Snapshots
Biblical Truth
OF
Purification - The Goal of Perfection
BIBLE REFERENCES:
Luke 8:14 (NIV) “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”
Ephesians (NIV) 4:11-15 “It is He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”
Philippians 3:12-15 (NIV) “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. Brothers, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.”
Hebrews 5:22, 12 (NIV) “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.”
Hebrews 6:1 (NIV) “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”
APPLICATION:
Don’t ever use the excuse “No one is perfect!” to cover your foolish mistakes; Especially to God! Jesus commands us, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, LivBible). This goal of perfection, of course, is unattainable in our own strength and effort. It requires the help of God.
Even as a faithful Christian, my walk of faith is not a perfect walk. However, it should be a walk of increasing faith and maturity. After close to 50 years on my own faith journey, I should be making fewer mistakes than when I first started out. I should be maturing in God’s word and gaining in wisdom. I should be growing beyond my initial kindergarten level of faith, gaining insight into the deeper things of God by daily renewing my mind and heart with God’s Holy Word. If I am not doing this, then I am not being obedient to Christ’s command for perfection.
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A PRAYER:
“God, I know that I am a long way from reaching perfection in my life. But, I recognize that I am doing better than when I first started my walk of faith with you. Help me to continue to move toward that perfect walk you have called me to. Only then will my life become pure and holy in your sight.”
SNAPSHOT:
The Purifying Process of Perfection
