PERFECTION
WHY EVERY CHRISTIAN BELIEVES IN PERFECTIONISM.
George Burnside
Every professed Christian I have ever met believes that someday, some where they will be perfect. The hope of being a perfect people, in a perfect world for a perfect eternity seems to be their hope. They believe in perfectionism. The only difference with their ideas is when. For instance Robert Brinsmead taught for years that perfection came at the time of the investigative judgment. This would take place sometime before the Second Advent. Today he spends much time and effort opposing what he calls "perfectionists", but actually he is still one himself. For does he not teach that all God's people will be made perfect at the Second Advent? Dr. Des Ford is also one with him in this teaching, as they both profess to look for perfection, therefore they are perfectionists. To them it will be a matter of being made perfect by the sudden decree of Christ.
It is evidently a matter of perfection coming by a sudden act or decree. This belief is still apparent in the thinking of their followers. For instance one of the "new theology" disciples wrote recently:
"One question has arisen as to the time of the perfecting of God's people. Would you say it is at the sealing time?
It is evident that to be "perfect", in their minds, is to be beyond the power of sin, entirely incapable of sinning. Also it is not to them a matter of development of character at all. The idea of putting off sinning seems to be all in the future. This idea is popular and believed by millions. For instance - with the Catholics there is purgatory. There they will be freed from sin. The Worldwide church of God puts off the “new birth" to the future resurrection from the dead. Others as we have noticed have it at the judgment, the resurrection, or the Second Advent. Always in the future - "tomorrow" or some time bye and bye. But the Scriptures answer "Today", "Now".
THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK.
Job 1: 1 "There was a man whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil." This was a long time before the sealing message, the judgment, purgatory or the resurrection. It was here in this present evil world that he perfected his character.
Genesis 17:1 "The Lord appeared unto Abram and said Walk before Me and be thou perfect."
Here we have God's instruction to Abraham, the father of the faithful. Galatians 3:29 "If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham's seed."
Genesis 6: 9 "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." The power of our God enabled Noah to have this testimony.
Deuteronomy 18:13 "Thou shall be perfect with the Lord thy God." Does God ask impossibilities? Every command of our God is a promise.
Philippians 3:15 "As many as be perfect."
Colossians 1:28 "We preach that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Paul did not sneer at Christ's perfect standard.
James 1:4 "Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect."
Why do many professed Christians seem to hate "perfect" more than sin?
Revelation 14:12 "Here" (before the Advent) "Here are they that keep the commandments of God." This is God's testimony of His people. If they keep the commandments they do not sin, for if they sin they do not keep the commandments of God. Notice carefully it does not say that they cannot sin, but they do not, for they keep the commandments of God.
Revelation 18:4 They have come out of Babylon so they would "not partake of her sins", they came out to avoid Babylon's sins and so keep the commandments.
"THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS" SPEAKS.
Review, May 28, 1901. "It is not that men CANNOT keep the law, but that they W ILL NOT."
Review, February 7, 1957 (previously unpublished). "Exact obedience is required and those who say that it is not possible to live a perfect life throw upon God the imputation of injustice and untruth."
Desire of Ages, page 309. "On the other hand, all who break God's commandments are sustaining Satan's claim that the law is unjust, and cannot be obeyed. Thus they second the deceptions of the great adversary and cast dishonor upon God."
Review, March 10, 1904. "He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him from sinning, has not the faith that will give him an entrance into the kingdom of God."
Acts of the Apostles, page 387. "It is Satan's studied effort to divert minds from the hope of Salvation through faith and obedience to the Law of God."
Acts of the Apostles, page 387. "It is the duty of every servant of God to withstand firmly and decidedly these perversions of the faith, and by word of truth fearlessly to expose their errors."
Acts of the Apostles, page 482, "Work out your own salvation, for it is God which works in you. The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. God works and man works."
"IT IS WRITTEN AGAIN".
Revelation 12:17 "The dragon was wrath with the remnant which KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD."
Matthew 19:17 "If thou wilt enter into life KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS."
John 14:15 "If ye love Me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."
Revelation 22:14 "Blessed are they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS."