CHRISTIAN PERFECTION (3:6,9; 4:12,17)

On superficial reading, these verses from the Apostle condemn us all. Yet we know John’s intention was to bring assurance not despair. And we know that he saw claims of sinlessness as evidence that we have not been born again! So what can he have meant?

The answer (in my view) lies in the Greek tenses, and in the ongoing efficacy of God's seed within us. In 3:6 & 3:9, the verbs are in the ‘present continuous’ tense. Whoever 'practices the presence of Jesus', doesn’t continually practice sinning. Whoever does practice sinning, shows that they’ve not been born again. They haven’t seen or recognised who Christ really is. If we’ve been born of God, we permanently carry His genes. They re-programme us for righteousness: they never authorise or empower us to sin.

These verses underpin much of John Wesley’s doctrine and preaching on ‘Christian Perfection’. He taught that there was available to his listeners a state of pure, undisturbed love for God. For some, they would enter this state in a specific experience such as when he felt his heart strangely warmed. For others, they would grow towards it through a disciplined spiritual life. For many, it might not be reached till just before death. His experience was that many who claimed to have experienced this, later lost it - but some then regained it. He used ‘perfection’ as a synonym for holiness. He told his ministers that they should not expect to see revival if they did not actively preach Christian perfection.

Most of his fellow Anglican clergy regarded his teaching of Christian perfection as heretical, and he was ostracised and banned from their pulpits as a result. This seems puzzling, given that Catholics, Orthodox, Quakers all believed, and still believe, in perfection as a goal for believers to seek. It is only Lutherans and Reformed churches that do not accept it.

Wesley was clear that he was not talking of sinlessness. Christians would never be free of ignorance, errors, dullness of understanding, temptations and so forth. Nor was ‘perfection’ to be taken as meaning there was no room for further growth and development.

PERFECTION MEANS CONTINUALLY PRESSING IN

In responding to his critics, Wesley pointed them to Philippians, where Paul says he ‘doesn’t claim to already be perfected’ (Phil 3:12), then three verses later refers to ‘as many of us as are mature’ (Phil 3:15). (In the Greek, perfectness and maturity are one and the same word: teleiō). The context is Paul's ongoing striving to 'gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ'. Far from his maturity/perfection causing him to be complacent, Paul was pressing on to lay hold of the destiny to which Christ had called him. And he encourages all 'mature' Christians to do likewise.

Since Paul counts himself and others as perfect in the sense of maturity, Wesley says, we should teach perfection. In fact Paul specifically taught that the role of Christ’s ministers was ‘to bring us all to perfect manhood, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ..no longer being children, carried to and fro by every doctrinal craze’. Perfection, in his eyes, was like reaching adulthood. It doesn’t mean all development has stopped, but childhood is definitely over. And it can be assessed by standing us back to back with Christ and seeing how nearly we match His height. In fact, Paul says, it is measured by fullness (Gk: plerōma): how full of Christ are we?

PERFECTION MEANS BEING BATHED IN THE LOVE OF GOD

First John later says that sacrificial, agapē love for our brethren is what marks this state of Christian 'perfection', maturity, or fullness (4:12). We will never experience such depth of love, divine love in action, until we reach adulthood in Christ. And once we do, it is an abiding indwelling of the Presence of God in us; a state of complete assurance, complete grace, where we no longer have any fear of death or judgement. The terror of death has gone! The reason? We know that as He (Christ) is, so are we in this world.  It is full experience of fellowship with the Father!

It is what Paul prays for, for the Ephesians:

'I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ... that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations' (Eph 3:17-21)

Note that Paul

- considers this something to pray for, for all the saints: i.e. it's not something they receive automatically at regeneration

- although they are already rooted and grounded in love, there is massive further revelation of the love of Christ to be had

- this revelation is to be comprehended - grasped, understood with the mind - and known or experienced in a way that goes beyond mere head knowledge

- it leads to 'being strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, and being filled with all the fullness of God'

- It is a gift from His glory, way beyond what we might think is possible for Him to do in us, but possible because of the mighty power of the Spirit within us

- It brings Him glory in the church throughout all ages - it declares the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms

PERFECTION MEANS UNHINDERED ACCESS TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD

It is the express theme of the Book of Hebrews, having talked about Christ's being the ultimate revelation of God's Person (better than angels, better than Moses, better than the Levitical priesthood etc), to enable its readers to 'go on to perfection' (Heb 6:1).

The letter is written to believers who had previously happily accepted major persecution for Christ's sake, but are now neglecting their salvation (Heb 2:3), failing to enter into the rest of grace (Heb 4:1), never having weaned off the elementary principles of Christ onto solid food (Heb 5:12; 6:1), at risk of falling away (Heb 6:4-8), and giving up on meeting together (Heb 10:25). They had failed to recognise their sufferings as the discipline of a loving Father who wanted to train them in righteousness so that they could be partakers of His holiness (Heb 12:3-11); and so had become discouraged.

