The Unbridled Pursuit of Excellence

We closed the previous article with the observation that (at times) obedience to God’s law can be confusing. So much so, that even though we have no clue how to accomplish it, we choose that if we could we would, and consent to the law of God. When we consent to the law of God, we accord him the consent of the governed and deny Satan that justification.

The whole chapter of Romans Seven is open to abuse, and it is not my intention to try to creatively "continue in sin that Grace may abound.” Nevertheless, the alternative cannot be said to be less than challenging.

Very few of us use the word “perfection,” in a spiritual context, without alluding to "sinless perfection," or just plain “sinlessness.” We know axiomatically that this is not possible because we are men, and by deductive reasoning from Ro 3:
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We have sinned and cannot become guiltless again.

In many cases, the word “perfect” is defined as being unattainable. My dictionary has about 21 definitions, some being the verb form. Rather than appeal to some particular one of them, I would like to assert that most commonly, people want to bind on that term the idea of "It cannot be found fault with." In this vernacular usage, Pythagoras' own proof of his theorem would fail (be found fault with,) by being difficult to understand, while most others would fail (be found fault with,) by being longer than the shortest one. Mathematicians avoid this discussion altogether, by inventing their own usage of the term "elegant." The prototypical perfect individual, (Jesus Christ,) was found fault with at almost every turn.

Establishing that the definition of "perfection" is muddy water, we could ask the question, “Is there a unifying theme to the usage of the word ‘perfect’ in scripture?” My favored course of intellectual action is to let the Lord define his own term from context. "Perfect" is certainly not un-attainable in scripture. In the OT, exactly 5 people are called "perfect." Noah Gen 6:9, David I Ki 11:4, Job Job 1:1, Asa 1 ki 15:14, and Hezekiah 2 Ki 20:3. By observing that the exhaustive total was exactly five and no more, we should understand that whatever accomplishment this should represent, it is exceptional.

In the New Testament, it is not surprising to see that Christ was perfect Heb 2:10, 5:9. However, we shouldn’t stop there. While we are looking at the word, we can observe some other things: The old law [that as we have just seen could indeed be kept,] was defined as glorious (2 Cor 3:7,8) Despite being called glorious, the Old Testament law could not make one "perfect as pertaining to conscience." Heb 9:9, 10:1.

How did Old Testament (OT) persons obtain perfection if old law couldn’t do it? Gal 3:
[6] Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
[7] Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
[8] And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
[9] So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
[10] For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
[11] But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
[12] And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Abraham lived before the dispensation of the Old Testament by Moses, and here we have under discussion the confirmation of Abraham’s salvation. Noah lived before Abraham, and was likewise subject to some other system of valuation than the Old Testament law, yet he was called (arguably) by some definition “perfect.”

Having suggested by example that this should be a "do-able" proposition, we have a good bit more on the subject:

Commonly, the people who do not choose to "follow after," (Phil 3:12,) will point to the example usually called "The rich young ruler." Mt 19:
[16] And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
[17] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
[18] He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
[19] Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[20] The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
[21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
[22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
[23] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
[25] When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
[26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

These people zone in on vs 25, "who then can be saved?" and usually follow with 1 Pet 4:18.
[18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

They take the "meritorious works" attitude alluded to by those who oppose baptism, and say, "If you by some measure think you are perfect, you must necessarily be concluding that you can reasonably demand salvation, having no more need for forgiveness of sins."

Those alert to the paradox of self reference will also appeal to Job 9:20,21
[20] If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
[21] Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

The argument is that pride would destroy perfection if it ever became aware of itself, for example.

In rebuttal I would appeal to Hezekiah in 2 Ki 20:1-3, and Isa 38:1-3
[1] In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
[2] Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
[3] And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

Here we see Hezekiah made supplication on the basis that he had walked before God with a perfect heart, and God granted his request. I know that if I was not 9 feet tall, and I prayed to God, "Because I am 9 feet tall, please bestow %T% on me," I don't know how he could grant a request based on such a preposterous premise. Hezekiah was arguably defined by the term, or God would not have honored his request.

Despite the use of the superlative term, the story is not one of success but of downfall. By Job’s argument, Hezekiah was destroyed by sentient pride of that very accomplishment. I’ll not fail to observe that there is a competing argument to be made that Job was speaking only of his personal experience, and that perfection would be incomplete without commensurate humility.

2 Tim 3:16,17
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
[17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Scripture was given with a motive/purpose, and equal to the phrase "throughly furnished unto all good works," is the term "perfect." Arguably "perfect" implies "throughly furnished" as a product or sub-set.

So we see that Mt 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect," is not a command issued without any means of accomplishment, like a governmental "un-funded mandate."

For a closer definition of the term, we should look at Lk 6:40
[40] The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

To get a time frame on when this might happen, 1 Jno 4:
[17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

"in this world," is not at some abstract future date in eternity. In Eph 4:11-15
[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

We are given a little more info on just how high this bar might be: vs 13: to the [equal?] amount of the measurement of the contents of Christ, then vs 15, we "grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."


