No one who has read Scripture with any measure of attention can have failed to notice how frequently, in the Epistles at least, “perfection” is spoken of. A certain class of writers too have dwelt much on the expression, and used it in such a way as may have helped many of us to overlook its real force, and thus lose, the value of the statements the word of God makes with reference to it.
I propose, with the Lord’s help, looking at some of the passages which speak of this subject, in the hope that the attention of some who need it may be turned to this side of truth.
In Philippians 3 we find the Apostle using the word “perfect,” evidently in two senses, (verse 12, 15). In the one case he says, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, etc.” In this sense then the chief of the perfect, although he could say, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.” In the other verse we have. “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded,” &c., clearly using the term in another sense. Now we must remember that the subject of the Epistle is Christian growth and walk in the Spirit. It is attainment, and therefore no one, not even Paul, could say I have attained, although there were stages well marked and definite, as distinct for the Christian as the passing over Jordan was for Israel. But, however much one might know and enjoy by the way, the end was being like Christ in glory and with Him; therefore, whilst by the way, as “having this hope in Him,” purifying ourselves as He is pure, yet we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who shall change our vile body, and fashion it like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself.” In this sense then, even Paul had to say, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” But there was a sense in which he could say that He was “perfect,” and exhort others who were this also; and this perfection, mark, was a something to bd attained to, and all had it not.
I need scarcely say that in still another sense every true Christian is perfect as before God as the fruit of the work of Christ, and in this way an Apostle no more so than the weakest babe in grace. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once;” and “by one offering He path perfected forever them that are sanctified,” is plain enough as to this.
But this is not the Apostle’s subject here, and we shall see that other passages agree with this exactly.
To bring out the point in a practical way, let me put a question to my reader. Have you peace with God? The answer most of those who read this perhaps would give is “Yes. I have no doubt whatever of my acceptance, for He has made peace through the blood of His cross, and being justified by faith I have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I ask further, do you know that you are dead and risen with Christ and seated in heavenly places in Him? Yes, I know that I am in Him, and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly plates, and that He is our proper and only object. This answer, which would be so often given, seems to show that all is right. There is peace and intelligence as to the place in Christ of the true Christian. But suppose I add another question, and ask, Have you this in the faith of your soul, finding plenty of weakness and failure it may be, often, for in many things we offend all. But do you find yourself in this as a reality, and Christ really your object, and the heart free to be occupied with Him? Well, if not, you are not yet perfect; you are a babe, and not full-grown man.
It matters not, dear reader, how much you know. You may have gathered up truth as an abstraction, and know the teaching of the Word on almost every point; but if you are not in this place consciously you are still a babe. The Corinthians came behind in no gift, and yet were babes as to the true knowledge of Christ. And what I appeal to is your own heart. Your lips can repeat the truth fluently, it may be, but that very, truth re-acts upon your conscience, and the sense that you are not living in it, hinders your walking with God rt true liberty. The more conscientious you are, the more unhappy; your heart is oppressed and burdened; your path is dark and joyless. You are really under law in your conscience, and grace has lost its hold over you for the time.
And now then, dear reader, turn with me to a few passages which, while they help to detect the real secret of this state, may point to the needed remedy.
First, then, in 1 Cor. 2:6,6Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (1 Corinthians 2:6) we find Paul, saying, “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect,” &c.; and then in the next chapter he goes on to say, “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.” And yet these very Corinthians were enriched in all knowledge, and in all utterance, and came behind in no gift. As to real knowledge, as to the state of their souls, they were still babes.
Again in Heb. 5:10-14,10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For 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. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But 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. (Hebrews 5:10‑14) we have a similar passage, He refrains from speaking more of Christ, in the way of enfolding His person, because they were dull of hearing. They ought, for the time, to have been teachers, but needed to learn over again the first principles of the oracles of God. They were babes, and had need of milk, and not of full age (perfect, marg.), so as to be able to take strong meat, (solid food). In the next chapter be urges them to go on unto perfection. It was a something to be attained to, and without the senses were exercised to discern good and evil, through which all growth comes, they might be always babes. They had never grown into their place.
If we turn to other portions of the Word we shall find that this is connected with being under law.
And first we take up Abraham, the father of the faithful, to find all this illustrated in him. He obeys the call of God to leave his father’s house, and go to the land of promise. His back is turned on all he naturally found his home in, and valuing the promises of God, he comes into Canaan. His tent and altar mark the pilgrim and the worshipper, but under the trial of his faith he breaks down. There is a famine in the land, and he goes down to Egypt out of sheer necessity. The spirit of Lot was very different from this, when he chose amidst the fertility of Canaan, the well watered plain of Jordan. With Abraham it was no choice, but necessity. He had not faith in God enough to stand the trial, and he must be passed through that which would break down the flesh, to the measure of what God had revealed of Himself. In Egypt he through fear denies Sarah, the type of grace, and brings up out of Egypt the bondsmaid. His altar and his tent are again resumed at Bethel, and he clings to the promises of God. But Hagar supplants Sarah, and the enjoyment of the inheritance is attempted to be secured in the way of nature. But the inheritance is of promise and must be by faith, that it may be by grace, and not through the efforts of nature, that we enter on the enjoyment of it. All this while no progress was made towards it, except in outward seeming, for it was the bondswoman and her son that Abraham clung to. “Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee,” is his cry almost in despair of getting any better way of inheriting the land. But Isaac, the child of promise, is born, and the bondswoman and her son are cast out, and Abraham is free again to go on quietly with God.
