We each have a goal of perfection, as it is personal, spiritual perfection. There is an existing witness of that goal, here on the earth, a witness of its achievement. Only God can create such perfection, and only God can place a witness of that perfection here on the earth.
The Bible portrays spiritual perfection as being the highest attainment by which human growth is governed and predicated here on earth. It is not easy to find clear definitions of humanity's highest spiritual priorities but if we review the Bible under the open heavens prophetic anointing we see that when people know God intimately we have only one dominant ambition, one all consuming desire, and that is to become as we are in our domain like Him as he is in his heavenly personality perfection, and in his domain of righteous supremacy. The Father of all the heaven of heavens and the universe of universes, who inhabits absolute unquestionable perfection in all eternity and infinity, has spoken a single and supreme mandate to all beings:
Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.
Many Christians and non-Christians that I have met have told me, "Well, I never really took that for real. I don't even know what that stuff about perfection actually that means. I never saw one preacher or priest living up to that command and so I thought it was just something for heaven later on. And it seemed to me that the highest church authorities thought that too."
So I'm just letting you know now.
From the highest source, from the first source of authority, the first source of love, the only source of perfection, there issues a gravity, a drawing power upon us, which is pure, unadulterated, infinite and personal perfection. It is a perfection that is perfect for each individual at the vast array of different stages of growth.
It doesn't matter where we are-here on earth or in the lower heavens into which we will be resurrected at death, or in the heart of the heaven of heavens in the infinity of the Father Himself-we always live in a condition of having qualified as perfect according to the standard in that domain immediately below us, yet imperfect in the domain of our current citizenship. This is because for we are eternally, manifesting greater and greater spiritual perfection, unendingly. God's glory is eternal, infinite and totally unlimited. It is into the Father's glory that we are growing and finding our perfection. Scripture clearly reflects this reality.
THE BIBLE ON PERFECTION
If we have a look at what the Bible says on the call to perfection, we find it here in Matthew 5:48. Jesus said, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
You can have a look at any of the other sayings that he said also, such as: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. But that appeal to us is less than the command "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
"Take this bread, take this wine. Drink of my blood and eat of my body." This too is less than, "Be you perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
If you scour the entire Bible and look at all the concepts, and all of the sayings of Jesus, only one of them is the highest concept. And that is, "Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect."
THE FATHER'S SPIRITUAL PERFECTION IS THE HIGHEST CONCEPT
If we look into the Bible it raises up as the highest concept 'being perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.'
I have preached that concept and that practice and that grace in western countries, in Africa, in China, in India, in Scandinavia, in the Baltic countries and in Mexico. It's the highest value.
You'll find that you can preach on God's perfection very easily. I remember preaching on that down in the
Abossi Glory Church in the Maasai Mara of south west Kenya. The Christian people in that church there all related to it, despite their almost complete lack of previous bible study, and they all loved it.
We humans all want perfection. Underneath it all, underneath all our differences and our struggles and our plain old grubby human-ness, we pretty much all want God and His perfection to be our own. We pretty much all want to be a blessing and not just be blessed.
We pretty much all want to be a supplier of God's goodness, and not just a consumer of it. We pretty much all want to fly on the wings of spiritual eagles rather than peck around the ground like fleshly chickens.
There's another statement about God's perfection. Jesus said to a man who wanted to be his apostle and get a taste of all the wondrous things the apostles were doing.
Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Matthew 19:21
Why did Jesus tell him to do that, to go sell everything he owned?
The answer is contained in Jesus himself. I'm perfect, he is saying. Come and follow me and let my perfection rub off on you so that you can have your version of the same perfection that I have been given by my heavenly Father.
From Jesus we see that there is a spiritual capacity for human beings to be enhanced, even to the point of a standard of living that the Father Himself calls perfection. Jesus has given this ministry applicant a witness of his own perfection.
Why?
Jesus is full of truth; full of the glory of God; full of God's perfection. He hasn't just heard about it. He's living it. He's the demonstration of human spiritual perfection. Such a perfection is the fusion of the human and the divine wills, the condition that "forever pleases God," and Jesus reached this kind of perfection at the time of his baptism with John in the Jordan.
It is a perfection that is certified from heaven directly. The Father didn't publicly certify anything else in Jesus' life when he lived here on earth in that same manner, with the words, "Behold this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17. The only other thing that the Father spoke out to people in Jesus' midst came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" Luke 9:35.
From this we can understand that the Father doesn't say much publicly: His message to us is mostly reserved for a still, small voice that speaks to our heart privately. But what is important here is that we have a witness of perfection in Jesus and a witness about perfection by Jesus.
He is telling us that we too can have the Father's spiritual perfection; and have it, not as a Son of God but as a son or daughter of God.
THE FOUNDATION ROCK OF SERVICE THAT PERFECTS US
For Jesus the perfected human being, this same perfection that he wants for us was what he called the "kingdom of heaven." He expressed time and again that it was not a reign of power nor of having the most material resources at your disposal. The kingdom of heaven was not a matter of food, drink and fleshly appetites, but rather a life of progressive righteousness and increasing spiritual joy in the perfecting process of serving the heavenly Father by doing His will in your own will.
I want you to think about your life right now. Are you in the perfecting process of serving the heavenly Father? Your Father and Jesus' Father who is in heaven are the same Deity Person. Are you engaged in the will of God, which perfects you, the perfecting service of the heavenly Father, about which Jesus is even today still speaking?
If you are not, why not change your understanding about God and about life right now? Reframe your reality. Change your condition to agree with what Jesus says it is, and begin to know that life at its best is a plan of perfecting service: as you serve the Father you are increasingly perfected.
If you will put that framework into your life, it will help you to understand a pathway that is both scripturally and experientially true. It is a way of understanding spiritual experience in daily life that is built on the rock of your salvation-on the foundation of your very existence.
On this heavenly path to the Father's spiritual perfection, every step of yours is built on the rock of real truth. You avoid forever changing what you believe the meaning of life to be.
You are able to explore spiritual life from a solid foundation that will ring true in all the levels that you reach higher up. You will recognize the purposes of God in the Bible, from cover to cover. Go through the Bible. Do a computer search on the word "perfection" or "perfect" and have a look at those things that are linked to those words. Do a study on it.
What you'll find there in your study will help you to start seeing it in your life. If you can't see it in your life, then pray, saying: "Father, change my perspective so that I can see life like that. Help me to notice in my life how I am building on the foundations of perfection I want to be building on." If you are building on something else, it will fall away at some point. It is a good thing to work with God on this so that you are perfectly clear about what you believe and do in your life. Jesus lived, died and rose again saying by example and in word, that the Father has said of all His children that they should eventually be perfect, even as He is perfect.
Rob Crickett is in full time ministry internationally as an evangelist for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is noted for his gift of imparting to people the means for having deeply intimate contact with God. He is a much respected author, Bible teacher, retreat director and seminar facilitator; addressing the many key issues on living a Spirit-filled life in Christ. His books target people who are often outside the Church and are written in language that new Christians can relate to. Rob has ministered in Australia, Burundi, Canada, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda and in 25 States in the USA.
Rob lives with his wife Mary in Melbourne, Australia. Mary is particularly gifted in prophecy, prayer and imparting the will of God to Christians working in the secular environment. They have ministered together in the USA, Italy, France and Australia.
