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Perfecting Your Perfectionby Wayne Blank Perfect is used three different ways in the English language. As a noun, perfect means something that has been completed e.g. "it's now perfect." As a verb, perfect means to make complete e.g. to perfect an ability of some sort. As an adjective, perfect means a value judgment of to be complete without defect or blemish e.g. "the weather is perfect today." All can also be used to refer to humans in the sense of perfect meaning "normal" e.g. when someone is described as being "perfectly healthy" - which really means that the person's health is within normal bounds of health. A Lifelong Process of Perfecting Your Perfection From a Christian point of view, no human is "perfect." All humans are sinners, all humans fall short of perfection. But repentant Christians are in a state of perfection, not meaning that Christians are now perfect, but perfection in the sense of being made perfect, just as perfect is used in the verb sense as described above. Christian perfection is a process of repentant people seeking to perfect their perfection.
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time [see When Will You Be Judged?]: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." It is only by the Word of God that perfection may be found:
"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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV) The more that the Word of God is studied and lived by, the more of God's Word will be understood and lived by, until the day God's children will be born perfect (see "Born Again" - When?).
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12 KJV) Perfection will come at the time of the resurrection:
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." (Philippians 3:11-15 KJV) "Perfection" is a lifelong process after which Christians will be made perfect.
"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrew 11:40-12:1 KJV) Fact Finder: What is the foundation of God's perfection?
The First Commandment
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The apostle Paul (see 