From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:
The word “perfect” signifies what is fully developed and complete. It is applied to Christians in three ways:
• As to our present standing before God.
• As to our practical state.
• As to our final condition.
1) Perfect In Standing
The moment a person believes the gospel of his salvation he is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and has a standing before God “in Christ” that is perfect. It will not be more perfect by his entrance into heaven. He is as “accepted” before God as Christ is, for he is in Christ’s place before God (Eph. 1:6). This has been made possible by the one offering of Christ. Scripture says, “For by one offering He hath perfected forever [in perpetuity] them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). This perfection involves the conscience being “purged” whereby the believer knows that His sins have been dealt with righteously and are gone (Heb. 9:14). It is something that the offerings in Judaism could not do (Heb. 9:9; 10:1), but those offerings did point forward to the one offering of Christ that has settled the question of sin before God forever (Heb. 10:1-18). Knowing this makes the believer a worshipper in the immediate presence of God (Heb. 10:19-22).
2) Perfect In State
Scripture also speaks of the believer being made “perfect” as to his practical state. Perfection in this sense has to do with Christian maturity—i.e. a believer reaching full growth. The great burden of the Apostle Paul in ministry was to present the saints “perfect in Christ Jesus.” He laboured earnestly in “teaching” and in prayer to that end (Col. 1:28-2:1; 1 Thess. 3:10; 2 Cor. 13:9, 11). Epaphras is also mentioned as praying for the saints that they would stand “perfect” in this way (Col. 4:12).
There are a number of areas where Christians need perfecting in this way (2 Peter 3:18):
Perfecting the Focus of Our Hearts (Phil. 3:13-15)
In Philippians 3, we see Paul’s life focused on “one thing”—Christ and His interests. He pressed toward “the goal for the prize of the calling on high.” (The “goal” in the path of faith is reaching Christ on high; the “prize” at the end of the path is to be with Him and to be like Him in glory.) All Paul’s energies were channelled into that one all-absorbing pursuit. Christ had captured his heart, and all he wanted was more of Him. Hence, all other interests, ambitions, and pursuits in life were considered extraneous and were laid aside (Phil. 3:4-8). He said that as many who were “thus minded” were “perfect.” Thus, a fully mature Christian, as far as his focus is concerned, is one who pursues one thing in his life—Christ in glory and His interests on earth.
Perfecting the focus of our hearts is one of the first things that God works toward after we become Christians. It has a lot to do with our priorities. Before a person is saved, he is usually engrossed in some aspect of the world and in the pursuit of certain earthly goals. But when he turns to Christ, and he lets go of the ambitions and earthly goals that once captured his attention, he has reached Christian perfection in this sense. A by-product of having our hearts focused on “this one thing” is that we become devoted Christians. Zeal and energy in the things of God are what will characterize our lives. With Paul, this was an immediate thing in his life (Acts 9). However, with most believers, it is a process, and sad to say, many never reach this kind of Christian maturity. Paul well understood that spiritual development is a progressive thing, and stated that those who were “otherwise minded” (those not as focused as he was), God would reveal to them that his pursuit of Christ was the only real pursuit worth having in life (Phil. 3:15). Paul was confident that as they progressed in their Christian life and grew in grace, that they would have fewer extraneous interests, and Christ would become their sole object.
Perfecting Our Understanding of the Divine Revelation
Paul said to the Corinthians, “In understanding be men [perfect]” (1 Cor. 14:20). Perfection, is this sense, has to do with our understanding of the revelation of Christian truth. This shows that God not only wants us to be devoted Christians, but He wants us to be intelligent Christians as well. To this end, He has brought us into the favoured place of “sonship” (Eph. 1:5) and has “abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence [intelligence]; having made known unto us the mystery of His will” (Eph. 1:8-9). This has been disclosed to us in the New Testament Scriptures—particularly in Ephesians and Colossians. If we absorb the truth through diligent study (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:15), we will gain a working knowledge of the truth, and thus will become “full-grown [perfect]” in this sense (Heb. 5:14). As such, we will be men of God who can be used of God in the work of the Lord (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We will be able to rise to the defense of the faith and intelligently “give an answer to every man” that asks us of the “reason of the hope” that we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3).
The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews exhorted the saints to “go on unto perfection” in this sense (Heb. 6:1). To do this, he told them that they mustn’t go back to the Old Testament Jewish position from which they had come, but “go on” from the kingdom principles which the Lord taught in the synoptic Gospels—which he calls “the word of the beginning of the Christ”—to “full growth” in Christianity, which is the truth presented in the epistles. These Hebrew believers were, so to speak, on a bridge that stretched from Judaism to Christianity. He exhorted them not go back off the bridge to the Old Testament ground (the legal system of Judaism) from which they had come, but not to stay on the bridge embracing only the truth that had come out in the Lord’s ministry (John 14:25 – “these things”). He wanted them to go on to full Christianity, which he calls “perfection.” This is the truth found in the epistles (John 14:26 – “all things”). If they stayed where they were, on the bridge, so to speak, somewhere between Judaism and Christianity, it would hinder their spiritual growth and they would remain babes (Heb. 5:11-13).