By two measures, sinlessness would be a separate concept: Ro 3:
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Ro 5:
[12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

There is one sinless one, and his name is Jesus, his title is Christ. This being the case, Noah, Job, Asa, Hezekiah, and David [who were all called perfect] (and perfected in some way that was not by the Old law - Heb 9:9 and 10:1 as seen above,) had all five sinned. Noah did so pretty spectacularly with his daughters, if memory serves. It also enumerates in 2 Chron 25:1,2 that "doing that which is right," is not by itself perfection.
[1] Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Those verses would count as the first measure - you can be perfect, and not be sinless. In the second measure: You could be sinless, but be made perfect in some other way. Heb 2:
[10] 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.
Heb 5:
[9] And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Christ started out sinless, and never failed in this, but he was independently made perfect. A similar observation is in Heb 5:
[8] Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

He learned obedience. He was probably always obedient in action, but he learned obedience as a spiritual characteristic. It's worth asking yourself, how on earth was the concept of obedience in even one of its elements or aspects new to Christ? The nearest constructive observation that I can make about that is in Ps 119:
[97] O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
[98] Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
[99] I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
[100] I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
[101] I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
[102] I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
[103] How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
[104] Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
[105] Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
[106] I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

Of these examples, the one uppermost in my mind at the moment is vs 100 - because I keep thy precepts, I understand more than the ancients. Notable here is the fact that obedience came FIRST, THEN understanding. Normally we would call this "blind obedience," and the world uses the term as a pejorative. In vs 102, David identifies his teacher, and we should seek a similar claim, considering the parenthetical comment in Jno 6:
[45] It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Speaking of NT Christians (right?) he states that "they shall all be taught of God." I suppose that Christ was too, and by the same pathway. By that same powerful token, it should gladly be received that if our example learned obedience, by some means, we cannot by any righteous argument turn aside from that self same path-way. The a-priori assumption people make (and I found out, because I discovered that I had been making it,) is that he already knew all this, and was just going thru a technical exercise by demonstrating it.

Winding down, let us also consider Paul. You may correct my chronology from other knowledge, but cursorily, it would look as though Phil 3:
[9] 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:
[10] That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
[11] If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
[12] 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.

….was written before 2 Tim 4:
[6] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
[7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
[8] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

During that finite non-null time frame, what was the status of Paul's salvation? I choose not to doubt that God would have received him into the ranks of the saved righteous at any point during that time, as he grew and flourished spiritually.

Reviewing then, we have talked about some things that perfection is not; we have talked about some things that help define the term; and we have suggested that something properly defined as “perfection,” is attainable.

It is left until now to ask ourselves exactly how we could resolve all conflicting aspects of the various verses in the bible that treat on the subject. I will simply posit a construct, and leave it to a diligent audience to contemplate.

Consider a cylinder with pie shaped divisions. The cylinder in this illustration would be analogous to the Christian heart, with each division holding some spiritually measurable content of the several spiritual qualities; joy, peace, patience, grace, hope, faith etc. I can illustrate the cylinder in several states. It could have only some of the pie shaped compartments with non-null contents. It could have all compartments containing something, but not all necessarily equal. They might all be non-null, equal and not full. I suppose that they could all be full equally to the brim.

This illustration would give a context to a passage like 2 Pet 1:
[5] And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
[6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
[7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
[8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

An incomplete list of heart qualities might be found in Gal 5:
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

…known to be incomplete by verses like 2 Pet 3:
[18] But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

…as well as the 2 Pet 1 passage. I could optimistically suggest that this unites us together in fighting a common misconception. I can only hope it will be so well received. In addressing others (it is appropriate in spiritual matters to make self-application first,) I have endeavored to apply the principle embodied in the phrase “control the heart first, the action will follow.” Pessimistically, I cannot responsibly omit to observe the old adage, ”easy come, easy go.” A thing, even if it an idea is more valued when it is purchased with great effort. There are those who by lax application or indifferent spiritual goals do not want to know. Knowing something like this puts the onus on a Christian to contribute an effort that seeks to meet a higher standard. Any such standard should be met and measured intrinsically, rather than externally.

Knowing that something can be done, somehow, by some means, is actually an avenue of advancement in its own right. For example, the Russians were the first country to put a satellite in orbit. Until then, the United States did not try in the same way, because it was largely thought that it might be impossible. Turn this to a discussion of the Lord’s word. IF he said something like “Thou shalt demonstrate ‘Space Travel’,” it would be my job as his obedient servant to figure out how. The fact that there is a command like that is a major clue that it can be done. I do not look into the Lord’s law, and say, “Well, I don’t know how to demonstrate ‘space travel,’ so I will content myself with aeronautics.” If I cannot answer another person on the day he or she challenges that command, this should not make me doubt my decision that all God’s commands are possible. I presume an answer will be possible in future and so proceed.

In conclusion let’s consider the analogy of a game of pool. The story is told of a famous physicist going into a pool hall after work with his colleagues, and sitting down to relax and talk foolishness. His friend challenged him to a game of pool. His response was “Look, we make truly complex calculations on the nature of matter every day. How can something some mundane as pool be worthwhile? The collisions are reasonably elastic, the rebound from the rails can be calculated, and the trigonometry of the actual shots is elementary.” So his friend picked an (by comparison) ignorant bystander, and asked the physicist to submit himself to a competitive game of pool. The physicist drew the lines on the felt in chalk, and made determinations before every shot. You can easily imagine who actually won. The point is that the study of God’s law in the abstract could be compared to the contemplation of the physics of pool. Within the confines of 2 Tim 2:
[5] And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

…a baptized believer with an IQ of 90, can visit the sick, feed the hungry, and in his own right confront the vices of pride and the love of money, and (as he gets experience, and decides to eradicate various weaknesses in his own heart,) he may surpass me 10 times over. So knowing God’s law, and meditating in it should not be considered the end of the commandment. Ps 1:
[1] Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

…implies that if one does contemplate God’s law, the blessing that starts vs 1 will apply. It’s not a simple “either/or” proposition. But not all students of the rule book of football are setting themselves up as referees: some of them are still players.

When I approach someone initially with a question in my mind as to their interest on the issue, I make a practice of asking them about what they mean by the term “Hope.” If they identify that there is no way, and hope is a long shot I generally add time for study. When a person says, “You know: if there is to be any hope, there must be SOME WAY to obey adequately,” then is the time I contemplate introducing them to this discussion. On that note, I’ll take my leave of you.