Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Is it possible that sinners (like all of us are born to be!) can overcome sin and become truly Christlike in character? Can "the righteousness of the law" (perfect obedience, perfect loyalty) ever be achieved in this life? The Bible quite clearly says: "all have sinned, and continue [present tense] to come short" (Rom. 3:23). Our very nature is sinful; and even "saints" can't help showing that they are sinners. Nobody is perfect. So, is perfection of character a possible dream?
The Bible insists on a Good News answer--YES! God sent His beloved Son into the world on the special mission to "save His people FROM their sins," not IN them (Matt. 1:21). Romans 8:3, 4 says that He was "sent ... to condemn sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." The word "righteousness" used there means the righteous character of those who "walk after the Spirit." (It's dikaiomata, the imparted righteousness of saints (Rev. 19:8), whereas dikaiosune always is the imputed righteousness of Christ.)
Hebrews 13:21 says that the Savior will "make you perfect in every good work to do His will." And Revelation 14:1-5 describes a people at the close of time who "are without fault before the throne of God," who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Not part way, but totally. They will refuse "the mark of the beast" and will receive "the seal of God" (Rev. 13:16, 17; 7:1-4).
Are they fanatics? Extremists? Strait-laced grumpy "saints"? No way! Jesus got in on the perfection debate Himself on the Good News side. He said: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). In saying so, He gives us the key to unlock the perplexity. His context is learning to love like the Father loves, who sends His rain and sunshine on the just and on the unjust, who loves bad people, even His enemies. Jesus' idea of "perfection" is simple: learning to love like that! John learned the idea from Him, for he also says that if you've learned to love like that, you "know God," you're "born of God," He "dwells in" you, you have "His Spirit," and you yourself "dwell in God." Furthermore, you overcome fear (which goes along with sin), and you end up "perfect" (see 1 John 4:7-18).
True, you and I were born totally bereft of such love (agape); but there's a filling station where the Holy Spirit "sheds it abroad in our hearts" (Rom. 5:5). Or to change the metaphor, it's the simple matter of going to school to learn it, "the school of Christ." The "best," proudest person must matriculate through the kindergarten.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 12, 1999.
Copyright © 2012 by "Dial Daily Bread."
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