in fact, forsake God Himself, for He is the truth (Word) incarnate, the truth made flesh (Jn 1:1, 14). Interestingly, Paul hints that we cannot progress further in God (to perfection) without first being duly established in "the doctrine of Christ". Do you have a desire to go deeper? Do you want all that God has to offer? Well, we simply cannot progress aside from God's prescribed methods. We cannot tend to the second and third floor of this great spiritual edifice without first securing the foundation; the foundation is simply vital! Too many people are neglecting and forsaking it. Jesus is after your perfection (Matt 5:48), but He's also after your foundation..
The first Hebrew word used for "perfect" in Scripture is concerning Noah, in Genesis 6:9: "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God". The Hebrew word here is "tâmı̂ym", and means, "entire; without blemish; complete; sincere; without spot". The Greek word commonly used for "perfection" is "teleios", and simply means, "completion, graduation". This word is also translated "full age" (Heb 5:14), and "men" (1 Cor 14:20). It doesn't imply that we're to become supermen. It simply means that we finish the race set before us; we grow into the full capacity of mental, moral and Godly character. Another Greek word sometimes used for "perfect" is "plēroo". This word simply means, "to consumate, to make replete, to level up, to fill to the full, to furnish, to satisfy, to execute (an office), to finish, to make complete, to render perfect". It's also translated as "fulfilled" (Matt 1:22, etc), "filled" (Lk 2:40; etc), "full" (Jn 16:24; etc), "complete" (Col 2:10; 4:12), "ended" (Lk 7:1; etc), "accomplish" (Lk 9:31), etc. There are a couple other words used for "perfect" (both Hebrew and Greek), but they mean basically the same thing.
There has been much confusion over the present state of believers: are we already perfected, or are we to press on into perfection? I believe part of the confusion is because the answer is both. The believer is both already perfected, and yet progressing to perfection. Observe...
In what sense is a believer not yet perfected?
First of all, Scripture and personal experience reveal that we are not perfect in knowledge. We may understand many wonderful truths, yet there are many areas where we verge on total ignorance. There are apparent mysteries both in the spiritual and natural world we cannot fathom: "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known" (Ps 77:19). Do we fully comprehend the doctrine of the Godhead, or how Christ could empty Himself and take upon Himself human flesh? Are we able to interpret all the signs and the seasons? Do we know the exact moment of our Lord's return? We fail to understand the way God works, especially in our own generation. Without the revelation of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:9-10), we would find no answers for the many questions we have. In reality we are not perfect in knowledge.
Secondly, Christians are not perfect to the extent that they cannot make mistakes. As another has said, "Errors are the result of our limited capabilities". True, we do not err regarding the plain teaching of salvation and sanctification, but we all go astray on everyday matters. How often we have been mistaken about facts and have presented them in a false light? How many times have we misunderstood the intentions of others? Do not even the wisest of Christians disagree regarding the interpretation of some Bible text?
Third, Christians are not perfect with regards to personal infirmities or failures. We often lapse in the areas of morality, worldliness, evil speaking, and even taking God’s name in vain. By infirmities we also refer to physical problems such as slowness of understanding, muddled thoughts, and loss of memory. Do we not all have flaws in manners, speech, and personality?
And finally, every day we have to contend with many temptations. The devil constantly tries to fill our minds with his lies. The fact that we still succomb to temptation proves that we have not reached absolute perfection! Except for our Lord Jesus, because we are in the flesh, we are prone to such lapses and find it easier to sin than to fully obey God. Nevertheless, those who seek His holiness are perpetually moving to higher ground.
In what sense is a believer already perfected?
We have to agree that there are several stages of growth in the spiritual life, just as there is in the natural. The apostle John writes to “little children,” “young men,” and “fathers” in the faith (1 Jn 2), indicating that this is true, however at no stage is ungodliness acceptable. If we are truly under grace then "sin shall not have dominion over" us (Rom 6:14.) Genuine Christians are free from sin in their spirit man … “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 Jn 3:8-9). This is because our spirit has been joined to the Lord's, and has been perfected upon it's justification (Heb 12:23; 1 Cor 6:17). Such "spiritual perfection" means that believers have freedom from an evil nature! "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20).
All sin, therefore, now springs from the souls of men - the seat of carnal emotions, desires, thoughts, etc. The perfection of our spirit is to be spilling over into the tainted soul, from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), strength to strength (Ps 84:7), and faith to faith (Rom 1:17), all the while bearing holy fruit in the soul (Gal 5:22-26). But when we don't allow the spirit man to reign, our Adamic nature takes control and guides our thoughts and actions. This is how even the "holiest" men could find themselves in gross sin: Abraham, Moses and David for instance, committed some terrible sins, but this does not mean that there is no victory over it; this simply means they were obeying their soulish desires, as opposed to their spirits - which are perfectly "joined unto the Lord" (1 Cor 6:17).
The Bible tells us that "by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches" (Prov 24:4). It's only as we grow from glory to glory, through the sanctifying Word of God (Jn 17:17), that we can rightly live by the Spirit, forsaking the will of the soul. This is why Paul encourages believers to "put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:11-12)... "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5).
"With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matt 19:26)!
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