Perfecting the Church

Are you Perfect?

There is and have been a lot of debates, questions, and messages on the subject of
perfection. It has become one of the most misunderstood and overstated subjects in the
church and outside the church. We often hear the preacher say; Aint nobody, or you
cant be perfect and the only perfect one is Jesus Christ! Then they will start bashing
the so-called perfect people.
Why are we so afraid of this word, (PERFECT)? Why does it have so much power over us?
It is just a word Or is it?
Hebrew
Job 1:1

perfect, complete

complete, perfect

one who lacks nothing in physical strength, beauty, etc

sound, wholesome

an ordinary, quiet sort of person

complete, morally innocent, having integrity

one who is morally and ethically pure

There was a man in the land of Uz,

whose name was Job; and that man
was perfect and upright, and one
that feared God, and eschewed evil.

1Peter 5:10

Greek

to render, i.e. to fit, sound, complete

to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair

to complete

to fit out, equip, put in order, arrange, adjust

to fit or frame for one's self, prepare

But the God of all grace, who hath

called us unto his eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered a while, make you perfect,
stablish, strengthen, settle you.

ethically: to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be

brought to its end, finished

wanting nothing necessary to completeness

perfect

that which is perfect

Matt. 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.

consummate human integrity and virtue

full grown, adult, of full age, mature

We do not have to be afraid of perfection. I believe there are those who do understand
what the bible means on the subject of perfection. To be perfect in the sight of God
would mean that we would have to abstain from some of lifes fleshly pleasures.
1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, ABSTAIN from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul;
In our natural state of mind, we often put ourselves in situations that cause us to strive
for perfection in carnal things, and we have no problem with that.
If you ask who is perfect? The answer will be; JESUS and him only!!!
On the other hand, ask, when will we reach perfection? The answer that people usually
gives is when we reach Heaven.
Well my question is then, why would the word tell us constantly to be something
that we will or can ever achieve?
Ignorance will be no excuse for God. As preachers and teachers of the word, it is our job
and duty to give the people of God the best chance at reaching the level of perfection
that God requires.

In life we strive for perfection every day. We do it on our jobs, in sports, at school, music,
in our relationships and other areas in our lives. We want to be the best at what we do.
Some people are called perfectionist; Why? They want to excel higher than their counter
part. They want to be the best at what they do.
Some get angry and upset if they get anything less than an A in their class. They will
even challenge their teachers because they have received a less than PERFECT grade.
On the other hand, there are those who would accept a B or even a C as a grade, just as
long as they are passing. Yes, that is settling for less than perfect. And thats ok with
those individuals.
We have adopted that same mentality in our churches! Why? No one can be perfect.
Well that is what some preachers preach and that is what we have been taught to
believe.

Proverbs 23:7a
For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he:
We strive for the perfect body. We will go on diets and have surgeries to make our bodies
look good. We also remove certain foods from our diet and take different pills because
we want the perfect body. Think about the different exercises that we put our bodies
through; the pain the time, hours, and cost. Just to make this fleshly body perfect.
So if we put that much effort in achieving the perfect body, then what is we going to do
about our spirit man. The spirit man desires to be perfect. Are we going to deny him? Or
are we going to put the same efforts in building our spirit man. Keep in mind this fleshly
body is not going to make heaven! We must get our priorities straight. The same
principals we use to get the perfect body, we should apply to our spiritual lives;
Removing the things that would keep us from perfection.
We read the bible but do we believe or understand what we read? Lets look at some
passages in the Bible where the word perfect was used in a positive way. Then we will
look at the negative side of the word perfect. (King James Vers.). This will give us a better
understanding of why we run from it.

Positive;
Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in
peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a PERFECT man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
Philippians 3:15
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be
otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Colossians 1:28
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that
we may present every man PERFECT in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring
fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand PERFECT and complete in all the
will of God.
2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Hebrews 13:21
Make you PERFECT in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well
pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
James 3:2
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a
PERFECT man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body.
1 Peter 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle
[you].
Negative;
1 Kings 11:4
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart
after other gods: and his heart was not PERFECT with the LORD his God, as [was]
the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 15:3

And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his
heart was not PERFECT with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made PERFECT by the
flesh?
Philippians 3:12
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.
There were some men in the Bible that God considered to be perfect.
Genesis 6:9
These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] PERFECT in his
generations, [and] Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and
said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
1 Kings 15:14
But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was PERFECT with
the LORD all his days.
Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was
PERFECT and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:8
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is]
none like him in the earth, a PERFECT and an upright man, one that feareth God,
and escheweth evil?
Job 2:3
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is]
none like him in the earth, a PERFECT and an upright man, one that feareth God,
and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst
me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Job 8:20
Behold, God will not cast away a PERFECT [man], neither will he help the evil
doers:
If we read the Old Testament, we will also find that God also considered some to have a
perfect heart.

What made these men perfect or had a perfect heart? Its simple. They pleased God by
doing his will and obeying his commandments.
In the Old Testament, Gods spirit was upon man. And now his spirit dwells in man.
Its the same spirit. It allowed man then to please God and it does the same thing now.
Thats if we allow ourselves to be led by his spirit.
Jesus gave over to the will of his father in the garden and so should we.

Matt. 26:39-44
39

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].
40

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter,
What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the
flesh [is] weak.
42

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may
not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

44

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same
words.
Apostle Paul stated that in his flesh there was no good thing.

Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.
This is the key to understanding where perfection fits in our walk with Christ. In our flesh
we cannot please God.

