Perfection
The Matter of Perfection
Ps 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
The entirety of this 138th chapter of Psalms speaks of God’s absolute commitment to us. Yes, God is absolutely committed to us. It is no wonder that He demands so much of us, since He gives what He demands of us first.
I am now amused that believers boast of loving everyone. It is indeed noble that we love everyone, but the love (especially the agape love) we love with, is not our own. It is a fruit of the spirit. (Ga 5:22 ) Love is of God and God is love. 1Jo 4:16 said it like this “…God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him..”
God demands perfection of us, although we believers so humanly speak of being imperfect. Sure, we point out that Jesus said there is none good but God. (Mt 19:17) Certainly the Apostle Paul said that when he would do good, evil was present with him. (Ro 7:21) Yet, neither Paul nor Christ spoke of having sinned, despite their humanity. Somehow they seemed to tap into the holiness and righteousness of God and they prevailed over sin.
Indeed no man is good. Evil is always present with us, but had God not empowered us first--before He made demands of us—it would be as though He maliciously set us up just so He could enjoy seeing us fail, but—that is not what He did.
God is loyal to His eternal purpose concerning us. His will for us is not a new will. It always was His will; and according to Apostle Peter, the Lord has given us everything that pertains to Godliness. (2Pe 1:3) God determined our course, empowered us and then—He made the demands of us based on our abilities.
Ephesians 1:4 says we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy (not just be demanded to live holy). It would have been unfair to have demanded holiness of a vessel that was incapable of first being holy. That would be like demanding a fig tree to bear olive berries or evil to be good.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Jesus said in Matt 5:48. What an almost grievous demand it is at first glance, but after some observation, we find it mere. We are commanded to be perfect based on a pre-existing genetic nature: our Father is perfect. We are His sons and daughters. Since the nature of the Father whose children we are is perfect, we are merely required to be ourselves and to act according to our Divine nature. (2Pe 1:4)
The psalmist rejoices in yet another powerful assurance. The LORD will perfect [complete] that which concerneth me…” Not only does God rightly make demands of us based on what He has already done for us and in us, but the psalmist believed the Lord would complete was concerned [ ] him. Further, the psalmist prayed for yet another thing: that God would“…forsake not the works of thine own hands.” He believed the Lord would do an ongoing work.
Child of God, we are not left unattended. Nor are we left to helplessly fend for ourselves We are as empowered as we need to be; and as saved as we want to be. What we lack, our God perfects so there need not be an interruption in spiritual continuity and victory. When we are at our weakest and before we fail, we can discover a grace that is sufficient and a strength that is made perfect. (2Co 12:9 ) Indeed the Lord “… is able to keep [us] from falling, and to present [us] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 1:24
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. -2Co 2:14
*Written at the request of Pastor David Ina for teaching in Nigeria.
Ps 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
The entirety of this 138th chapter of Psalms speaks of God’s absolute commitment to us. Yes, God is absolutely committed to us. It is no wonder that He demands so much of us, since He gives what He demands of us first.
I am now amused that believers boast of loving everyone. It is indeed noble that we love everyone, but the love (especially the agape love) we love with, is not our own. It is a fruit of the spirit. (Ga 5:22 ) Love is of God and God is love. 1Jo 4:16 said it like this “…God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him..”
God demands perfection of us, although we believers so humanly speak of being imperfect. Sure, we point out that Jesus said there is none good but God. (Mt 19:17) Certainly the Apostle Paul said that when he would do good, evil was present with him. (Ro 7:21) Yet, neither Paul nor Christ spoke of having sinned, despite their humanity. Somehow they seemed to tap into the holiness and righteousness of God and they prevailed over sin.
Indeed no man is good. Evil is always present with us, but had God not empowered us first--before He made demands of us—it would be as though He maliciously set us up just so He could enjoy seeing us fail, but—that is not what He did.
God is loyal to His eternal purpose concerning us. His will for us is not a new will. It always was His will; and according to Apostle Peter, the Lord has given us everything that pertains to Godliness. (2Pe 1:3) God determined our course, empowered us and then—He made the demands of us based on our abilities.
Ephesians 1:4 says we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy (not just be demanded to live holy). It would have been unfair to have demanded holiness of a vessel that was incapable of first being holy. That would be like demanding a fig tree to bear olive berries or evil to be good.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Jesus said in Matt 5:48. What an almost grievous demand it is at first glance, but after some observation, we find it mere. We are commanded to be perfect based on a pre-existing genetic nature: our Father is perfect. We are His sons and daughters. Since the nature of the Father whose children we are is perfect, we are merely required to be ourselves and to act according to our Divine nature. (2Pe 1:4)
The psalmist rejoices in yet another powerful assurance. The LORD will perfect [complete] that which concerneth me…” Not only does God rightly make demands of us based on what He has already done for us and in us, but the psalmist believed the Lord would complete was concerned [ ] him. Further, the psalmist prayed for yet another thing: that God would“…forsake not the works of thine own hands.” He believed the Lord would do an ongoing work.
Child of God, we are not left unattended. Nor are we left to helplessly fend for ourselves We are as empowered as we need to be; and as saved as we want to be. What we lack, our God perfects so there need not be an interruption in spiritual continuity and victory. When we are at our weakest and before we fail, we can discover a grace that is sufficient and a strength that is made perfect. (2Co 12:9 ) Indeed the Lord “… is able to keep [us] from falling, and to present [us] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 1:24
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. -2Co 2:14
*Written at the request of Pastor David Ina for teaching in Nigeria.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by A.W. Bowman on
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Perhaps to assist you a little in developing your teaching further, the term 'perfect', [Hebrew, gaw-mar', Strong's H1584] as used in Ps 138:8, carries the following connotation:
"God who will complete (or accomplish) for me", i.e. will plead my cause.
Which comes out of God's enduring mercy, with the plea of hope that God will not forsake the man made by the hands of God.
Another way of 'very roughly' translating this verse would be:
The LORD will complete (i.e., to accomplish - with the thought being "to labor to the point of weariness, and to desire earnestly" to take up my cause for) that which concerns me (that I might flee to God for protection; for I have hope, to make/take my refuge, to my put trust in); Thy mercy [toward me], O LORD, endures for ever; [in this I place my trust that You will] not forsake that which you have created [me, in your own image and] with Your own hands.
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