Being Salty

The community where we live has a monthly dinner, each with a theme. Last night was “Pub Night” and I worried about salt because it affects my health. However, the food was amazing and not overly salty. By God’s design, today’s devotional reading gave me this:

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13–16)

I’m to be the “salt of the earth” and that is not garlic, paprika, or sugar. Jesus used salt to illustrate my role as one who preserves and fends off decay, who heals and soothes with medicinal value and who brings flavor and enhances other flavors. Yet salt only “works” when it’s out of the saltshaker. I cannot hide in my sewing room, or leave this to others by doing my own thing. 

These verses talk about losing saltiness, not just a word to me but the entire church family must guard against a loss of vision, passion and flavor. This happens when we do not deal with the sin remaining in us. Lest anyone think there is none, note what Paul wrote:

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)
But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. (Romans 7:23)

Jesus even said we must pray asking God to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) and John wrote: 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8–9)

Other NT passages tell me to put to death the deeds of the body meaning what is earthly or sinful in me. I will not be perfect (like Jesus) until I see Him face to face, but I cannot be complacent about this battle lest I lose whatever “salt” He has put in me.

This goes for the entire family of God. I pray for others who are in this battle, and also for those who have not yet received the righteousness that comes by faith. Some are continually paralyzed by guilt and constantly assaulted by “the accuser of the brethren” about real and imaginary failures. They need to remember, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Others are troubled by old wounds, pain and grief, abuse or other trauma. They need wisdom, love, patience and kindness, all fruit of God’s Spirit. 

Some struggle with obsessions and addictions such as pornography and other sexual entanglements, chemical and drug abuse, eating disorders, self-righteousness and legalism, greed, gossip, preoccupation with physical beauty, and so many other conditions for which the gospel alone provides sufficient power and grace to overcome.

Others are burdened by the demands of caregiving or other situations that deplete them emotionally, financially, spiritually, and physically. Salty Christians must pray for those who have lost their zest for life by the struggles of life.

PRAY: Lord, I have much on my heart and much to pray about. Fill me with the hope of the gospel and the energy of faith that trusts You for all needs, mine and others. I sometimes ask God to make me be salt and light to the unsaved, but I realize that Your dear children also need salt and light, as well as support in prayer. We are in this together. Stir our heats, restoring all of us to full gospel sanity, full joy in You and in Your plan for us, for our church, and the world around us.

Made perfect in Christ

 

People used to call me a perfectionist. I resented it because in my mind, every person should do the best they can. Not only that, it seemed to me that most folks could excel or at least improve if they tried harder.

Then one pastor said, “If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly.” That made me think about my motivations. Was I restricting my activities to only the tasks that I could do well? Was I unwilling to attempt anything that I knew would not turn out well? Was ‘doing poorly’ a threat to me?

I still think that doing the best we can is a virtue, but have changed my mind about picking and choosing. Some things are impossible or not a good idea because of my health and physical well-being, but I’m far more willing to try new things and not worry too much about how I rate.

As for being a perfectionist, Jesus did say this: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) While perfectionism can be a sin, I wondered why tell us that when the Bible is clear that no one is perfect except God?

Today’s reading says this word is used in four ways. Job 1:8 points to one of them.

And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8)

According to this writer, God uses this term to describe someone who is ‘sincere’ and says that God’s people are not deceitful, hypocritical or pretentious. While this is true of Job, the Hebrew word in other versions is translated blameless, free from guilt. This indicate that perfection is about keeping short accounts with God and trusting Jesus who bore our guilt. In other words, it is about being forgiven and knowing it to the degree that all of life is affected.

The next verse about perfection says: “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2)

This word in Greek is about maturity or completeness. Those who are in control of what they say are mature. It seems that perfection in this verse refers to Christians who are walking in the Spirit and not so much in the flesh. It isn’t so much about who they are all the time, but how they let God control their words as they obey Him.

