I think our aim must
always be perfection which we know is possible according to Jude
1:24 “Now unto him that
is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the
presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” He wants us to be mature in this
way, Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect.” This perfection is maturity. One of the problems in the
early church was failure to grow in grace, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, “And I,
brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,
[even] as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat:
for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. For
ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and
divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” The writer to Hebrews says
something similar, Hebrews 5:12-13, “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 of strong meat. For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful 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.”
It is possible, but
when we begin to says we have attained it there is a great danger of pride
causing us to fall, so it is better to be like Paul who described life as a
race, Philippians 3:9-14, “And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and
the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being
made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the
resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were
already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 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.
The first
resurrection is our goal. It is possible that some believers will be hurt by
the second death because they have not yet attained this goal, 1 Corinthians
3:12-17, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the
day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath
built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know
ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the
temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.” The fire which consumes the
wood hay and stubble is His presence.
However He also knows
just how far we are from such perfection, and when promising the Holy Spirit
to His disciples warned them that they were evil, like us, Luke 11:13 “If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much
more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
We will get discouraged if we look at others and even ourselves, but instead
let us claim His promise of the Holy Spirit and keep looking to Him
continually for victory, James Templeton
-----Original
Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 23 October 2002 15:27
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Faith vs.
Works
I
guess it depends upon how you look at it. I consider it encouraging to
learn of the grace of God. To me it was like being let out of a shoebox
in the middle of a huge parking lot. I tell it like it is. To me,
it is encouraging to learn the truth about religious pride. We are
looking at this differently I guess. To say Christians have to be perfect is
discouraging to me.
Glenn,
I
think if we WANT to, and CHOOSE to, by the grace of God we CAN. I’m just
trying to learn how to do this more reliably! Isn’t this every Christian’s
quest throughout life? You don’t help me a bit by telling me this is an
impossible goal, because “nobody is perfect.” You should encourage me in my
quest for a holy life; not discourage me! (Something tells me that
encouragement is not one of your spiritual gifts—I am very discerning!)
J
Izzy
