The Perfect Gift

 

Last night’s Christmas Eve Service brought words like, “This was perfect.” I saw a young child and thought how perfect he looked. We bought some goodies yesterday that we thought were perfect. Obviously, God’s work and law are perfect as He is perfect. However, the definition of perfect can vary depending on who is defining it.

In Scripture this word “perfect” is used for all sort of things, including buildings. Each verse that uses the word must be considered in its context and how it aligns with other Scripture. The idea of perfection cannot contradict other passages. Those who study original languages say this:

perfect — adjective. being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish.
to perfect — verb. to make complete of its kind and without defect or blemish.
to be perfected — verb. to be or become in a perfect or consummate state with respect to a specific attribute.
perfection — noun. the state of being complete and without defect or blemish.
complete — adjective. perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities.
perfect thing — noun. anything that is without flaw or defect.
perfecter — noun. a person who brings something to completion without defect or blemish.
perfection — noun. the act of making something complete and without defect or blemish.
perfection — noun. an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept.

The New Testament depicts perfection or completion in terms of maturity or being fully grown into the design that God has for humanity. This means to be in the image and likeness of Christ, a designation only for those who are “in Christ” and part of His forever family.

The NT speaks of imparting wisdom to the mature: “Yet among the mature (perfected) we do impart wisdom…” (1 Corinthians 2:6) and it tells of power made perfect in weakness: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” ((2 Corinthians 12:9) Both verses strongly say that perfection is not being without a need for wisdom and having weaknesses. 

Paul, who seem to be the epitome of a complete and totally devoted believer, also said of himself: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12). He knew he was not yet perfect.

James calls for believers to “be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4) and other NT writers proclaim that we find perfection and completeness not in our own efforts, but “in Christ” who “by a single offering … perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14).

In other words, perfection is a goal but it is not obtained by my efforts nor will it show up in this life as a goal reached.

The Galatians tried and Paul told them: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3) John encourages his readers with:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

From these verses and many more, I get the message that Christ is my perfection, that He is using all things to conform me to His image so that I think, talk, and live as He did, but I will not reach that level of completion until I see Him as He is. Further, no one can claim perfection in themselves for this is a gift from God. Jesus is not only the founder and perfecter of our faith, but abides in us to perfect our love for one another, and give us all that He is so we can glorify Him.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. (James 1:16–18)

PRAY: Every good and perfect gift arrived as a Baby — and today we celebrate Your birth and rejoice in God’s gift to us — Your perfections are mine, now and forever. Today my weaknesses and flaws remain, even as Your perfections work to transform me. Needless to say, any maturity that shows up is still a gift from You and not my doing. For the gift of You, I am so grateful!

God does the work!

Yesterday afternoon God answered prayer with another surprise. My 28 year-old Bernini sewing machine has never had a problem but suddenly the lights over the sewing area stopped working. New bulbs didn’t help so I took it to the dealer. They tried. Nothing worked. Finally a clerk said leaving it for service would be very costly because opening it up to find an electrical problem constituted a regular and costly service call. Not only that, they haven’t had parts for that model since 2011. My best bet was to buy an external light to clip on my sewing table.

About to do that, the store’s regular technician came in. He praised my machine, asked what was wrong, fiddled with it, then said it was the light switch. He asked how much money I had, and told me “How about a report on social media?” Then he said, “I have no switches for this, but I’ve learned to hot-wire it.” In a few minutes, he took the machine apart, did something I could not see, put it back together, and the lights went on!

I’ve never hugged a clerk and a technician before, or told them how I’d prayed on the way to the store, but this was such a blessing to me, and a total surprise that cost me only a few words.

Then I got another one this morning, well two of them. When my computer does the unexpected, I’m usually frustrated and even angry. Today, the wireless keyboard just quit. Batteries were okay, but it disconnected from bluetooth and would not reconnect. After more than an hour and using my i-pad to get help, it worked. A test? I often get them after a blessing. Then after this test of my patience, another blessing.

This year’s devotional book has often been frustrating because the author writes as if a Christian’s will is vital before God does anything, and while my decisions are vital and necessary, this writer thinks it is more up to me than up to God to change my life. Today, this reading blessed me so much. I am passing it on as an illustration of this favorite passage:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

The reading says…
   The Lord is leading me on, step by step. He has created in me a willingness and ability to consecrate myself to Him, to be His wholly and forever—to be His, not only in some of the special circumstances of my life or in some of the activities of my soul, but to be His myself—to abandon my whole self to Him, with all my powers and all my circumstances, to resign my whole will to Him without any possible reservation.
   He has now taught me that He himself has taken possession of me, and that He is having His own way in me, to make me just what He pleases. “This is His will, even my sanctification” ….therefore, if He has possession of me, it is impossible that He should leave me unsanctified for a single moment. It was only myself who hindered the work; and if I give myself up to Him, the work must be accomplished. I cannot but believe it. An actual transaction has taken place between God and my soul. I have abandoned myself to Him; so He has taken possession of me and—I must believe it—has sanctified me.
   A real work has taken place: on my part, consecration; on the Lord’s part, sanctification. For it is all His work from beginning to end! I say my part because the conscious asking of my soul was to give itself up; but it was God who did it in me. It is not a belief, but a reality in which I am rejoicing. I have abandoned myself to God, and He has taken possession of me. All the rest must follow. He cannot but do His will in me, which is my sanctification.
   Blessed Lord Jesus, what a perfect work was Yours! Oh, show me more and more of its completeness!

