Is it true according to the Bible that “no one is perfect?” Yes and no. On one hand the answer is, “yes,” because it is true no one is born perfect, we are all born sinners. It is also true that no one is perfect in the sense that they won’t make mistakes or sometimes choose sin. Even Adam and Eve who were created perfect could still choose to sin.

On the other hand, the answer is also “no,” because sinners can be born again as perfect saints in Jesus. When a person is born again they are made perfect and holy, just like how God is perfect and holy. Therefore, from this gift of imparted holiness and perfection the disciple can live a righteous and blameless life free from all sin. However, if the disciple does sin, they can be forgiven, renewed, and cleansed if they repent. Simply stated, “We will sin less, when we believe God made us sinless.”

Therefore, it is time to stop living like a mere human in the flesh (1 Corinthians 3:3) and live a Spirit-led life empowered by the divine nature of God (2 Peter 1:4).

SERMON TEXT

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT), “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

REVIEW

  1. KNOWING WHO YOU ARE: (1) There are only two types of people in the world; “Sinners,” Romans 5:19 & “Saints,” Philippians 1:1. (2) Though there are two types of saints; “Worldly Christians,” 1 Corinthians 3:3 & “Disciples,” John 8:31; everyone is expected to be a disciple, Matthew 28:19-20.
  2. SOUL THEOLOGY: (1) When you were born again you became a new person in both your soul & spirit, John 3:3 & 2 Corinthians 5:15. (2) Though your body is still sinful, you are to count it as dead and live a holy life pleasing to God by His Word, 1 Peter 1:22-23.
  3. TEMPTATION: (1) Inward Temptation: From your sinful body, James 1:13-16 & (2) Outward Temptation: From the Devil regarding; (a) God’s Word, Genesis 3:1 & (b) Your Identity, Luke 4:3.
  4. PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: Let God, the Good Shepherd, lead you in His paths of righteousness, Psalm 23.
  5. MIND OF CHRIST: Set your mind on the things of the Spirit because the Law of the Spirit has set you free from the law of sin and death when you were born again, Romans 6:1-17.
  6. THE NEW MAN: Since your sinful body was circumised with Christ you are a new person that can put to death it’s temptations and put on God’s all the attributes of God’s perfect love!

PERFECT & COMPLETE IN CHRIST ACCORDING TO COLOSSIANS

  1. EVERY MAN PERFECT IN CHRIST: Colossians 1:27-29 (NKJV), “27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect (teleios), in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
  2. COMPLETE IN HIM: Colossians 2:10-11 (NKJV), “10 and you are complete (pleroo) in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ…”
  3. STAND PERFECT & COMPLETE: Colossians 4:12 (NKJV), “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect (teleios) and complete (pleroo) in all the will of God.”

UNDERSTANDING PEFECTION

  1. JESUS COMMANDED IT NOW: Matthew 5:48 (NIV), “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (teleios).”
  2. THE BODY WILL SOON RECEIVE IT: Philippians 3:10-16 (NASB), “10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect (teleios), but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect (teleios), have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”
  3. THEREFORE: (1) We have inner (spiritual/soulical) perfection now and (2) We must stand (Colossians 4:12) and live (Philippians 3:16) in our perfection until our bodies are perfected at the resurrection (Philippians 3:11-12 & 1 Corinthians 15:42-45).

DEFINTIONS

  1. PERFECT (Teleios): Brought to its end, finished, and wanting nothing necessary. In Jesus our salvation and new nature is perfect, “brought to its end, finished, and wanting nothing necessary.” Colossians 1:28.
  2. COMPLETE (Pleroo): To make something fully furnished, filled up, and brought to the highest level. In Jesus you are complete, “fully furnished, filled up, and brought to the highest level in God.” Colossians 4:12.
  3. PURIFIED (Hagniz?): Cleansed from all moral filth, sin, and shame. Because of Jesus your soul and spirit has been purified, “cleansed from all moral filth, sin, and shame.” 1 Peter 1:22-23 (NKJV), “22 Since you have purified (hagnizo) your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”
  4. BLAMELESS (Amempt?s): Faultless, free from guilt, and judgment. Because of Jesus you are blameless, “faultless, free from guilt, and judgment.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NET), “Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless (amemptos) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
  5. HOLY (Hagios): Set apart, morally pure, and upright. Because of Jesus you are holy, “set apart, morally pure, and upright” just like your Heavenly Father! 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV), “15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
  6. RIGHTEOUS (Dikaiosun?): Upright, free from wrong, declared just. In Jesus we are righteous, “upright, free from wrong, and declared just.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV), “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

WHAT BEING PERFECT IN CHRIST DOESN’T MEAN

  1. YOU KNOW EVERYTHING: It doesn’t mean you know everything perfectly- you should grow in natural and spiritual wisdom. Consider that Jesus still learned, Luke 2:52.
  2. YOU DON’T MAKE MISTAKES: Mistakes and sins are not the same thing, a sin is a violation of God’s laws and a mistake is not doing something correctly. For example, those who are born may make a mistake by putting the wrong address on their friend’s birthday card, but that doesn’t mean they sinned or are not perfect in Christ.
  3. YOU DON’T HAVE A SINFUL BODY (FLESH) WITH EVIL DESIRES: This body will not be free from its memories and impulses until “it” dies. Hence, the reason for a new body at the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:42-45. Remember, you are not your body and so you are to consider “it” crucified with Christ and cut off. Therefore, you have been rescued from this “body of death” now (Romans 8:10) as you wait for the new glorified body.
  4. YOU CAN’T SIN: Though sin in the disciple’s life should be avoided because Jesus always makes a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), leads us in the path of righteousness (Psalm 23:3), and delivers us from all evil (Matthew 6:13), however, if the disciple does sin they can be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 2:1-2). Therefore, the standard normal established default position of the disciple should be “blameless, holy, and, righteous.”
  5. YOU DON’T NEED TO REPENT IF YOU SIN: Repentance is both for sinners and saints. The sinner uses repentance to be made a saint, Acts 2:38. The saint uses repentance to remain a saint, Revelation 2:4-5 & 1 John 2:1-2. (Note: Here is the three step process where someone can lose their salvation and perfection in Christ: (1) Choose to sin, (2) Live in the sin with an unrepentant heart, and lastly, (3) Allow the sin to bring death to your faith and result in unbelief, Hebrews 3:12. Click here to read a blog on the warnings of Hebrews).
  6. YOU DON’T NEED JESUS ANYMORE: Everything a disciple has, especially salvation and perfection, is a gift from God. Since everything is from God, everything must be sustained by God- this foundational truth will never change. Therefore, just like the angels and saints in heaven are perfect and depend upon God for everything, the is true with us both now and forevermore.

APPLICATION

  1. Believe you were imperfect before Jesus (a sinner).
  2. Believe you were perfected in Jesus through being born again (a saint).
  3. Believe that one day your body will be perfected (the resurrection).
  4. Believe that you can fall from perfection if you live in unrepentant sin (unbelief).
  5. Believe you can stand in your perfection and live as a disciple following all of Jesus’ commands (holy/blameless/righteous).

Hebrews 10:14-17 (NASB), “14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”