P Is For Perfect Series

Introduction

1.

2. We are continuing on our way through the ABCs of the Bible...

Tonight, we come to the letter P...

P is for perfect and its forms, including perfection...

Perfect according to the dictionary means...

1 having all the required or all the desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics;

as good as it is possible to be : she strove to be the perfect wife

• free from any flaw or defect in condition or quality; faultless : “the equipment was in perfect condition.”

• precisely accurate; exact : a perfect circle.

• highly suitable for someone or something; exactly right : I am the perfect husband for my wife!

2 [ attrib. ] absolute; complete (used for emphasis) : a perfect stranger | all that she said made perfect sense to me.

3. In the Bible, the word “perfect, perfection or perfected”...

appears 52 times in the NIV Bible...even more in the KJV...

As I began to study these words...

I began to see that the word is used both to describe God...

and also to describe people...

and interestingly, I found 9 different ways that perfect is used for each...

So, tonight I would like for use to do a quick summary of all 18 different ways that “perfect” is used...

Let’s first look at the 9 ways that God is described as perfect.

Read Text: various

God

1. His Works are perfect. Deuteronomy 32:4

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.

A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

God’s works are perfect...

during the Creation story...we see God looking upon all of Creation and saying “It is good”...

This verse in Deuteronomy is part of a song that Moses is singing to all the Israelite people who were assembled together...

Moses was singing his praise to the Lord...

and among all the many glowing things that Moses mentions in his song...

he mentions that all God’s works are perfect...

the things that God does...

how He intervenes into the lives of His people...

2. His WAY is perfect 2 Samuel 22:31

"As for God, his way is perfect;

the word of the Lord is flawless.

He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

These are the words of David...

interestingly, this too is part of a song unto God...

To me, this speaks about our QUEST...

Our spiritual journey as we walk with Christ...

The way of the world is certainly flawed...

There is much to avoid in this world...

But God’s way is perfect...

That doesn’t mean that God’s way is easier...

sometimes it can be very difficult to walk with God...

Scripture tells us that the way of the world is the wide road...

and the the way of God is the narrow road...

and that few people find it...

But those few who follow God’s way...

would certainly testify that it is the only perfect way.

3. He Makes MY WAY perfect 2 Samuel 22:33 Heb 12:2, Heb 10:14

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.”

Certainly, if we just go our own way...

our way is not perfect...

but when we walk with Christ...

when we embark upon this journey, this quest, and make it our lifelong goal...

well, God makes our way perfect.

Hebrews 12:2 says,

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of our faith”

Hebrews 10:14 says,

because by one sacrifice

he has made perfect forever

those who are being made holy.

Jesus is the Perfecter of our faith...

in our journey in holiness, HE is the One that is doing the work...

4. His Knowledge is perfect. Job 37:16

“Do you know how the clouds hang poised,

those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?”

Elihu, who acknowledges that Job’s 3 friends aren’t really helpful...

begins to expound about simply trusting God...

even when things don’t turn out the way we like...

Elihu tells Job and us...

That God is perfect in knowledge...

sometimes, when we go through difficulties in life...

we might be tempted to pray, “God, do You really know what You are doing?”...

“Why are You doing this?”

And we can certainly take consolation in the fact that yes...

God does know what He is doing...

He is perfect in knowledge.

5. His Law is perfect. Ps. 19:7

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

Whenever I read the Bible...

and it begins to talk about the law, statutes and ordinances of God...

I always think about the Bible as a whole...

Now, people who followed God during Biblical times only had the Old Testament law, the prophets, and the poetic literature...