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The following is a post I did in 2009 in another chat forum. I delibertly left out verse references then for purposes I now forget. I think the reason was the guy was using his intellect for his theology and as was excepted, his response was, "this is a perfect example of a textbook difinition". Needless to say, nearly every line was a verse. Anyhow, I will post it here and hope that others will understand that there are NUMEROUS words in the KJV which are translated as "perfect" and will therefore take the time to do a word study of "perfect". God bless you in your study.
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A Study of the word "perfect" as found in the Bible.
Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs' numbering for the Hebrew: H8549 (Old Testament)
Strong's and Thayer's numbering for the Greek: G5046 (New Testament)
In the Old Testament, faith was put in the Law to make those under it sanctified. Knowing that the Law made nothing perfect, as it was but a shadow of good things to come, the Son became the author and profector of our faith; which is faith in grace and not in the Law. Under the Law, they were giving sacrificial rules and regulations in order to receive a cleansing, by which to stand before God without blemish. Therefore, seeing that it was the works of these rules and regulations which made the participants temporarily perfect before God, then we are to rule out that it is not by works that we achieve perfection. For perfection does not come out of that which is feared, but that which is already perfected. They, those under the Law, did live throughout their whole lifetime in fear of death, held in bondage to such a thing which always condemned when it was not completely fulfilled. But there is no fear in love, which Love was bestowed upon us through grace. And once we have achieved perfect love, fear is casted away. Indeed, the Law is casted away once we are under grace. It is those who fear the punishment of breaking the Law, those who say, "It is a command! It is a command and we must follow it!", who do not understand that we are under grace and not under the Law. With this in mind, this I must say, "It is our love for God which guides us to follow His commands and not the fear of punishment which guides us, and of which, only leads to condemnation." One cannot fear and love, as fear projects dread. One cannot love and fear, as love projects adoration.
It was because of the great love which God has towards us that He sent His Son to die for us. So that we, not through the Law but through His act of grace, may receive an everlasting pardon, and hence, to continuously stand perfect before Him, without ever having to rely on the act of continuous sacrificing. Something the Law was continuously obligated to do. It is only through God's grace, by which means we draw near to God, that we have a better hope for perfection. So then, if it is not through works (doings of the Law), then it must be through grace in which we receive perfection. It is here that we are to know that it was through one offering, an eternal offering, in which Jesus had perfected, forevermore, those who are sanctified, those who are justified. He Himself having been made perfect through the sufferings He endured and not by the works of His flesh. Listen: Without faith, one is not made perfect. So it is, by faith we are sanctified and being sanctified we HAD BEEN perfected. And none of it was by any work of our own, but by the offering of One.
As we are to be upright (perfect) when dealing with the LORD our God, we are told to also be upright, that is, being of one mind, one standard, when we deal with others. If one were to ask for food, he is not to be denied because we deem him to be wicked, and on the other hand give to another because we think him to be righteous. Even as God lets the rain fall upon both the righteous and the wicked, so it is that we are to be perfect (walk in integrity and virtue) with our dealings with others, as our Father does.
Upon our journey through life there are many side roads. And as free-will beings, we choose which one we shall follow. It is only when we walk before the Almighty God that we become complete (perfect). And what does it mean to walk "before" God, but that wherever we turn, we are face to face with God. Holding Him forever before our eyes. Whole-heartedly (perfectly) and faithfully serving Him in reverence. If we walk in integrity (perfectly), it is the righteousness of such a path which shall guide us and not our own motivations. And if we are to be perfect, to walk upon the path lead by Him, we are to give up that which we love, that which we follow, and follow Him instead.
As long as God is before us and it is His will (path) which we choose, then we are perfect and in need of nothing to make us holy (sanctified) before Him. As that one sacrifice which was offered by Jesus Christ is the only accepted sacrifice to make us perfect. Our deeds shall never cover the cost of that ransom that was needed to unveil paradise lost. Although we do handover our will to Him, it is still us who choose which path to take. God will never force us to walk contrary to our will. He desires that we desire His desire.
