Thank you for taking time to read our post! This is our second part of our teaching on going on to perfection, which is a command we have received under the unction of the Holy Spirit! Read with an open mind and heart, expecting the Holy Spirit to give you revelation of the truth which will cause you to be more conformed to His image today than you were yesterday! Eric

Last time, we shared the necessity of having a solid foundation in our faith walk or spiritual life, if we are to experience spiritual growth.

I strongly encourage you to read, “Go On to Perfection! Part 1” before reading today’s post, if you have not had the chance to do so. It will help lay a foundation for today’s study.

We shared Hebrews 6:1-3 and noted the elementary or foundational doctrines which make up that solid basis for our faith. We base our faith on these necessary elementary doctrines: repentance from dead works (realizing we cannot work our way into heaven); faith (belief) toward God; experiencing water baptism as well as the baptism of the Holy Spirit; the laying on of hands to heal, consecrate, and pass on impartations; knowing we will be resurrected from the dead; and knowing we will face an eternal judgment. These are the elementary principles of our spiritual life and are necessary for us to have a strong foundation, so that we can build upon them as we experience spiritual growth.

Matthew 5:48 (NKJV) declares, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” ‘Perfect’ in the Greek is teleios meaning: complete in all its parts, full grown, of full age, maturity and especially of the completeness of Christian character. Greek philosophers used the word ‘perfect’ in regards to something being in its intended function. Being perfect, Biblically then, is not God asking us for sinless perfection, however, the command is that we be complete or mature, and imitate our heavenly Father. “We must be ever moving and growing and doing our best to become more and more like Him.” (www.journeytoimperfect.com by Leslie Newman.) What He is asking for is maturity!

We see a good example of that from Paul when he stated “not that I have obtained but I press on! ‘ in Philippians 3:17.

Ephesians 4:11 (NIV) reads, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” These ministry gifts were given for the nurturing and equipping of His Church. Kingdom Dynamics in the NSFLB added this insight: “These ministry or leadership gifts are given by Christ as Lord of the Church to equip (that is, to mend, prepare, and enable for function) the whole body of the congregation. By mentoring, training, imparting, and discipling, the body is prepared for stability and increase.”

The Lord, through His Word , has given us everything we need to become mature in our spiritual walk. 2 Peter 1:3 and 4 (NIV) reveals that His divine (godlike) power has given us all the things we need to live a godly life. By His glory and goodness, He has given us promises that enable us to be a sharer of His divine nature. In other words, by His glory and goodness, we can grow spiritually to the full maturity He has called us to! Isn’t that wonderful? Whatever the Lord calls and commands we do - He enables and provides what we need to accomplish it! Praise God!

We also have His promise that whatever work He has begun in us, He “will perfect” (epiteleo) or will execute, accomplish, or complete! (Philippians 1:6)

The Word of God informs us that at the end of the age, Jesus is going to return to claim His spotless, blameless bride (the church). 2 Peter 3:13 and 14 (NLT), “But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.” 1 Corinthians 1:8 (NLT), “He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.” He will keep you strong! He will make you firm! He will make you sure! You will be free from all blame on the day when He returns, on the last day, that day Christ will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect His Kingdom! Hallelujah!

The Word of God has been given to us so that we know how to build on the foundation of our spiritual lives and to grow to maturity. His Word teaches us how to live a godly life. Look at what 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17 (NKJV) reveals, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Inserting the Greek meanings, we could read these verses in this way: All Scripture which is inspired by God, profits us for teaching, instruction, (our learning), the conviction of our sin and restoration to a right state, so that each one of us may be complete, thoroughly equipped or furnished for every good work!

When we read, study, and know the Word of God, our mind is renewed and we will know and be able to prove the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV).

Psalm 119:1 reveals that those who live by the direction and instruction of the Word of the Lord are sound, wholesome, unimpaired, and have integrity.

The really amazing thing is that Jesus is our source and our example of our perfection or maturity - and He is thoroughly revealed to us through the Word of God!

Hebrews 5:8 and 9 discloses that Jesus came in the flesh and lived a perfect life, so that, He could be the perfect sinless sacrifice needed for our salvation, through which we could be restored to right relationship with God and receive the promise of eternal life.

Hebrews 10:14 (Amplified Bible) reads, “For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity].

When we are perfected (teleioo) we are given a sure hope of our salvation and restoration of right relationship with God - so that we will one day be accepted with open arms of love into the very presence of God.

1 Peter 5:10 (NIV), “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 1:6,7 (NIV), “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” To ‘suffer grief’ means to experience deep emotional sadness or sorrow. The word ‘tested’ (dokimizo) in verse 7 means to examine, prove or scrutinize to see whether a thing be genuine. “Fire” brings to mind the refiner’s fire wherein the testing by fire burns out the impurities in our life so that we reflect Him! (Malachi 3:3).

Early in our marriage, the Lord led me to apply at a church for an associates pastor’s position. This particular church had had a bad experience with a previous associate pastor who had almost caused a split in the church. Some of the members decided they would not vote for another associate because of that bad experience. I applied, had an uprising of those who very strongly opposed and called on many others to vote against my appointment. The situation turned rather nasty and my wife and I were humiliated in front of hundreds of parishioners.

We missed being accepted by a few votes. I sought the Lord and asked why He would lead me to apply when He knew what the result was going to be. His response was that He had to see how I would respond, so that He knew that He could trust putting me into His next assignment. We had been put in the refiner’s fire! Thankfully, we had offered mercy and forgiveness to those who had so vehemently opposed simply because they did not want to have an associate Pastor at all.

The Holy Spirit is working to change us to reflect the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit is working to change us to reflect the glory of the Lord and to make us more and more like Him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV), “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. The textural notes from the NSFLB adds: “‘Beholding as in a mirror’ connotes ‘reflecting’ as well as ‘looking’ into. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we are continually being transformed into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord. We then with ever increasing glory, reflect what we behold.” We mature! We act more like Christ!

Maturity does not come instantly. We need to be patient, steadfast, have perseverance, and endurance Look at James 1:2,3, and 4 (NIV), “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Maturity develops in the course of a process in our lives. We must remain diligent in our efforts. Look at Philippians 3:10-14 (NIV), “I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Remain faithful. When you fail to reflect Christ, confess your failure and keep pressing on!

God is always faithful!

Jude 1: 24 (NKJV), “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,”

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NLT), “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

Make sure your foundation is strong.

Study the Word of God to grow in righteousness.

Carefully search out the person, character, and behavior of Jesus.

Come to recognize and obey the voice of the Spirit of God.

In these ways, you will build upon your foundation and become the mature believer the Lord commands you to be!

NKJV New King James Version

NIV New International Version

NSFLB New Spirit Filled Life Bible

NLT New Living Translation