Perfected Through Christ

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, 

forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are

 before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Just as a good foundation is important to a building in the natural world, a good spiritual foundation is essential for the believer to progress in God.

Through the parable of the two builders,

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.   Matthew 7:23-27 

we know that our spiritual foundation must be built on the Word of God.  Hebrews 6:1-3 reveals that the foundation of the Christian faith are:

*  Repentance from dead works

*  Faith toward God

*  Doctrine of baptisms

*  Laying on of hands

*  Resurrection of the dead

*  Eternal judgment

These are the basic doctrines of the Word of God on which our spiritual life is built.

To the Hebrews, Apostle Paul gives an additional step which is necessary in building our spiritual life:  

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.  Hebrews 6:1

In other words, we don't stop there, we start there as we grow and mature in God.  Repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment are all principles of the doctrine of Christ.   Two extremes are common among believers. One is that they have a knowledge of the Word of God but do not apply that knowledge to daily living. The other extreme is that believers emphasize experience and ignore doctrine. Both doctrine and experience are important. A proper understanding of doctrine results in experience. But experience that is not based on biblical doctrine is not trustworthy.  You must not only understand the basic doctrines of Hebrews 6:1-3 but you must also experience them. Once we have built our life on these doctrines through knowledge of and experience, we must learn how to "go on unto perfection.”

The Bible uses the word "perfection" rather than "maturity" to describe a spiritually mature believer.  The word "perfection" is similar to the word "sanctification" or "consecration" which are also used in the Bible. "Sanctification" means holiness and "consecration" means to be set apart in righteousness.  A "perfect" Christian is one who has achieved spiritual maturity.  This means his body, soul, and spirit are under the control of the Holy Spirit.  They have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.  

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  John 1:12

There are two dangers if spiritual foundations are emphasized without attention to perfection:

l.          One danger is to lay a good spiritual foundation and not go on to spiritual maturity.

2.         The other danger is to attempt to build a "superstructure" of perfection on a faulty spiritual foundation.

A foundation is not a completed building. A superstructure must be built on the foundation. A superstructure is that part of a building which is visible above the foundation. A good spiritual foundation is not the final goal for a believer:  

Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.  Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.   Luke 14:29-30

Many people begin with God. They hear the Gospel, repent from dead works, and have faith toward God, but they never progress beyond this point. They never complete their spiritual foundation and go on to perfection.  A partial foundation in the natural world is not functional. You cannot construct a building on a partial foundation or it will collapse under stress. You must complete the foundation and then construct the building.  Believers who have not completed their spiritual foundations will have difficulty under stress. They will live "up and down" lives spiritually. Their spiritual building will not weather the storms of life. They cannot go on to perfection [spiritual maturity] because their foundation is incomplete.

In the natural world, a foundation alone is not very functional. It is the building constructed on that foundation that serves as a home, office, or school. The reason some people are spiritually immature is because they only lay a spiritual foundation and never finish the building by going on to perfection.  Apostle Paul spoke of these spiritually immature believers:  

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: For he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.   Hebrews 5:12-14

Apostle Paul told the believers to whom he was writing that it was time they should be teaching others the Gospel. Instead, they were having to be taught the first [foundational] principles of God.  He compared them to babies who could only drink milk. By "milk" he meant the first principles of God.  Milk is very healthy and brings growth, but there comes a time when a baby goes on to solid foods:   

Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.   Isaiah 28:9

Just as weaning from milk is necessary in the natural world if a child is to develop properly, it is also necessary in the spiritual world. Believers must go beyond the first principles on to spiritual maturity [perfection]. Spiritually mature believers are able to feast on the meat, not just the milk, of the Word of God.  

®    Jesus calls His followers to perfection:  

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.   Matthew 5:48

®   This perfection reflects the presence of God:  

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one.  John 17:23

®   It results in spiritual maturity:  

Brethren, be not children in understanding. . . in understanding be men.   1 Corinthians 14:20

Perfection was a goal of the early church. Apostle Paul wrote:  

For...this also we wish, even your perfection...  ...Be perfect...  2 Corinthians 13:9 11

Individual perfection results in our being perfectly joined together with other believers in the Body of Christ:  

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.    1 Corinthians 1:10

Jesus is the example of perfection for believers:  

For even hereunto were ye called: Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.   1 Peter 2:21

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. Hebrews 2:10

And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.  Hebrews 5:9

God planned believers to be conformed [be made like] Jesus who is our example of perfection:  

For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   Romans 8:29

The standard of perfection by which believers are measured is God's Word. 

Jesus was the example of perfection and conformed perfectly to the Word because He was the visible revelation of God's Word. God has set standards in His Word which are to govern our lives. The first standards He gave man were called the "law" and are recorded in the first five books of the Old Testament.  Much of the history of the Old Testament records the inability of man to keep God's laws. God knew man would not be able to keep the law through his own efforts. But God had some specific purposes for giving the law. One of the purposes of the law was to show men their sinful condition. Another purpose was to show them that they could not become righteous by their own efforts: 

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight:  For the law is the knowledge of sin.  Romans 3:20

God did not leave us in this hopeless condition. Through the law He promised the Messiah:

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.   Deuteronomy 18:18-19  

In Acts 3:22-26 these same words are quoted by Apostle Peter and applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, various sacrifices were required by God for sin. After Jesus sacrificed His life for the sin of all mankind, the Old Testament sacrifices were no longer necessary:  

For the law having a shadow of good things to come...can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect... 

For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.   Hebrews 10:1,14

The purpose of the law is summarized in these words:  

But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  Galatians 3:22-24

Man could not keep the standards of a righteous God through self-effort. The law revealed the need for a Savior and led man to Jesus Christ. 

It is through Christ, not self-effort, that we are perfected.  

It is through Him that we are conformed to His example of perfection and to the standard of the Word of God.

 (Biblical Studies)



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