To those who say that we are to make ourselves perfect, this I say to you: It is Jesus who has made us perfect (sinless) in the eyes of God and nothing more is needed to make us any more complete, as that perfection is of itself complete. But now, when it comes to "you are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is", we are to understand "to be perfect" as meaning "to be upright". To be taken as meaning "as God is perfect", is to say that we are "to be gods". That is absurd. We cannot be the definition of "perfect" as when applied to God in His absolutenesses. But we can be perfect in love as God is perfect in love, as was shown to us in His Son Jesus. If I can be perfect myself, then what need was there for the eternal sacrifice of the Lamb? For, surely, under the Law (I can make myself perfect) nothing was ever made perfect.
As to who does the walking, God or you: It is you who is to walk upon the path set before you in integrity (whole-heartedly) and who keeps yourself from your iniquity. Who is the one who shall abide in Heaven? Who is the one who shall inhabit Jerusalem? Is it not the one who walks uprightly (perfect, with integrity), and do righteousness, and in his heart, speak the truth. But in all of this, it is God, the One whom you face, who girds you with strength to carry on and gives you straight paths to walk. Are we not told that if we walk uprightly (It does not say "if we are carried"), no good thing will be withheld from us? To say that it is God who walks is to say that He is in err when sin is committed. May that never be thought. By all means, understand that He is there to help, as He is the Helper. Understand that it is we who are responsible for our own account. We ask for guidance upon our path, we dare not demand. In knowing this, I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. I will walk within myself (house) with a perfect heart. In my path, I shall be perfect, as those who do are His delight. Am I not blessed when my way is undefiled, when I walk in the law (command) of the LORD? As I do walk uprightly, shall I not be saved?
God cannot dwell where there is sin. If the Spirit of God and Jesus dwells in you than you are His temple and that makes you holy. And if you are holy than you are without sin, as you have the eternal sacrifice of Jesus and sin is not inputed where there is no law. And if without sin, than you are perfect, needing nothing to make you complete and needing not again to return to deeds (laws) as a means for God's pardon.
Until we are united in our faith, in the knowledge of the Son of God, until we have become perfect (fully grown), until we can measure up in stature to the fullness of Christ, we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And not a bond of belittlement, calling those who are less matured (perfect) devils and the workers of such. Do those who do such think they are superior in knowledge and therefore holier? All we not all saints, sanctified by the blood of the Christ?
There are those you are perfect (upright), those who are merciful, and those meek. To those who are upright, He shows Himself to them as Upright. To those who are merciful, as Merciful. And to those meek, as Meek. The sign of the one who is perfect is the one who does not offend in word. It is certain that if this one offends in words, then this one has not bridled his whole body.
Love is patience and if we love one another, then God's love is perfected in us. And when we stand in the Day of Judgment, we shall have boldness because as He is, (that is, perfect in love) so are we in this world. So let patience have her perfect work inside of you so that you could be perfect and whole, wanting nothing. The understanding of the great mysteries of God belongs to those who are perfect (of full age), those who have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. But living in a state of superiority, claiming to be a prophet, but yet prophesied nothing, instead being a teacher of unfounded commands, you go and tell others to live by these same rules. Do we not all know that the books of the Bible were divided in chapters and verses for readability? And even then, sometimes, it is not logically divided.
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A Study of the word "perfect" as found in the Bible.
Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs' numbering for the Hebrew: H8549 (Old Testament)
Strong's and Thayer's numbering for the Greek: G5046 (New Testament)
In the Old Testament, faith was put in the Law to make those under it sanctified. Knowing that the Law made nothing perfect, as it was but a shadow of good things to come, the Son became the author and profector of our faith; which is faith in grace and not in the Law. Under the Law, they were giving sacrificial rules and regulations in order to receive a cleansing, by which to stand before God without blemish. Therefore, seeing that it was the works of these rules and regulations which made the participants temporarily perfect before God, then we are to rule out that it is not by works that we achieve perfection. For perfection does not come out of that which is feared, but that which is already perfected. They, those under the Law, did live throughout their whole lifetime in fear of death, held in bondage to such a thing which always condemned when it was not completely fulfilled. But there is no fear in love, which Love was bestowed upon us through grace. And once we have achieved perfect love, fear is casted away. Indeed, the Law is casted away once we are under grace. It is those who fear the punishment of breaking the Law, those who say, "It is a command! It is a command and we must follow it!", who do not understand that we are under grace and not under the Law. With this in mind, this I must say, "It is our love for God which guides us to follow His commands and not the fear of punishment which guides us, and of which, only leads to condemnation." One cannot fear and love, as fear projects dread. One cannot love and fear, as love projects adoration.