PRAY: Jesus, when reading an old book, it often seems written recently, as if this author is still around. Not so, but the ideas are contemporary and have been discouraging and sad. I know that You are the author and finisher of my salvation and to read this today seems an answer to prayer for all those who “Are you so foolish… that they think “Having begun in the Spirit, are now being made perfect by the flesh.” (Galatians 3:3) This thrills my heart once more because You are glorified again and rightly so!

Law? Or Grace?

Several ‘Christian’ denominations stress the importance of keeping God’s Law, usually citing the Ten Commandments. At least one of them teaches that a person is not saved that way, but if they are not keeping those commands by the time they die, they will be lost.

In other words, most denominations say we are not saved by keeping the Law, yet add that it is the rule for Christian living. The problem with rules is that we try to keep them ‘in the flesh’ intending to please God and become more ‘godly’ but the Bible is clear — our justification and sanctification is in Christ, not in law-keeping. Besides, if we cannot keep the Law to be saved, how can we keep it to be righteous?

As today’s devotional reading points out, the apostle Paul is dismayed by such reasoning! He says, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)

He also plainly says that he died to the Law so he could live to God. His reasoning? It is also in the New Testament book of Galatians.  

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” (Galatians 2:20–21)

To those Galatians, and to all who turn to the Law as their rule for life, Paul also says: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

Since Christ is my righteousness, relying on what I can do to make my redemption visible is contrary to grace. If I try to please God by rule-keeping, I have fallen from grace and Christ has no value in my life.

This was a difficult concept in the early church because it was mostly Israelites that had converted. They loved the good news that Christ died for them, but they also understood the Law as a covenant with God. How could they abandon what had been so important to them?

Paul used an allegory to illustrate what these Galatians were doing. He reminded them that Abraham (the father of faith) had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Here is the allegory:

“These women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, ‘Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.’ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.’ So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.” (Galatians 4:21–31)

Their big question and ours: If I am not bound by the Law, does that mean I can sin without any problem? No, because I have been crucified with Christ and He lives in me, giving me His faith to trust God, His love for God, and His love for humanity. He also is my righteousness and sanctification and I trust Him alone for my entire acceptance before God and for the motivation and ability to do what is pleasing in His sight. To go back to rules is to go back to bondage.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, I’m continually amazed at the freedom of living by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not always easy because in pride, I want to ‘do something’ to earn my acceptance. This is especially difficult for those raised in a home with lots of rules. One of my friends knows that law-keeping is not the way of salvation nor is it the way to win victory over sin, yet she struggles daily with those voices in her head that insist “you should . . .  you must, God expects . . .” along with a long list of rules. My prayer for her and for others in bondage to law-keeping is that they will be set free from that and fully live in the freedom and glory of grace.

To Live is Christ — by faith from start to finish

Today’s devotional reading puts together two verses, one from the Old Testament and one from the New. They are about the character of God in relation to His dealings with His people.

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent. (1 Samuel 15:29). . . . For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

Israel had forsaken God, but he promised that He would not forsake them. He assured them that He did not lie, nor would He change His mind about His intentions for them. Paul repeats this in the New Testament. When God says He will do something, He does it. He keeps His Word.

Knowing that God is like this is a comfort for me and an anchor for my soul. God is the one thing that never changes. He is reliable when all else is unpredictable. Because of that, I trust Him with my life.

Besides giving me a solid hope and another reason for my faith, there is at least one other way to apply these verses. It is related to God’s goal for me. He calls me to be transformed into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person”(Hebrews 1:3), then this transformation mean that God wants me to be like Him. That includes being someone who does not lie, who keeps her word and does what I say I will do.

Being like God is an incredible goal. This is different from the new-age idea that we are gods. Rather it is about being transformed into what God intended when He created people in His image. That first sin by the first people marred the image and that propensity to sin has been passed down to every member of the human race.

God, in mercy, has provided a way to reverse this. Redemption through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of God to recreate means that anyone can have their sin forgiven and their life restored, once again reflecting the image of their Creator. But I know I cannot do this myself, although Scripture is full of commands to imitate God.

Along with those commands, God gives the invitation to come to Him for restoration. Because I have done that, He gives assurance of new life, and hope because He lives in me. Because of Him I can do as He asks. Galatians 2:20 says,

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Rules, commands, high values, good morals, strong convictions and so on are all good things, but being like God is not about my efforts to be good. Verse 21 adds, “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:21)

The Bible is clear that I am saved by grace through faith, not by good works such as keeping rules and laws, or by self-effort. However, grace is not abandoned after that new life begins. I also continue to live my Christian life by grace through faith. Galatians 3:3 asks, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” and 3:11 adds, “That no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’”

Sometimes I’m tempted to slide into trying to do it myself. Foolishly abandoning faith, I get hung up with efforts to be “good” and keep the rules. One of my favorite passages reminds me that this is folly and there is only one way to be like God. It says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6)

The higher moral traditions of men teach integrity and reliability, but they forget the part about sin and about human nature that so easily reverts to self-effort. I know that apart from Christ and His cleansing power, it is impossible to please God. If I want to be a person of my word, have integrity and be 100% reliable, then I must be a person who is like God.