1. A Perfect Relationship
We are perfect because of our eternal union with the infinitely perfect Christ. When we accept Christ as our Lord & Savior we are declared NOT GUILTY and thus are righteous in God’s sight because of what Christ had done for us. This perfection is absolute & unchangeable, just as God never changes. This perfect relationship guarantees that one day we will be “completely perfect”.
* “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” - Colossians 2:8-10 NLT
* “First, Christ said, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them’ (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will.’ He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” - Hebrews 10:8-14 NLT
2. Perfect Progress
Our spiritual maturity can grow as we continue to trust Christ, learn more about him from scripture, draw closer to him and obey his word. I know in my walk with Christ I climb and at some point plateau out. A plateau is an elevated, comparatively level expanse of land; aka, a tableland. They can span thousands of square miles. [1] Our spiritual growth is a progressive thing because it depends solely on our daily walk. At times we mature more quickly than at other times, but fast or slow, we are moving toward perfection if we “PRESS ON” - “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” - Philippians 3:12 NLT
* “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God[b] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.” - Philippians 3:1-15 NLT
3. Completely Perfect
When Christ returns to take us to our eternal home, we will be given glorified bodies and thus be made completely perfect in every way.
* “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” - Philippians 3:20-21 NLT
We are not of this world. Our citizenship is in the heavenlies. An undeserved reward for an undeserving creation who has been made deserving by the divine favor which was applied to our account. God created us, knew prior to our creation that we would have a propensity to disobey him, and provided from the foundation of the world a solution to our future disobedience. Christ’s blood sacrifice that resulted in his death was the plan all along, for you see, the Father knew that Jesus wouldn’t stay dead. His willing sacrifice carved out our place in eternity. All we needed to do was accept his gift of deliverance ... redemption ... salvation ... complete and total freedom from our self-inflicted sin. What a mighty God we serve!!
All 3 stages of perfection are grounded in our faith. Faith in Christ and what he had done on the cross for us. It has nothing to do with what WE can do for him. We are unable to perfect ourselves; only God can work in us and thru us to “continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6).
Up next is our first look at Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: The Life Application Study Bible
[1] The Tibetan Plateau is the largest in the world, occupying around 1.5 million square miles.
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