The need for this work of “perfecting of the saints” in this sense is great, because until they are established in the truth, they will be in danger of being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:12-14). In fact, it is the very reason that Christ gave edificational “gifts” to the Church—pastors, teachers, prophets, etc. (Eph. 4:11). If we avail ourselves of their ministry, we will “go on to perfection” in our understanding of the Christian revelation. We may not be gifted in teaching, we can still help others to understand “the way of God more perfectly.” This is what Aquila and Priscilla did for Apollos (Acts 18:24-28).
Perfecting Holiness in Our Walk (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1)
God wants us to not only be devoted and intelligent, but also holy (in practice). Thus, perfection is also used in Scripture in connection with the believer’s walk in holiness. In 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1, the Apostle Paul indicated that perfecting holiness in our lives has two parts: there is the outward side involving separation from external things and persons of the world (2 Cor. 6:14-18), and, then there is the inward side of getting rid of unclean habits and ways through judging of ourselves in the presence of the Lord (2 Cor. 7:1). Having the outward without the inward is hypocrisy (Psa. 51:6).
The Old Testament priests’ clothing, which was made of linen, illustrates (typically) the proper balance of the two (Ex. 28:39-43). “Linen” speaks of practical righteousness and purity. The priests wore “linen coats” (outer clothing), which speak of outward purity before the eyes of men, but they wore “linen breeches” under their coats that nobody saw but God. It speaks of inward purity Perfecting holiness in our walk and ways makes us sanctified Christians.
Perfecting the Love of God in Our Hearts (1 John 2:5; 4:11-12)
An integral part of reaching Christian maturity has to do with the love of God being perfected in us, so that we love as God loves. This is seen to perfection in the life of the Lord Jesus. He perfectly demonstrated the love of God. Those who have the love of God perfected in them will love as Christ loved. It will be manifested in many practical ways. It will be seen in simple obedience to the Word of God: “Whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected” (1 John 2:5). It will be seen in our love for one another: “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). It will be seen in our willingness to walk together in unity: “That they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:21-23). It will be seen in the controlling of our tongue: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man” (James 3:2). It will be seen in our benevolence toward the poor and needy: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21; 1 John 3:17). Oftentimes, God will use trials to develop these things in us (James 1:4).
Perfecting Our Works of Service
Our service for the Lord is wide and varied, but we all have something to do for Him, for there are no drones in God’s beehive. As we walk with the Lord and grow, our service for Him should develop proportionately. The more we mature in the things of God, the more our effectiveness in the service of the Lord will increase—bringing forth “some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred” (Mark 4:20). The writer of Hebrews prayed for the saints to this end (Heb. 13:20-21).
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A Scriptural profile of a full-grown (perfect) Christian is as follows:
• He has one sole interest in life—Christ (Phil. 3:13-15).
• He takes meat, and not milk only (Heb. 5:11-12).
• He walks in separation from the world (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
• He judges himself (2 Cor. 7:1).
• He has left Judaism and all its principles (Heb. 6:1-4).
• He is governed by simple obedience (1 John 2:5).
• He has a deep love for others (1 John 4:11-12).
• He is less anxious in trial (James 1:2-4).
• He controls his tongue (James 3:2).
• He is generous with his possessions (Matt. 19:21).
• He keeps in step with his brethren (John 17:21-23).
• His service is according to the mind of God (Heb. 13:21).
3) Perfect In Final Condition
The perfecting of the believer’s conscience is the beginning of God’s work of perfecting the saints. The completion of the work has to do with the glorifying of the saints’ bodies (Rom. 8:17, 30; Phil. 3:12; Heb. 11:40; 12:23). This would include the eradication of the fallen sin-nature—the flesh (1 John 3:2). The Lord experienced being made “perfect” in His body when He rose from the dead (Luke 13:32; Heb. 5:9). However, He didn’t need eradication of the fallen sin-nature because He didn’t have a fallen nature.
In Hebrews 11, the writer mentions many Old Testament saints who have long passed off the scene and are now with the Lord. He concludes by saying, “They (the Old Testament saints) without us (the New Testament saints) should not be made perfect.” Thus, the Lord’s work of perfecting the saints from every previous age (as well as Christians) in this final way will happen at the same time. This, we know, will be at the Lord’s coming—the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:15-18). At that moment, the “corruptible” will put on “incorruption.” This refers to the saints who have fallen asleep; they will be raised in a glorified state. Also, at that same moment, the “mortal” will put on “immortality.” This refers to the living saints being changed into a glorified state (1 Cor. 15:51-57).
Hence, every believer will experience two quickenings: the first is a quickening of his soul and spirit when he is brought from death unto life by the power of God (Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13), and the second is a quickening in his body, which is yet to take place at the Lord’s coming (Rom. 8:11).