How many are in just this condition. The call of God has been listened to. His Gospel may have come to us in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance, and all is bright and happy. But a little while, and the trial of faith comes, and with it heaviness; the first joy of deliverance is gone. The next step is that the world is taken up with in some form, to satisfy the craving of the heart which feels its inability to be satisfied with God and things unseen. Things, seen gain a prominence they had not at first; there is the journey down to Egypt, not its pleasures and vanities perhaps, but earthly, not heavenly things, and that through weakness and incapacity, not willfulness. As with Abraham, before, grace and the soul are in a measure divorced, and the bondmaid is carried up out of Egypt as the fruit of the unbelief that caused the journey there.
And it is just here that a good many would have to confess to being, if they spoke out the truth. The bondwoman and her son are in the house, and a troublous time it is. Many an earnest cry goes up to God from souls who have got under the power, of law in their consciences, and are learning how it works wrath and death. These cries are cries of unbelief not of faith; and their answer is not found in the way we often expect. God will not supplement the energies of religious nature with His Spirit. The more exercised one is in this state, the worse the trouble seems to be, at times getting help and refreshment, and glimpses of deliverance that make the longing all the greater, and help to cheer the well-nigh discouraged one on; but no real rest is known. There is no joy, no freshness of heart, no freedom to turn to Him, and find relief in unburdening every care in quiet confidence in His love. And perhaps like Job to murmuring and, discontent may be added in bitterness of soul a curse upon the day of one’s birth. Is it so with any who read this? Does the apostle’s “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice,” only make you turn in upon yourself, with the humbling sense that you have not the joy he speaks of? How reproachfully too that word’ sounds, “Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?”
If this is your case, dear reader, the simple truth is, that however clear you may be as to doctrine about being under grace, yet as to the state of your soul you are under law. You have been down to Egypt and have got the bondmaid and her son in the house; no wonder you are ill at ease, and never can you know real rest until she is cast out.
Christ has lost His place before your soul, and is more desired than enjoyed. It is just here that the apostle’s words come in so suitably, “My little children of whom I travail again in birth, till Christ be formed in you.” Yes, this is the key to all the trouble; you have got your eyes off Christ. Having begun in the Spirit, you seek to be made perfect in the flesh. You are trying to get the old man sanctified and set right and made presentable. Unconsciously perhaps, law has been taken up to do this work — not the Law perhaps, but law in principle — requirement, and not faith’s simple acceptance of the truth, of God.
Long ago perhaps, when Lord taught you that you were a sinner first, you set about to establish your own righteousness, but after fruitless efforts to do that you, gave it up as hopeless and found that Christ was made unto you of God, righteousness. The sense of this may have been well nigh lost in the conflict that has gone on, still you know that He is your righteousness and you are justified from everything. Now you have to learn another thing — that just as He is your righteousness, so is He your Sanctification. God has made Him this to you. This is the wisdom of God. But how slow we are to learn it! How slow proud nature is to bow and own its utter worthlessness in God’s estimation; and, so in ours as taught of Him. The apostle tells us that Christ is the wisdom of God; and when he explains and sums up what this wisdom is in connection with us, we are told, He is made unto us both righteousness, and sanctification and redemption, that, according as It is written, He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.
It is He Himself who tells us: “For their sakes I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified through the truth.” In the glory of the Father there sits a Man, the life of those who come by Him to God. Faith’s knowledge of and occupation with Him by the Spirit is the power that detaches from the, world and is the judgment or the flesh. We with open face beholding as, in a glass the glory of the Lord; are changed into the same image from a glory to glory even as, by the Spirit of the Lord. We are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have confidence in the flesh. The acceptance of God’s judgment upon “our old man,” that it was crucified with flirt; and of am place in Christ now where there is not only no condemnation, but no separation from His love, and the simple occupation of the heart with Christ as our object, is the power of Christianity. “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.”
It is this the apostle means by “perfect,” and yet with still plenty to be attained to before one. But perfect in the sense of being no longer a babe, but grown up to manhood; where, having judged the flesh, and entered into the knowledge, practically, not theoretically, of my place in Christ, I can feed upon His perfectness, and seek to apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ.
“Let as many as be perfect be thus minded, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”
R. T. G.