What is Perfection?

Something to think about—Earth Day Celebration

For a moment we need to think about what has just happened and how it relates to “Watchman What of the Night”. If we are the watchman—then What of the Night? What message should we be spreading and doing. Checkout this video

We should not try to be critical nor to upstage anyone—but we need to Preach the Truth and not be ashamed or afraid to preach the message that God gives us. Satan has been working in the background for years. Countries all around the globe, except the United States, have been suffering horrible persecutions. Satan has been working in stealth mode to NOT awaken up the church here in the US and sadly, he has seemingly seemed to succeed. However, the Sunday law is moving rapidly in other countries. There is no doubt we ARE in the 6th trumpet. Jesus has assured us of that. We need to be awake and be true Watchman on the Walls.

Earth Day is important but the background behind it is connected 100% with the papacy and the encyclical. The pope has proclaimed that he has the answer to the environment in the encyclical. His answer is Sunday—family day. We need to be Awake, Alert Watchman. Isaiah 3:12 is being fulfilled with Greta Thunberg and has certainly brought that text to the forefront. “Watchman What of the Night” Very dangerous for Adventism to have clasped hands with public “earth day” celebrations. Yes we are stewards of our world—but not so that it can be preserved for the next Generation. We know this IS the final generation and that’s the message we need to be preaching to people.

What is Perfection?

This is a topic that the world and the church do not want to talk about. “Perfection—no way. Not possible. We will sin until Jesus comes. His grace will cover it all.” This is what is being taught in most of our churches. The phrase “the righteousness of Christ covers that” has almost become a cliché.
However, the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy are so very clear about perfection. And, yes it IS, the “Righteousness of Christ”, but how does that translate over to us in real life.

Volume 7 of the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (7BC 943) states:

”It is the knowledge of the perfection of the divine character, manifested to us in Jesus Christ, that opens up to us communion with God. It is by appropriating the great and precious promises that we are to become partakers of the divine nature.”

So, the question is, “How does knowledge of His righteousness (knowing what it is)—His perfection—get over to us?” That quote (7BC 943) says “communion with God.” Of our own, we do not have the capacity to know what righteousness even is. That is why it entails—refining, refining, refining, going deeper, deeper, deeper. That is why it HAS to be Jesus. It HAS to be HIS righteousness and not ours.

Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.”

7BC 943: We must learn of Christ. We must know what He is to those He has ransomed. We must realize that through belief in Him it is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, and so escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Then when we are cleansed from ALL sin, ALL DEFECTS of character. We need not retain one sinful propensity.

That statement doesn’t leave any room for “sinning until Jesus comes.” It says, Cleansed from ALL SIN, ALL DEFECTS of character. It doesn’t say we will sin until Jesus comes. It even says it our “privilege” to partake of His divine nature. That is pretty awesome. The result is we will escape the corruption of this world. The counter to that then is if we don’t cleanse and partake of His nature—well—we will not escape the corruption of this world.

7BC 943: Through His grace they are made partakers of the divine nature, and are thus enabled to overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is God who gives us power to overcome. Those who hear His voice and obey His commandments are enabled to for righteous characters. Those who disregard His expressed commands will form characters like the propensities that they indulge.

If we don’t hear His voice, then the devil will make sure that we hear his voice. We will be so accustomed to hearing the devils voice that we will think it is the voice of Jesus. We MUST die to self. But what is that? That’s another often used phrase albeit it even a cliché almost. So how do we die to self? By knowing Jesus. We have to know Him and Know HIS voice. It is out of the normal to hear His voice. SO many dedicated Seventh-day Adventists think they are hearing the voice of Jesus, but actually it is the voice of the devil. Remember—if it is in any way negative—it is NOT JESUS. God does not criticize (look what you have done now, you did it again), condemn (you will never be perfect, you are such a sinner), taunt, throw guilt at us. If you are hearing that—it is the wrong verse. Don’t parlay with the voice—turn to Jesus immediately—and stay by His side. We have to be willing and pleading to talk with God and to “push down the door” to get to God. When you have a negative thought/voice.
Immediately get back to God. Don’t wait one second.

Remember the example of Jesus in the wilderness. How did Jesus respond back? Jesus only quoted Scripture. Satan was so hoping he could get Jesus into a discussion (remember that is what he did to Eve—in her curiosity, Eve just kept on discussion and pondering). Jesus used Scripture and did not further engage. Do not dwell on the evil, negative atrocities. The language of heaven is praise. Praise in and of Jesus our Redeemer.

7 BC 943.6 We are to add to faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.

7 BC 943.1 We must learn of Christ. We must now what He is to those He has ransomed. We must realize that through belief in Him it is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, and so escape the corruption that is in the world through lust Then we are cleansed from all sin, all defects of character. We need not retain one sinful propensity. Ephesians 2: 1-6

Ephesians 2: 1-6
1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2. Wherein in time past ye walked according ot eh course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved)
6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

The challenge is that people stop in verse 5 with “grace”. Grace covers everything. I can keep sinning because His grace will cover it all. But, JESUS didn’t stop at verse 5. Read on in verse 6. He “raised us up together”. Raised us up to what?

