Bible Explanations
3. Perfection
"Perfection" means maturity.
Hebrews 6:1,2 - "Therefore
leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying
on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."
1 Corinthians 13:10
- "But
when
that which
is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."
Note, "that which is perfect" is contrasted with "that
which is in part," not that which is imperfect.
Psalm 139:10 - "Thine eyes
did see
my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my
members
were written, which in continuance were fashioned,
when
as yet there was none of them."
As "unperfect" here means immaturity, so "perfect"
means maturity.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 -
"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."
Scripture is given that the man of God may be "perfect,"
i.e. mature.
1 Kings 15:3 - "And he walked in
all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and
his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart
of David his father."
1 Kings 15:14 - "But the high places were
not removed: nevertheless
Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days."
2 Chronicles 16:9 -
"For the
eyes of the LORD
run to and fro throughout
the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them
whose heart is perfect toward him."
We see in these passages that a heart described as being "perfect"
is not one
that is without sin, but one that is mature in the things of God. God
shews himself
strong in those whose "hearts are perfect."