The third use refers to the believer’s positional holiness, sinlessness, and blamelessness before God by the atonement of Christ and the imputation of his righteousness. The author used this verse to illustrate this meaning:

And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 16:14)

While perfect is used in this example, the context is a description of a sinful use of the physical perfections. The perfections of Christ imputed to us are not about the appearance of our physical bodies. Our imputed holiness is better described in the NT rather than this verse that uses the word ‘perfect’ to describe what He has given us. Not every Christian could be considered renown because of their outward comeliness, but all are perfect in holiness in Christ. 

Of course another use of the word ‘perfect’ is in describing  the ultimate glorification of all believers when we shall be made entirely conformed to the image of Christ in heaven. This verse is used:

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. (Philippians 3:12)

Another author says that this use of ‘perfect’ should be understood in the sense of a functional stage of religious attainment, to be completely successful, to succeed fully. For this, I’m often drawn to this verse that describes what God is doing in my life:

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)

In this life, I see Jesus in reading about Him, in experiencing and responding to His grace. This is the route to perfection, yet He does it. On my own I can do nothing.

PRAY: Lord, as I confess my sins, You forgive and cleanse me. As I keep my focus on You, You transform me into what I see in You, yet this task is not done and will never be until You take me to be with You forever. If perfectionism means to be a fan of the One who is perfect, then I’m all for it.

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!

A perfectionist?

 

Amish quilters are reported to put mistakes in their beautiful quilts. They do it because “only God is perfect.” As a quiltmaker, my mistakes are not deliberate; as in life itself, they just happen. However, Jesus did say in Matthew 5:48, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

PERFECT, at least in this text, means being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish. It can also be translated as mature, an English word easier to handle than the idea of perfection without defects.

In the OT, the word is usually applied to animals intended for sacrificial offerings. However, God is also described as perfect in His ways, His knowledge and His law . . .

2 Samuel 22:31. “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

Job 37:16. “Do you know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge.”

Psalm 19:7. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

The NT word Jesus used to say God is perfect is “teleios” and can mean “perfect, mature, complete” or refer to something of the highest standard, or fully developed, or to be perfect or complete in a moral sense. In context, Jesus is telling me to love all, even my enemies, and do good to them just as God in common grace sends rain on both the just and the unjust.

1 Timothy 1:16 adds that Paul considered himself chief of sinners, but Jesus Christ was merciful to him to “display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”

James 1:4 uses the same word concerning patience under trials. James says to realize the purpose of trials is to build patience and I am to cooperate in that process by letting “steadfastness have its full effect, that (I) may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” It helps to remember that this virtue reveals the depth of my faith — without patience, I reveal that I am not trusting the Lord.

This verses also echoes the words of the prophet in Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Trust and peace go hand in hand and for that, God grants perfect peace.

Another reason to trust God in trials is in Hebrews. It says Jesus was made perfect through suffering and by that become the source of my salvation. Suffering and learning from suffering puts me in good company.

James also uses this term concerning our speech: James 3:2, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” Since the commands of God reflect who He is and what He is like, from this I know my perfect God does not sin or fall short in what He says! He controls all that He does and His perfections show up in His Word and His actions. His will is perfect and knowing that changes the way I think about everything else . . .

Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. This goal seems impossible. Unlike the Amish, I don’t need to add mistakes to show I’m not perfect. My imperfections are easily seen, yet an odd thing about human inability to be perfect makes God’s people candidates for His perfections. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That is amazing! In other words, to be what God wants, I must rely totally on Him for I cannot be perfect by my own efforts. Being perfect cannot happen without being weak and unable.

Philippians 3:12 adds another thought. I have not obtained this or am perfect, but I press on to make it my own, in faith and trusting Christ Jesus who has made me his own. It is a learning curve with lessons taught in the classroom of trials and challenges. Yet there is reason to be joyful about trials. 1 John 3:2–3 could say something like this: “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 perfects himself as he is perfect.” In the plan of God, one day I will be like Jesus and that hope makes the process easier — even though most of the time it doesn’t feel like it.