7 BC 943.2 As we partake of the divine nature, hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut away from the character, and we are made a living power for good. Even learning of the divine Teacher, daily partaking of His nature we cooperate with God in overcoming Satan’s temptations. God works, and man works, that man may be one with Christ as Christ is one with God.

Notice that there IS a job for us to do. It says we must “cooperate with God in overcoming Satan’s temptations.” He is not covering them up but together we will overcome. Pretty powerful. We have a job to do.

7BC 943.6 (cont. from above) You are not to think that you must wait until you have perfected one grace (Fruit of the Spirit) before cultivating another. No; they are to grow up together, fed continually from the fountain of charity; every day that you live, you can be perfecting the blessed attributes fully revealed in the character of Christ; and when you do this, you will bring light, love, peace, and joy into your homes (RH July 29, 1890)

All of the Fruit of the Spirit are to grow up together. The Bible says in John 15:5 for without me ye can do nothing.
Our life IS IN Him. His biddings are our enabling.
COL 333.1 As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.
We must be SO connected with Jesus and His love then we will have all the grace in our lives. Not covering up and sin but we will be filled with it.

7BC 926.3 In Christ were united the divine and the human—the Creator and the creature. The nature of God, whose law had been transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the transgressor, meet in Jesus—the Son of God, and the Son of man. And having with His own blood paid the price of redemption, having passed through man’s experience, having in man’s behalf met and conquered temptation, having, though Himself sinless, borne the shame and guilt and burden of sin, He becomes man’s Advocate and Intercessor. What an assurance here to the tempted and struggling soul, what an assurance to the witnessing universe, that Christ will be “a merciful and faithful high priest.” (MS 141, 1901)

7BC 926.4 Jesus became a man that He might medicate between man and God. He clothed His divinity with humanity, He associated with the human race, that with His long human arm He might encircle humanity, and with His divine arm grasp the throne of Divinity. And this, that He might restore to man the original mind which he lost in Eden through Satan’s alluring temptation; that man might realize that it is for his present and eternal good to obey the requirements of God. Disobedience is not in accordance with the nature which God gave to man in Eden. (Letter 121, 1897)


Interesting to note. That quote states that Jesus became a “MAN”, that man might realize….. With the recent Earth Day celebration in which our church sadly joined hands—the church chose a different man. (Reminded a participant of the trial of Jesus when the Jews chose Barabbas and not Jesus. I fear the church has overstepped her bounds on this one)

7 BC 910.3 There is one pointed out in prophecy as the man of sin. He is the representative of Satan. Taking the suggestions of Satan concerning the law of God, which is as unchangeable as His throne, this man of sin comes in and represents to the world that he has changed that law, and that the first day of the week instead of the seventh is now the Sabbath. Profession infallibility, he claims the right to change the law of God to suit his own purposes. By so doing, he exalts himself above God and leaves the world to infer that God is fallible. It is were indeed true that God had made a rule of government that needed to be changed, it would certainly show fallibility.

The law Was ratified by His blood. The change in the Sabbath crept in over 100 years after his blood was spilled. But, the law was already ratified because Jesus had ALREADY died.
7BC 926.5 Divine culture brings perfection. If in connection with God the work is carried forward, the human agent, through Christ, will day by day gain victory and honor in the battle (We are IN a BATTLE. We should never forget that!!) Through the grace given he will overcome (It does not say sins will be covered by His grace, it says through grace he will overcome) and will be placed on vantage ground. In his relation to Christ he will be bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh, and with Christ in a peculiar relationship, because Christ took the humanity of man. (Stop a moment and grasp that phrase. Through His grace, we are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. How much more beautiful can it get?!?!?!)

Smiling really big here…..That last sentence in relation to the paragraph and our cleansing is so beautiful and well worth the struggle. Keep striving. Keep cleansing. Keep seeking that oneness with Jesus.

7BC 926.6 The divine culture of men and women (Wow, notice it says we already HAVE a divine culture
) will be carried forward to completion only as they are partakers of the divine nature. (That’s the condition. We must partake of His divine nature ) Thus they may overcome as Christ overcame in their behalf. Through that grace given, fallen man may be placed on vantage ground. Through toil, through patient trust and faith in Jesus Christ, through faithful continuance in well-doing, he may rise to spiritual victory).

7BC 927.3 By His obedience to all the commandments of God, Christ wrought out a redemption for man. This was not done by going out of Himself to another, but by taking humanity INTO Himself. Thus Christ gave to humanity an existence out of Himself. To bring humanity into Christ, to bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity, is the work of redemption. Christ took human nature that men might be one with Him as He is one with the Father, that God may love man as He loves His only-begotten Son, that men may be partakers of the divine nature, and be complete in Him (RH April 5, 1906)

7BC 926.5 He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes. Satan sought, by the constant and curious devices of his cunning, to make Christ yield to temptation. Man must pass over the ground over which Christ has passed. As Christ overcame every temptation which Satan brought against Him so man is to overcome. And those who strive earnestly to overcome are brought into a oneness with Christ that the angels in heaven can never know.

We must be walking with Him in harmony and unity. We must. The cost was too much. Imagine, all of humanity is ‘walking’. 7BC 926.5 as written above says, “He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes.”
He gave His all so that we might be His. Perfection—it is not an elusive dream or bad word. It is a reality for those we believe and are connected with Jesus.