Is our perfection a reality and if so how is it accomplished? From the moment that we become one of the Redeemed the process begins when we allow the Holy Spirit to work as He wants to within us. Yes that is right it is again a matter of choice as we have seen many times in the past writings. For it is how we deal with the afflictions or crises that this an other lessons are learned. Now for Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace and then I will look at our Perfection. And as has become my norm I will use the ESV translation and when the LORD gives me something more I will add it.
"Intimacy of Relationship in Christ"
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13)
"We have begun to see that the New Covenant of Grace is a covenant of Relationship. The simple phrase "in Christ" indicates the extent of the Intimacy that is available by Grace. "In Christ" is where we live spiritually. It is also how we live. As sure as a fish is in the ocean and lives on the resources of the ocean, we are "in Christ" and live on the resources of Christ. As sure as a unborn child is in the mother and lives on the life of the mother, we are "in Christ" and live on the Life of Christ.
We who believe in Jesus are not only "brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13), we are conjoined to Him in a "united closeness," like a body is to its head. "He is the Head of the Body, the Church" (Colossians 1:18). We can relate to the Lord Jesus more closely than the members of our physical body relate to our physical head. We can look to Jesus for direction and coordination. We can depend upon Him for planning, guiding, and timing in our entire lives. We can anticipate that He will monitor, maintain, and adjust our situations.
This Union of Intimacy is also like a Vine and its branches. "I am the Vine, you are the branches" (John 15:5). We can look to Christ for our very Life source. We don't have to produce a life on our own. We can concentrate on abiding (depending) on Him. He makes our lives fruitful and effective.
The Intimate Relationship the LORD wants to develop within us is also likened to the joining of a husband and a wife. "You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, even to Him Who was raised from the dead" (Romans 7:4). We can count upon Jesus to love us faithfully and sacrificially. We can rest in His constant companionship, never leaving us for any reason throughout our pilgrimage here on earth.
What blessings are ours for time and eternity "in Christ." Conjoined intimately to Christ, nothing can separate us from the love and kindness that He has for us: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our LORD. . . that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:38-39 and Ephesians 2:7).
Perfection of the Righteous Saints:
Some Essential Elements,
Benevolence,
Matthew 19:16-22 "Behold, a man came up to Him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" And He said to him, "Why do you ask Me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to Him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."
Selfless Love,
Colossians 3:12-17 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the LORD has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all these put on (selfless) Love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in One Body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to GOD. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to GOD the Father through Him."
Good Works,
James 2:18-26 "But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that GOD is One; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by (love) works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works (of love), and faith was completed by his (love) works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of GOD. You see that a person is justified by (love) works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from (loves) works is dead."
Control of the Tongue,
James 3:1-12 "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our LORD and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of GOD. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water."
Obedience,
1John 2:3-6 and 1John 4:12 "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says "I know Him" but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the Truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the (selfless) Love of GOD is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked."
1John 4:7-14 "Beloved, let us love one another, for (selfless) Love is from GOD, and whoever loves has been born of GOD and knows GOD. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because GOD is (selfless) Love. In this the Love of GOD was made manifest among us, that GOD sent HIS only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that HE loves us and sent HIS Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if GOD so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen GOD; if we love one another, GOD abides in us and His Love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in HIM and HE in us, because HE has given us of HIS Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent HIS Son to be the Savior of the world."
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