Chapter 3
PERFECTION THAT IS BIBLICAL (A)
In a study of perfection as revealed in the Bible it is well to note
at the very outset that dispensational light should be considered. "Noah was
a just man and perfect in his generation" (Gen. 6:9). And it would be unjust
to judge Noah's perfection by any other generation but his own. "If perfection,"
says the writer to the Hebrews, "were by the Levitical priesthood (for under
it the people received the law), what further need was there that another
priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after
the order of Aaron?" (Heb. 7:11). It is very obvious from this statement that
the perfection possible and required of this dispensation is much higher
than that required under the old dispensation. In his letter to the church
at Philippi, Paul said: "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect be thus
minded" (3:15). What kind of perfection did Paul mean?
* * *
Perfection Promised
"Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord Thy God" (Deut. 18:13).
"Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"
(Matt. 5:48).
"Ye shall be perfect," says Dr. Samuel Chadwick, "is the way to divinity's
throne. The correspondence is not in natural attributes but in moral qualities.
Perfection is through sonship, and sonship is by spiritual affinity and moral
correspondence. The promise of perfection marks the climax of an ethical development
which assumes discipleship as a basis. The law is spiritual, and evil cherished
in the heart is Sin. The soul must be clean. Self-sacrifice is the law of
life, and every evil thing must be cut off and cast away. Personal wrongs
must be borne in meekness, and a cheerful obedience must be given to commands
that may be unjustly imposed. A generous excess over exact requirement must
mark the conduct, and beneficence must not be restricted to merit and appreciation.
These moral qualities are necessary that we may be sons of our Father which
is in Heaven (St. Matt. v. 45). To those who are thus sons is this promise
of perfection. Capacity does not always attain to realization, but it constitutes
an obligation. Correspondence of nature demands correspondence of character.
Only they are truly sons who are sons indeed. They shall be as God; not in
every conceivable attribute of divinity, nor of equal excellence in degree,
but in every moral grace and glory we shall be of one quality with Him. We
shall be righteous, merciful, and holy, even as He." [13]
According to Paul the specific purpose of the gifts, offices and officers
in the church was "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:12, 13). In
his letter to Timothy, Paul asserts a similar position toward the Holy Scriptures:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works" (II Tim. 3:16, 17).
The word translated "perfect" in the New Testament when used with reference
to moral requirements of the individual, most surely involves the act of God
in the soul whereby sin is cleansed, for maturity in its final stage cannot
be expected of any mortal while in the human body. In instances where perfection
may stand for the ethics of holiness, the act of God in delivering the soul
from sin in order to make such ethics possible, must be understood. Indeed,
the expression, perfect love" indicates clearly that it is the instrument
of deliverance, "perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:18), as well as
a state of deliverance, "Because as He is so are we in this world" (4:17).
The same law of exegesis, namely the law of context, should be applied to
Eph. 4:13; a passage understood by some teachers to mean maturity. To take
this text alone, maturity would be the conclusion, but to take it with the
context the meaning is different. Read verses eleven, twelve and thirteen.
Verse thirteen, "Till we all attain" (aorist) which indicates a divine act.
"The perfecting of the saints," says Dr. Daniel Steele, "is here expressed
by a definite and momentary arrival at a point where faith merges into knowledge,
where a Saviour believed b comes a Saviour fully realized . . . This transition
from faith to full knowledge is a crisis expressed by the aorist. It is when
the Paraclete purges the film of inbred sin from the eye of the soul, and
Jesus, as a living, loving, glorified, and complete Saviour, is manifested
to the spiritual vision. Then the child, the imperfect believer, becomes a
perfect man, and reaches the fullness of Christ, that is, the abundance which
He has to bestow, a fulness excluding all sin, but capable of eternal increase.
That this point is before death is shown by the consequences which follow
in the present life, as detailed in verses fourteen to sixteen." [14] Thus
the act and the progress, "capable of eternal increase."
* * *
Perfection of Love
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the
day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear
in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love" (I John 4:17, 18).
These passages reveal the fact that there is a state in which people
neither fear nor love God (the unawakened); a state in which they may fear
and not love (the awakened); a state where they love and have carnal fear,
"He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (the regenerated); a state of
perfect love and no carnal fear, "Perfect love casteth out fear." That is
perfection in love.
What was it which made Mary Slessor, who was such a timid girl at home,
whose fears made her life a burden, a fearless character in the wildest regions
of Africa? It is reported of her that she would not enter a field at home
where there was a cow, and the thought of crossing a street almost paralyzed
her. But God called her to Africa and fitted her for the work. "One dark night
in Africa she traveled through the forest with wild beasts prowling around
and continued her journey until dawn because a young girl was sick and needed
help."