Romans 8:8-9
8

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
The only way to please God is through the spirit. Not the flesh. We please God through
the spirit by obeying his word and keeping his commandments that is perfection. The
only way to achieved that is by following the spirit.
I find that one of the reasons that people fight against and dont believe in perfection is
because of sin. It has been said many times that no one can live free of sin, so for that
cause no one can be perfect.
We sin when we fulfill the lust of our own flesh. So to walk in perfection we must walk in
the spirit. So what happens when we fall or sin? As long as we repent and continue our
walk in the spirit, it is still, counted as perfection.
Galatians 5:16-17
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the LUST of the flesh.
17

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
God wants us to live free from sin, and he made a way for us to do that when he gave us
his spirit. There for we should obey the word and follow after the spirt.
As long as we are on this earth the ability and the temptation to sin will ever be before
us. Jesus was perfect in all his ways. Why? Was it because he is the son of God? Or was it
that he is the Christ, the anointing of God? The word says that he was tempted in all
points as we are but he did not sin.
There is a big difference between one that has made a mistake and one that lives a life
of sin (a sinner). You cannot be a saint and a sinner. You are one or the other. As saints of
God we sometimes make mistakes. God has a plan for that.
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

In this passage the word sin means to make a mistake. Just because you made a mistake
or as we like to say we fall, does not mean that you are a sinner.

Hebrews 4:15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points TEMPTED like as [we are, yet] without sin.
Jesus became our example of how we can live free from sin. If we are to be like him,
then we should walk as he did, free from sin.
David was a man after Gods own heart because when he sinned he quickly repented.
Thats what we should do. Not continuing in sin. Thats not perfection. We reach
perfection by doing the will of God.
When a bride prepares herself for her husband, her desire is to present herself perfect to
her husband. Everything must be right. She makes sure that her dress will fit perfect
even if it means dieting for months. Her hair, nails, shoes, all accessories must be
perfect. The Church must be presented to God the same way.
Ephesians 5:27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Remember in the flesh we are not and will never be perfect. Only through the spirit of
God are we made perfect. As saints of God we must elevate our way of thinking.
We must think outside the flesh and see things through the spirit of God. If Satan can
convince us that we cannot be perfect then we will settle for less then what God has for
us. We will become like the people that will accept Bs and Cs instead of going for the As.
I do understand when preachers say to the people; I am not perfect and no one here is
perfect. He or She wants to make themselves, common with the people, equal to
everyone else. I get it! But as preachers, leaders we must be an example to the people.
Yes we may have gone thru some of the same things and have experienced the same
things in our lives. But when God called you to the ministry he elevated you. Not we

ourselves but God did! We must not only show the lay members, but the whole world the
perfected church.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
As preachers and teachers of the word we must study Gods word not according to mens
wisdom or tradition anal teaching. Gods word cannot contradict its self. It must be
consistent,and we must learn to rightly divide the word of truth.
God has put everything we need in the church to bring us to perfection. It is up to us to
utilize the gifts that god has given us.
Ephesians 4:8-14
8

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men.
9

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts
of the earth?
10

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he
might fill all things.)
11

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;
12

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ:
13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto
a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive
The gifts that God has given to the church are, apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors,
and teachers. These are the gifts that God gave to men, and not everyone will operate
in all of these gifts. It takes all of these working together in its proper place and time to
bring the church to perfection (complete).

The problem we are having today in our churches is that many people do not believe in
all of these gifts. It has been argued in the past that there are no more apostles. The
bible is very clear that he gave all of these for the perfecting of the saints. Each one has
its specific purpose in the church and these are not the only gifts that was spoken of. We
first see these gifts appear and 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28
8

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge
by the same Spirit;
9

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of

spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
28

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues.
When we take out or remove the operation of either one of these gifts in the church we
cripple the church. When we take away what god has put in place to make us and bring
us to where he wants us to be. Just let me be clear, does this mean that each church or
sanctuary as we know today, should have all of these gifts and offices in the church. I
say no, because we must keep in mind that the way the church is setup today, was not
the way they were set up in the bible days. As the apostles went out, and preach the
gospel and people were saved, and they set up churches there. Not every church had
the apostle and prophets, but they had access to them because they were all a part of
the same body. The reason we have so many separate churches today is that everyone
feel that God is talking to them and God is giving them the direction for his people.
There is nothing wrong with having churches as long as they are preaching and teaching
the same things and bringing everyone to Christ. The problem is we do not see that
today. Many of the leaders today have their own agenda and not necessarily your soul in
mind.
We have come to a time were many leaders have taken on the titles of apostles and
prophets without being called on by God. He has not appoint them or anointed them to
these offices, but because of the popularity of these offices they have chosen to use
these offices for monetary gain and popularity. They are not bringing the church to

perfection. When God gives these gifts to any one you would know it, by the way they
walk in that gift and by their lifestyles. These gifts were not just handed out randomly or
haphazardly, he did not give these gifts to just anyone. There is a purpose to everything
God does just remember to whom much is given, much as required. Therefore, if God
has placed any one of these gifts upon you, then it is your duty to use that gift, as God
requires.
. I believe that when we talk about people being perfect and that there is no perfect one,
I think what we are referring to is the self-righteous people. Those that feel as they have
already made heaven and have never made any mistakes. God will deal with those
people in his own way.
For us to think of ourselves as perfect, thats wrong. But to be perfect in Christ Jesus is
where we want to be. As long as we are living according to HIS will and HIS way, he sees
us as perfect. GOD WANTS A PERFECT CHURCH!
So saints let us change our way of thinking when it comes to perfection. It is not too late!
We can do this together. It takes all of us to help each other be the best that we can be
in Christ.
I write this and teach this in perfect love. I want to see all my brothers and sister make it
and be perfect in God.

Written by James Grimsley

Inspired by The Holy Spirit.