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FAQ # 63
QUESTION 63
: Other scriptures suggest that we are not perfect but strive to be
perfect. Please help?
These
verses all have perfect in them as it pertains to us or an allusion to
it: Col 1:28, Col 4:12, 2Co 13:11, Eph 4:13, Php 3:12,
Mt 19:21, Lu 6:40, Heb 12:23, 1Pe 5:10. However, upon being rightly divided would show various
answers, because the word was used in various context to have various
meaning. For instance, take these other verses with perfect in them:
a.
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them,
as thou hast loved me" (John 17:23). This
is an example of having perfect unity, not individual perfection of being
pure or holy.
b.
"Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if
in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you" (Php 3:15). Here perfect is used as in being mature.
c.
"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works" (2 Ti 3:17). Again, perfect here is used to mean
a level of maturity, being thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
d.
"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all
things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings"
(Heb 2:10). Here it suggests Christ becoming perfect through suffering,
if this was speaking about righteousness and holiness, then we would be
in error of Jesus Christ. Because it would mean that he was imperfect
and had to be perfected, impossible. However, this was not perfection
in that sense but perfection in the work that he was sent to do, “And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him" (Heb 5:9).
e.
"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will" (Heb 13:21). Here this verse verifies the above explanation
of Heb 2:10 in d. It suggests perfection in doing God's will, "every
good work."
f.
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing"
(Jas 1:4). Again, this verse verifies the above two in d and e,
that there is perfection in what God wants you to do, his will, as in
Christian labor. For this to mature or become perfect, patience is a key
tool he uses; that you may be perfect and entire. As suggested by Heb
2:10 above, this patience is effected by suffering; "Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (Jas 1;3).
g.
"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man" (Jas 3:2). Perfect
man here refers to being in a state of evidential excellent character,
not offending in word; which is a great character achievement.
However,
the perfection which Justification/salvation speaks of is being righteous;
or as the dictionary puts it, "of high moral or spiritual excellence;
belonging to God." In other words, when God sees you he sees no sins
or flaws because it's all hid in Christ. You are perfect. That's why Paul
called the born again believers at Corinth perfect, "Howbeit we speak
wisdom among them that are perfect" (1 Cor 2:6).
To again illustrate: in the language that this verse was translated from, the word “shall” was added for clarity, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). It should then read, “it doth not yet appear what we be: but we know that, when he appears, we be like him.” In other words, it’s a now action already enforced, but clearly seen when Christ appears the second time. We already have that status of being pure and perfect, but plagued with finite understanding cannot fully realize or see it until the finite (flesh) is taken off
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