Rom. 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His Purpose.” These are not those, who love to work for God, but those, who love God. Verse 29a: “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of His Son…” So, here we have it again: the disciple who becomes perfect shall be like Christ. (Do you truly want to be perfect as Christ is?)
2Cor. 3:18: “But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are (progressively) changed into the same Image from glory to Glory (from smaller glory to greater glory, even His Glory), even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Col. 3:10: “And have put on the New Man, which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of Him that created him”… and that is Christ.
1Cor. 2:6a: “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.” May I ask Paul at this place: Where are those perfect? To this day I have not met anybody perfect, including myself, so Paul must have been quite “fortunate” when he met perfect ones. Well, what kind of perfection are we talking about here? According to my belief, they are perfect in hearing and applying that wisdom. This type of perfection is perhaps in other believers of the church in Corinth as well as among the babies. In other words, the Lord judges our heart and its ability to follow Him in the degree corresponding to its perfection. When we just started to walk with the Lord and “directed” or set our heart to follow Him, that heart, being yet far from holiness and wisdom and perfection, is nevertheless judged by the Lord as “perfect”. The reason is that it cannot presently perform any better or do anything more than what it is doing thus far.
Phil. 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. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” What does Paul mean by saying: “as many as be perfect…”? It is apparent that he speaks about a partial perfection of heart and mind, which is devoted to walk by the same rule, to follow the same thing and continue in the same ministry. Because in verse 12, Paul testifies: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…” Hence, if Paul declares that he himself is not yet perfect, then no one can declare about oneself the opposite. And truly cannot be perfect before we meet Christ personally. My heart is telling me that this is impossible.
So, are we finally perfect, or not? We are “perfect” in the same sense as we are spiritually living, as we are saved, as we are glorified and as we have already ascended and sat in the heavenly places. This is the Word of God in Ephesians 2:6, in that same sense we are already perfect. Hence, where we are now heading is the place where we already ARE! I am walking toward my own perfection, I know where my perfection is and my steps are directed towards it. And the same situation is also with you except that you may not yet see it or be aware of it.
I would now like to close this topic with the Word to Philippians 3:14: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” What does this Word “I press” actually mean? When we are getting together, as we are, in fact, doing right now, it is actually that “pressing, toiling, progressing” toward the said goal as well. You may not be aware of it but we are right now also doing an important spiritual work in our soul and spirit.
Here I must say something more about this verse of the Scripture. That high calling of God in Christ Jesus is my perfection! Hence, I am pressing toward my own perfection since only through it I can satisfy God. And I am not pressing just to the perfection, which is for the multitudes, but for that, which the Lord specifically showed to me personally. And I will not be satisfied with anything less or lower than with my personal high calling of God in Christ Jesus, which was revealed to me by His Spirit. I am not sure whether many, very many Christians know at all about their calling, which means, about their own perfection in Christ, or whether they are even interested in it. I can tell you one thing. I am pressing, toiling toward this perfection because my heart is pulling me there and not because somebody told me that I should be interested in it. Because, if somebody has to tell you that you should press toward your perfection and then, perhaps, even “rent a bulldozer” to help push you there, you will never get there. Do you hear me? If somebody has to tell you where you should aim to go and then even disclose to you what is your calling, and thus, your perfection, then you must keep coming to the Lord and ask Him (since nobody knows it). Therefore, your calling and thus your perfection depends on your heart. Your heart will tell you whether you belong or do not belong to multitudes, or whether you have been chosen from the multitudes to be disciples, or servants, or the Bride of Christ. Do you truly see and know where you belong?
I believe that we all present here may belong to disciples because we “continue in His Word”; how we continue, that may only be judged by the Lord. However, we may have at least decided it in our hearts and they are inclined to continue in His Word. This is a matter between the Lord and your heart, even the matter, whether your heart and your perfection is called higher than that for disciples. If you do not know this yourselves, you must ask the Lord and receive from Him the necessary Light regarding this matter. The beauty of the Lord and of His Grace is also demonstrated in that not everybody from the multitudes is “pushed” to become a disciple, or apostle, or prophet, or John the Beloved, but that decision is left to his own heart. The Lord does not force anybody. The Lord gave His Commandments and the greatest from them all is this: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mk. 12:30). However, the Lord knows who will do it and who will not and why. Because even this Commandment is not the matter of our ability, but of our willingness, and that is the matter of our love. Because we are usually willing to do only that, what we love. So, “we have to love what we are to love”.
However, many times we may not even be aware where we are standing. Every believer should come to the Lord and ask His Light and Grace saying: Where am I with my heart, My Lord? Because where is my heart, there is also my perfection and my high calling of God in You. Therefore, I am asking You, Lord, illuminate my heart so I may see myself, and if necessary, “create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). Do you think that the Lord will not answer?
I pray to the Lord for this Light…
“Lord, I thank you for this revelation and for this Light, for Your Grace and for this Part of You Yourself, because Your living Words may be equated with You Yourself. And this is the Truth, which You are granting to us regarding the perfecting of the saints. How it is done, why it is done, with whom it is done, to what degree it is done and all the other things. Even all this above stated is in Your Holy Word, Lord, and it is perfect and it is beautiful.
And thus I pray, Lord, that we all would know our high calling so it would not be a question of an outward pressing only because it is so written, but because we are so guided by our heart and Your Word would only confirm what our hearts already know.
This is my plea for all believers, Lord, because this Truth is related to everyone whom You saved and who will be perfected, because You are Perfect and You are worthy of an unbounded praise. We praise You, Lord, according to Your Greatness and Your Beauty and according to Your Perfection. AMEN.”
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To be continued next week
brother Hanola
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