Biblical perfection takes into account the measure of man's capacity
and ability. People greatly differ in his regard, and as a consequence differ
in the degree of love and service, but in every case it is loving God with
all one's powers. It should be realized that all Divine love is perfect. The
perfection of love has reference to quantity rather than quality. The clean
heart has more room for God and the fulness of His love than has an unsanctified
heart.
The Rev. J. Wesley submitted the following propositions:
1 . "There is such a thing as perfection; for it is again and again
mentioned in the Scriptures."
2. "It is not so early as justification; for justified persons is to
'go on to perfection'" (Heb. 6:1).
3. "It is not so late as death; for St. Paul speaks of living men that
were perfect" (Phil. 3:15).
4. "It is not absolute. Absolute perfection belongs not to men, nor
to angels, but to God alone."
5. "It does not make a man infallible while he remains in the body."
6. "Is it sinless? It is not worth while to contend for a term. It
is salvation from sin."
7. "It is perfect love (I John 4:18). This is the essence of it; its
properties, or inseparable fruits are rejoicing evermore, praying without
ceasing, and in everything giving thanks" (I Thess. 5:16, etc.).
8. "It is improvable. It is so far from lying in an indivisible point,
from being incapable of increase, that one perfected in love may grow in grace
swifter than he did before."
9. "It is amissable, capable of being lost; of which we have numerous
instances."
10. "It is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work."
[15]
In this connection it is noticeable that the Rev. John Wesley insisted
on the emphasis of divine love. "It is," he said, "loving God with all our
heart, mind, soul and strength. This implies that no wrong temper, none contrary
to love, remains in the soul; and that all the thoughts, words, and actions
are governed by pure love." [16] The sainted John Fletcher says: "It is the
pure love of God and man shed abroad in a faithful believer's heart by the
Holy Ghost given unto him, to cleanse him, and to keep him clean."
In 1769 Mr. Wesley writing on Christian Perfection said: "I mean
1. Loving God with all our heart;
2. A heart and life all devoted to God;
3. Regaining the whole image of God;
4. Having all the mind that was in Christ;
5. Walking uniformly as Christ walked.
"If anyone," concluded Mr. Wesley, "means anything more or anything
less by perfection, I have no concern with it." [17]
"How shall we avoid setting perfection too high or too low?" asked
Mr. Wesley. "By keeping to the Bible and setting it just as high as the Scriptures
do. It is nothing higher and nothing lower than this: the pure love of God
and loving our neighbors as ourselves. It is love governing our tempers, words,
and actions."
"Another ground of these and a thousand mistakes is the not considering
deeply that love is the highest gift of God; humble, gentle, patient love;
that all with visions, revelations, manifestations whatever, are little things
compared to love, and that all the gifts above mentioned are either the same
with, or infinitely inferior to it.
"It were well you were thoroughly sensible of this, the heaven of heavens
is love. There is nothing higher in religion; there is, in effect, nothing
else; if you look for anything but more love, you are looking wide of the
mark, you are getting out of the royal way. When you are asking others, have
you received this or that blessing? If you mean anything but more love, you
mean wrong; you are leading them out of the way, and putting them upon a false
scent. Settle it then in your heart, that from the moment God has saved you
from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described
in the thirteenth of Corinthians. You can go no higher than this) till you
are carried into Abraham's bosom." [18]
Henry Drummond: "Only give me love, pure, burning love, and loyalty
to Him, and I shall climb from law to law, through grace and glory to the
place beside the throne where the angels do His will."
"The greatest of these is Love" (I Cor. 13:13).
The whole plan of redemption is but an unfolding of love. God "so loved"
that He gave His only Son. Christ so loved that He gave Himself. His sacrifice
is a proof and an illustration of the Father's love. "The gift of Christ to
man," says Dr. A. Clark, "is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ
for man is the measure of Christ's love."
The great test of religion is love, for the Christian religion is love-love
to God and man. Perfect religion is perfect love. Without love there is no
Christian religion. There are creeds many, forms many, ceremonies many, gods
many, but true Christian religion cannot be without divine love: for the Christian
religion is Christ and His love, "Christ in you, the hope of glory"; "and
Christ is God," "the Word was God"; and "God is love."
This love, "agapao," is divine love; "the love of God shed abroad in
the heart by the Holy Ghost given unto us"; "The love of Christ"; the love
that brought Him down from above, down to man, down to the manger, down to
the way of poverty, the way of the cross, the lowly way, the way that was
and is despised; down to death: all for others.
After enumerating the various gifts in the twelfth chapter of his first
epistle to the Corinthians, Paul ends the chapter with the striking words,
"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent
way"; the way of divine love. In the next chapter (the 13th) he compares gifts
and love. Love is greater than the tongues of men and of angels (v. 1), greater.
than prophecy (v. 2), greater than faith (v. 2), greater than charity (v.
3), greater than loyalty to one's religion or belief (v. 3). It is greater
than words (v. 1), greater than thoughts (v. 2), greater than deeds (v.
3).
Perfect love in its nature is long-suffering and kind. "Has a long
mind to the end of which neither trials, adversities, persecutions, nor provocation
can reach. The love of God, and of our neighbor for God's sake, is patient
toward all men: it suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, and infirmities
of the children of God; and all the malice and wickedness of the children
of the world; and all this, not merely for a time, but long, without end;
it is still a mind or disposition, to the end of which trials, difficulties,
etc. never reach." [19] It is kind, tender, compassionate in itself, and kind
and obliging to others. "Kindness," says one, "has converted more sinners
than zeal, or eloquence, or learning, and these three have never converted
anyone unless they were kind." "Kind words are the music of the world." "Charity
envieth not" the financial, intellectual or spiritual blessings of others.
"Vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up," yea is humble, for it knows what
it has worth having is from God. A heart full of perfect love is full of humility.
Holy people are very humble. "Doth not behave itself unseemly." "Love never
acts out of its place or character; observes good manners; is never rude,
bearish or brutish; and is ever willing to become all things to all men,
that it may please them for their good to edification." [20] "Seeketh not
its own," ease, pleasure, and such like; "grasps not at her own rights." "Thinketh
no evil." Indeed, it cannot but see and hear evil things, and know that they
are so; but it does not willingly think evil of any; neither infer evil where
it does not appear. It tears up, root and branch, all imagining of what
we have not proved. It casts out all jealousies, all evil surmisings, all
readiness to believe evil. [21] "Rejoiceth not in iniquity," yea, weeps over
it, "but rejoiceth in the truth," for it is of the truth. Holy people speak
the truth in love and always rejoice in the truth. "Beareth all things," that
is, covers all things, "whatever evil the lover of mankind sees, hears, or
knows of anyone, he mentions it to none; it never goes out of his lips, unless
where absolute duty constrains to speak" (Wesley). "Believeth all things";
a charitable construction is God's plan. "Hopeth all things and endureth
all things." First, it covers, as much as possible; if unable to cover, it
believes; if unable to believe, it hopes; if unable to hope, the facts being
clear and unanswerable, then it endures. "Love never faileth." While gifts
disappear, tongues cease, knowledge vanishes, love continues. Love is eternal,
for love is God.
"The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart." Therefore
this perfection is not legal perfection. "All the law is fulfilled in one
word even in this, Thou shalt love." "God is love. He that dwelleth in love,
dwelleth in God, and God in Him."
This love is as high as heaven. It is as deep as the heart of the Eternal.
It is as broad as the universe of God. It is as long as eternity; longer than
the longest day; longer than the longest night; longer than the longest road;
longer than the longest life. It is eternal (Eph. 3:16-21).
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" -- sincerity;
with all thy mind -- intelligence; with all thy soul -- emotion; with all
thy strength -- energy. Hence, our love must be sincere, intelligent, emotional,
and energetic. We love God with all our heart, when we love nothing in comparison
to Him and nothing but in reference to Him; when we are ready to do or suffer
anything for His glory. We love God with all our mind when we apply ourselves
to know only Him and His Holy will; when all our research is to this end.
We love God with all our soul, or rather life, when we are ready to give up
life for His sake; ready to endure all kinds of trials and sufferings for
His glory. We love God with all our strength when we exert all the powers
of body, mind, soul and spirit in His service. [22] We love our neighbor as
ourselves (Matt. 22:39). We serve one another by love (Gal. 5:13).
After enumerating the virtues that the Colossians were to put on, Paul
said, "Above all (or over all) put on love, which is the bond of perfectness"
(3:14). The last, the most important virtue, is to be put on as an outer garment,
enveloping all the clothing (Clarke): love to God and man. As the bond of
perfectness, represented here as a girdle, not only covers and sustains all,
but it unites, consolidates and beautifies all the virtues into a whole just
as a girdle binds the clothing to the body: the bond of perfectness!
The perfect man, then, is a person of integrity, which includes undividedness,
singleness of heart and purpose, fixedness in God: "My heart is fixed, O God;
my heart is fixed, trusting in Thee."
The perfect man is a person "in whom is no guile." He is sincere, without
wax and without weakness of fiber, so the Latin and Greek indicate. He is
like his God and loyal to Him, loyal to His Son, loyal to His Spirit and to
His Word; and he is loyal to his fellowman, for he loves his neighbor as
himself.
The perfect man is a person purged from inward sin, thus "a vessel
unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use and prepared unto every
good work."
