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...
later on, during New Testament times...
the letters of Paul and other writings were becoming more prevalent...
But for my sake, and our sake today...
we have the whole Bible...
And God’s Word is perfect...
6. His Faithfulness is perfect. Is. 25:1
O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
God is completely and perfectly faithful...
we may let Him down...
but that doesn’t change His faithfulness...
The Hymn says,
“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning in Thee
Thy changest not,
Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been,
Thou forever wilt be”.
7. His Will is Perfect Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--
his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Certainly our will lets us down...
we talk about “will power”...
or a lack of “will power”...
But that’s not a problem for God...
His will is perfect...
and He has a perfect plan for you and for me.
and nothing can defeat God’s plan for us...except us!
8. His Power if Perfect 2 Corinthians 12:9
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 about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
God’s power is perfect...
His grace is sufficient...
His power will rest upon us...even in our weaknesses...
and, Paul specifies, ESPECIALLY in our weaknesses...
Because it is when we are weak...
That God is able to work His perfect power in our lives...
When we think we are strong...
and we’ve got it all figured out...
and we can do it all ourselves...
that is when God’s power is weak...
not because God Himself is weak...
But because we don’t acknowledge our need of Him...
and give Him room to work in our lives.
9. His Gift is perfect James 1:17
James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote:
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like the shifting shadows”
Look at your life...
Do you have a home?...
Do you have health?...
Do you enjoy the gift of salvation?...
Praise the Lord for the good and perfect gifts that He has given you.
People
1. Negative: “perfect plan” Ps 64:6
“We have devised a perfect plan”
God’s work, will, way, power, & knowledge are perfect...
But ours are not...
In this Psalm, David is talking about people who have chosen NOT to follow God...
they devise their own plans...
they plot injustice...
they follow their own evil desires and think that their way is the perfect way...
but they are sadly mistaken.
2. Lover is perfect SoS 6:9
Perfect for Valentine’s Day...
The Song of Solomon describes his true love as perfect...
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother,
the favorite of the one who bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her blessed;
the queens and concubines praised her.
Perhaps, this Valentine’s Day...
with the inspiration of God’s Word...
you will be able to express your love to someone special to you...
your spouse...a family member...a friend...even the Lord!!
3. Perfect Peace Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
At first glance, you might think this is in reference to God...
That God’s peace is perfect...(which it is)...
But this is talking about OUR peace...
OUR peace is perfect...
But notice where this peace comes from...
This peace comes from God...
when we trust in the Lord...
He then gives us perfect peace...
and then it is ours...we have perfect peace...
given to us by the Hand of God...
4. Be Perfect Mt. 5:48
Jesus says,
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This has certainly been a much discussed and argued passage of Scripture...
In Nazarene circles, we talk about Christian perfection...
Entire Sanctification...
Living the Holy Life...
Heart Purity...
But other groups are quick to argue that we sin in some way every day...
I certainly don’t have the space to devote to completely covering this question...
the material discussing these questions would literally fill many bookshelves in a library
But let me just say...
Christians who believe that Scripture teaches that entire sanctification is available to us in this life (as Nazarenes do)...
they aren’t arrogantly puffing out their chests and pointing to their own efforts in the area of living a holy life...
we would quickly point out that, without the power of Christ at work within us, we would surely fail and sin every day...
But, people who profess that we must sin every day...
that we cannot “be perfect” as God commands...
they are under appreciating the power of the Holy Spirit involved in our lives...
If we say that we cannot truly have “Victory in Jesus”...
then that questions the power of Christ!!
5. Perfectly United. 1 Cor. 1:10, Col 3:14
“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree with one another
so that there may be no divisions among you
and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
Picture a triangle...
as the legs of the triangle go up...
they become closer to each other...
that is what happens symbolically among Christians...
as we draw closer to God...
as we discern His will and follow it with all our being...
then we will naturally draw closer to each other as well...
Often, when I pray, I pray not only for us individually...
but I pray for us as a church...
as we draw closer to Christ individually...
then we will certainly draw closer to Christ as a church...
until we can be perfectly united in Him...
(This also applies to the relationship between a man and his wife)
Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-14...
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other
and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Paul indicates that we as Christians are to be holy...
and as we add love for our neighbor to these other virtues...
then we our bound together in perfect unity...
6. Perfecting Holiness 2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, dear friends,
let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,
perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Nazarenes believe that sanctification is a 2nd work of grace...
the first work of grace being salvation...
We believe that sanctification comes in a moment...
But that Christian maturity also develops over time...
Even the word in the verse suggests growth by using the word “perfecting”.
7. Perfection 2 Corinthians 13:9, 11.
Paul writes,
We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong;
and our prayer is for your perfection.
Paul is praying for our perfection in the faith...
And in verse 11, he reiterates it...
Finally, brothers, good-by.
Aim for perfection,
listen to my appeal,
be of one mind,
live in peace.
And the God of love and peace will be with you.
you might argue, “Pastor, I can’t be perfect...every time I try...I fail”...
Perhaps that’s your problem...YOU are trying...
when you should be submitting to God and letting HIM do the perfecting...
AIM FOR PERFECTION
8. Have not yet been made perfect Phil 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this,
or have already been made perfect,
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
At first glimpse, this seems to contradict what I have been telling you about Christian perfection...
however, in verse 11, Paul is obviously talking about the resurrection of the dead...
He is referring to the perfection that comes in heaven...
While we remain in this life...
we can’t get sanctified and just sit back and say “see I made it”...
we must continue to strive...
we must continue to press on...
we must continue the quest...
we must continue to grow throughout our spiritual journey...
we never fully arrive until we make heaven our home.
9. Perfect Love 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love.
But perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with punishment.
The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
If you were to read the context of this verse...
you would see that John is talking about eternity...
and where we will spend it...
if we are in a right relationship with Christ...
then we don’t need to fear eternity...
because fear has to do with punishment...
and punishment has to do with hell...
So, if we love God...we already know that He loves us...
then that love is perfect...
and perfect love drives out fear.
Conclusion
Well, we’ve certainly covered a lot of Scripture tonight...
perhaps more than you can digest in one sitting...
that’s why I’ve given you an outline...
you can continue to work on learning your Biblical ABCs...
P is for perfect...
God is perfect in every way...
And His will for us to be perfect like He is...
We can’t do it on our own...
it only comes through the power of Christ at work within us.
