PERFECTION IN CHRIST The sacrifice, or voluntary death, of Christ achieved the Divine objective regarding perfection. God's nature required perfection in His creatures, and Christ's sacrifice achieved it. This is the declaration of Scripture. "For by one offering He hath PERFECTED FOREVER them that are sanctified" (Heb 10:14). Do not hesitate to receive this affirmation, neither be tempted to explain it away. It is the truth of God.
Devotion 8 of 15
PERFECTED BY ONE SACRIFICE
All standard versions of Scripture use the word "perfected" in this verse. To name a few, Revised Standard, American Standard, New International Version, Today's English Version, New American Standard, New Revised Standard, New English, and New King James. Other versions such as The Living Bible, Phillips Modern English, and the Jerusalem Bible, also use "perfection" or "perfect." Mind you, the consistency of versions is not necessary to establish the truth of Scripture. The point I want to make is that there has been no question among translators about the expression of the Spirit in Hebrews 10:14-- and there should be no question in our minds about it.
The word "perfect" comes from a word meaning to complete, i.e., accomplish, or consummate (in character): consecrate, finish, fulfill, (make) perfect (Strong). For what it is worth, Lindell and Scott define the words as "to make perfect: to inaugurate consecrate, to complete, bring to accomplishment: to make successful . . . generally, to fulfill, accomplish, effect." While doctrine cannot be build upon the lexical definition of words, I give this to show you the strength of the word.
It makes little difference how you look at "perfection," Hebrews 10:14 is an arresting statement of what Jesus accomplished in His death. What is more, that accomplishment, namely the perfection "forever" of them who are "sanctified," is scarcely known among the people with whom I have companied! It simply does not fit into their emphasis, and thus little mention, if any, is made of it.
I want to say this as strongly as I am capable of stating it; namely, that Christ's vicarious death "perfected forever them that are sanctified." Jesus has done everything that is necessary for your acceptance by God! He has met God's requirement for perfection in your behalf. If you have been "baptized into Christ" (Gal 3:27), "born again" (John 3:7), and have "passed from death unto life" (John 5:24)--all referring to the same transition--God has received you in Christ "without sin," having forgiven you of "all trespasses!" (Col 2:13). Nothing more needs to be offered to God for your approbation! You are not working for Divine approval, nor are you commanded to do so! Your work is to "abide" in His love (John 15:10) and acceptance (Eph 1:6), aware of your endorsement by Him! You are fully justified in Jesus! As it is written, "And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:36).
By saying "perfected forever," the Spirit provides God's perspective of the situation. By the grace of God, that view--which is the true one -- can also be yours! Christ, through His death, removed everything that stood between God and man. The lack of perfection is nothing more than the presence of sin, which is the only inhibiting factor in our universe. Were there no sin, there would be no imperfection! When Jesus "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb 9:26), He did, by that very act, "perfect forever" those who are "sanctified."
Here, the word "sanctified" is synonymous with "MADE holy," or "made righteous" (Rom 5:19). The idea is that righteousness, or acceptance of, and recognition by God, proceeds from the effective removal of our transgressions. As it is written, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Rom 4:6-8).
Note, the perfection is "forever." As you must know, this does not mean "once in grace always in grace," nor is such an absurdity ever suggested in God's Word. The "forever," like remission, is only "in Christ." It is Christ, and Christ alone, who enables us to be "sanctified" -- and only those who are "sanctified" are "perfected forever." It is Jesus who is "made unto us . . . sanctification" (1 Cor 1:30). Where there is no active affiliation, or fellowship (1 Cor 1:9) with Christ, there is no sanctification. And, where there is no sanctification (in the sense of our text) there is no perfection. Further, where there is no perfection, there is no Divine acceptance.
It is written, "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30, NASB). Simply put, "abide," or remain, in Jesus (John 15:4,7), and you are fully accepted by God, perfect and complete in Him (Col 2:10).
If you doubt this to be the case, ponder the revealed perspective declared by that mysterious prophet Balaam. "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel" (Num 23:21). That was a preliminary way of saying transgressions are removed from men "as far as the East is from the West" (Psa 103:12). This was a prophetic way of declaring what would be accomplished in Christ Jesus: "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa 1:18). Again, Jeremiah declared the same reality: "In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and THERE WILL BE NONE; and the sins of Judah, and THEY SHALL NOT BE FOUND: for I will pardon them whom I reserve" (Jer 50:20). This is what Micah referred to as the subduing of all iniquity (Mic 7:19). Paul called it the forgiveness of our iniquities and the covering of our sin (Rom 4:7), and "not imputing" our trespasses to us (2 Cor 5:19).
This is the "perfection" accomplished by the Lord Jesus, for where sin is not imputed, there can be no flaw before God. God is nowhere represented as receiving flawed and imperfect people. His nature will not permit Him to do so. As it is written, "and that will by no means clear the guilty," and again, "and will not at all acquit the wicked" (Nah 1:2). The ONLY way this condition can be realized is through the forgiveness of sins--and that is precisely what occurs in Jesus. The vicarious death of the Son of God was as necessary to God Himself as it was to us, for without it, He could not remove our sins. And, unless He removed our sins, He could not receive us.
There is a very definite sense in which we are NOT perfect, and do possess flaws. But the portion of our being in which those flaws are found is not the part that is "in Christ." It is not the part that is "joined to the Lord" (1 Cor 6:17), or and "abides" in Him (1 John 3:6). The part with which sin is identified is the flesh, which is crucified by all who are in Christ Jesus. As it is written, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal 5:24).
To ensure that you can abide in Him, the Holy Spirit of God is given to you to tutor you in the truth revealed in Scripture. If that anointing remains in you and teaches you, you will remain in Christ. As it is written, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:27,28). If you do not "grieve," "quench," or "resist" the Holy Spirit of God, you WILL remain in Jesus! And if you are in Christ Jesus, you are perfect, for there is no flaw in Him.
This view is necessary if God's people are to overcome sin. If they do not see the thoroughness of Christ's work, they will not be able to heartily enter into the work assigned to them. Many genuine believers are overcome by either sin or a defiled conscience because they have not heard, and do not see, this truth: "by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" (Heb 10:14, NIV).
-- Tomorrow: FORGIVEN ALL TRESPASSES --