It’s time to be very open and direct. I’m writing this mainly to friends I’ve walked with for many years… brothers and sisters in the Lord, whom I love and respect. I pray that you all can hear God’s heart here, wanting to build up the Body of Christ.
First of all, we ALL have an incomplete message… every man, every ministry.
The scripture says, “8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” [1 Corinthians 13:8-12 KJV]
We know in PART. We prophecy in PART. Now we see ‘darkly’. Only a proud person who thinks he knows it ALL, would be offended to hear that he has an incomplete message… on any subject. So no one should feel condemned by what I’m going to share here. But challenged?… Yes, I do hope so.
A few days ago, I shared a post about knowing that your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. In it, I quoted Hebrews 10:14, which reads, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” I know very well, that the idea that we are somehow already perfected is quite foreign to some. This is NOT contradicting the truth that there is a future ‘perfection’ still ahead of us, that we are called to press into. This scripture, and others like it, are just another piece of the whole Word of God, which must fit with all the other pieces. We can’t leave out ANY part of the Word!
Quite honestly, the ‘perfection message’ which we’ve preached, has focused on perfection as a goal ahead of us, and pretty much left out the ‘perfection’ that is already finished. Both, however, are in the Word.
A couple of our favorite scripture quotes are these:
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;” [Hebrews 6:1]
“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. 13 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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 3:12-14]
Clearly there is a perfection to press for, but even Paul admits that he’s not there yet. Yet, in the next verse he says, “Let us therefore, as many as BE perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” [Philippians 3:15] Now Paul is saying that he and some others ARE perfect. So there is another truth… that at least some are already perfect, by some definition.
We all know that we are not free to define ‘perfect’ or ‘perfection’, or ANY scripture, according to our private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). In this case, when you really study this subject, you will see that there are places where a translation to ‘complete’, or ‘mature’, would be closer to what the Spirit is really saying, than the King James translation to ‘perfection’, the way we commonly think of the term today. If we use the ‘purest’ definition of ‘perfect’ for every scripture, that leads to considerable confusion. We’ve got to humbly dig into the Word of God, and let the Holy Ghost teacher reveal the truth, whether or not it agrees with our doctrine, or favorite translation.
There is no reason to think that this is going to be easy. In 2 Peter 3:16, Peter says of the apostle Paul’s writings, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things HARD to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
We can’t yield to the temptation to think that something is going to be easy to understand, when it’s not… or to try to make it easy by leaving parts of it out. There’s the milk of the Word, and there’s the meat. Meat takes a lot more effort, but it’s worth it. It helps you grow up strong. Let’s go for the meat!
Hebrews 6:1-3 makes it clear that ‘perfection’ is not one of the foundational principles of the doctrine of Christ, but it IS something that we are admonished to ‘go on unto.’ If we believe that perfection is an important part of the Word of God… then we really ought to understand and teach every facet of that truth… leaving nothing out. We need it ALL!
When only the personal ‘pressing into’ and ‘attaining’ aspect of perfection is preached, without the finished work of the blood and the cross… and the grace of God… it inevitably becomes a doctrine of ‘works’. When YOUR works, or YOUR intentions, or even the intensity of YOUR love, become your basis for gaining eternal life, rather than the cleansing blood of the Lamb… you are lost. Works without grace… or grace without works… Both lead to eternal damnation. But we can’t be so wary of one error, they we allow ourselves to be snared by the opposite extreme.
That, brothers and sisters, happened in our church. We rightly avoided the hyper-grace teaching. But how many messages can you point to, from our pulpit in those many years, expounding on justification by faith; grace; or imputed righteousness? (I’ve searched, and found none.) These are critical fundamental truths at the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they got virtually left out.
That is one of the reasons why so many who have opened up now to other ministries, are SO excited. They have not just learned a new doctrine. A very real VOID has been filled. They have tasted of the awesome, transforming grace of God, that has so long been overshadowed by an incomplete and imbalanced ‘perfection’ message!
Still, we need to recognize that every ministry on this earth has an ‘incomplete’ message… some just more incomplete than others. We all need the Spirit of God to help us see if, and when, an imbalance is harmful. When any man or ministry claims to have it all, and says that you don’t need any other ministry, the Holy Ghost will be ringing the alarm bells!
Nobody gets to skip the learning – growing – maturing – perfecting stages of this Christian life. All those steps require a willingness to receive correction… and to change. That willingness is apparent in many all around us, and change IS happening!
We all need to go forward, with our eyes on the goal. But, as any person knows, who is striving for the pinnacle in sports or business… you’ve got to see, admit, and correct, anything you’ve been doing wrong that has been holding you back… or all your ‘trying harder’ may be just more of the same mistakes.
Going forward, every single one of us must continually humble ourselves before God, and keep letting Him expose anything and everything in our hearts and minds, that is not perfectly aligned with HIS heart and mind. Isn’t that what we all want? To be like Jesus? (The model of perfection!)
PRIDE is the #1 greatest danger that we face. Sometimes the very thing we are most proud of turns out to be the thing that’s hurting us the most, and that we most need to change. That can make it extra tough. Let’s not let pride stop us short of that high calling of God. Amen?
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