Perfection was not available through the Levitical priesthood (Heb 7:11); but a better hope, a better covenant and a better priesthood which operates in the power of an endless life, mean that Jesus is able to save 'to the uttermost' (Heb 7:25) - or in the Greek, to perfection. He is able to do so because He Himself has been made perfect through suffering (Heb 2:10; 7:28). He is Guarantor of the New Covenant (Heb 7:22), Minister of the heavenly, more perfect Tabernacle (Heb 8:2,9:11), Mediator of the better covenant (Heb 8:6).

The Day of Atonement ceremony could not make even the High Priest perfect in their conscience, whereas the blood of Christ can completely cleanse our consciences from dead works. The Mosaic sacrifices could not make those drawing near to God perfect (Heb 10:1,2): if they could have, no repetition of the sacrifices would have been needed. But by one offering, Christ has perfected for ever those who are being sanctified (Heb 10:14). (N.B: once-off perfection is quite distinct from ongoing sanctification). And as a result, we can boldly enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by the new, living way which He consecrated for us through the veil.

The whole purpose of Christian perfection, Hebrews asserts, is to enable us to 'draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith' (Heb 10:22): in other words, to fellowship with the Father and the Son in the Holy of Holies, unhindered by consciousness of our own sin!

PERFECTION MEANS COMPLETE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD

If perfection in scripture means sinlessness, how could Jesus be 'made perfect'? And yet, He was (Heb 2:10). How? Through suffering.

Why was it necessary for Messiah to have suffered before entering His glory (Lk 24:26)?  How could suffering make even the Son perfect? Through teaching Him obedience (Heb 5:8).

He had already willingly committed in eternity past, to offering His body as a living sacrifice to do the Father's will. He did not, in His human nature, suffer with our problem of inherent lawlessness and disobedience.  But now, as the second Adam, as our Forerunner or trailblazer, it was necessary for Him to learn obedience. Obedience can only be learnt through suffering. Any instruction or direction God gives us that doesn't involve suffering, will not develop our obedience. It was necessary for Him as our representative, that His human will learn obedience to the Father's will, through suffering.

This is what we see culminating in the terrible struggle He endured in the Garden of Gethsemane. And He was fully conscious that His human will must fall into the ground and die (Jn 12:23-26), if He was to see 'the fruit of the travail of His soul' (Isa 53:11), the vast harvest of human souls who would become His brethren.

We must walk the same path He opened for us. Our wills must be brought into perfect submission to our Father, through a process of the Father's disciplining us using experiences of suffering (Heb 12:4-11). This is why we should 'count it all joy, brethren, when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing' (Jas 1:2-4). We are experiencing proof that we are children of God. If He did not discipline us, it would indicate that we were actually not His children. And rather than 'practice makes perfect' (as our proverb says), patience makes perfect.

We can either baulk at such trials, become discouraged, and continue in lawlessness; or welcome them through the Spirit's fruit of patience, and look for the 'peaceable fruit of righteousness' and the 'partaking of His holiness' which they produce in us.

Entering into 'the rest of faith', relying totally on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, involves ceasing from our own works completely. That means laying down our own will, seeking first the Kingdom of God, offering our bodies as a living sacrifice just as Christ did.  No longer being driven by a need to achieve, or a desire to leave a legacy which others will remember. Having a completely different, non-world-driven mindset, so that we can experience the reality of living in God's will (Rom 12:1,2).

iN SUMMARY ...

To summarise, Christian perfection ...

• is something every Christian should desire, and which we can pray for

• is subsequent to regeneration, and distinct from ongoing sanctification

• is effectual through Christ's Melchizedek ministry: the power of an endless life

• frees us from all guilt and self-condemnation, enabling us to serve God

• involves a deeper revelation of the love and grace of God

• leads to fuller surrender of our wills, to do His will completely

• comes through the fellowship of Christ's suffering; experiences that teach us obedience

• enables us to fellowship with the Father and the Son, in the very Holy of Holies

• creates not complacency but a deeper passion for holiness

• brings God's glory in the church

This is Christian perfection.  

It is full surrender to His will, relying totally on grace, entering into God's rest, perfect peace and assurance before Him, boldness to enter His Presence.

It is abiding in Christ, adoration of Him, and acceptance of His astonishing love.

It is the aim of the gospel, the fulfilment of the New Covenant promises, the reality of which the Beatitudes speak, and a blessing that has already been won for us by Christ.

Let us enter in, by faith.