It was because of the great love which God has towards us that He sent His Son to die for us. So that we, not through the Law but through His act of grace, may receive an everlasting pardon, and hence, to continuously stand perfect before Him, without ever having to rely on the act of continuous sacrificing. Something the Law was continuously obligated to do. It is only through God's grace, by which means we draw near to God, that we have a better hope for perfection. So then, if it is not through works (doings of the Law), then it must be through grace in which we receive perfection. It is here that we are to know that it was through one offering, an eternal offering, in which Jesus had perfected, forevermore, those who are sanctified, those who are justified. He Himself having been made perfect through the sufferings He endured and not by the works of His flesh. Listen: Without faith, one is not made perfect. So it is, by faith we are sanctified and being sanctified we HAD BEEN perfected. And none of it was by any work of our own, but by the offering of One.
As we are to be upright (perfect) when dealing with the LORD our God, we are told to also be upright, that is, being of one mind, one standard, when we deal with others. If one were to ask for food, he is not to be denied because we deem him to be wicked, and on the other hand give to another because we think him to be righteous. Even as God lets the rain fall upon both the righteous and the wicked, so it is that we are to be perfect (walk in integrity and virtue) with our dealings with others, as our Father does.
Upon our journey through life there are many side roads. And as free-will beings, we choose which one we shall follow. It is only when we walk before the Almighty God that we become complete (perfect). And what does it mean to walk "before" God, but that wherever we turn, we are face to face with God. Holding Him forever before our eyes. Whole-heartedly (perfectly) and faithfully serving Him in reverence. If we walk in integrity (perfectly), it is the righteousness of such a path which shall guide us and not our own motivations. And if we are to be perfect, to walk upon the path lead by Him, we are to give up that which we love, that which we follow, and follow Him instead.
As long as God is before us and it is His will (path) which we choose, then we are perfect and in need of nothing to make us holy (sanctified) before Him. As that one sacrifice which was offered by Jesus Christ is the only accepted sacrifice to make us perfect. Our deeds shall never cover the cost of that ransom that was needed to unveil paradise lost. Although we do handover our will to Him, it is still us who choose which path to take. God will never force us to walk contrary to our will. He desires that we desire His desire.
To those who say that we are to make ourselves perfect, this I say to you: It is Jesus who has made us perfect (sinless) in the eyes of God and nothing more is needed to make us any more complete, as that perfection is of itself complete. But now, when it comes to "you are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is", we are to understand "to be perfect" as meaning "to be upright". To be taken as meaning "as God is perfect", is to say that we are "to be gods". That is absurd. We cannot be the definition of "perfect" as when applied to God in His absolutenesses. But we can be perfect in love as God is perfect in love, as was shown to us in His Son Jesus. If I can be perfect myself, then what need was there for the eternal sacrifice of the Lamb? For, surely, under the Law (I can make myself perfect) nothing was ever made perfect.
As to who does the walking, God or you: It is you who is to walk upon the path set before you in integrity (whole-heartedly) and who keeps yourself from your iniquity. Who is the one who shall abide in Heaven? Who is the one who shall inhabit Jerusalem? Is it not the one who walks uprightly (perfect, with integrity), and do righteousness, and in his heart, speak the truth. But in all of this, it is God, the One whom you face, who girds you with strength to carry on and gives you straight paths to walk. Are we not told that if we walk uprightly (It does not say "if we are carried"), no good thing will be withheld from us? To say that it is God who walks is to say that He is in err when sin is committed. May that never be thought. By all means, understand that He is there to help, as He is the Helper. Understand that it is we who are responsible for our own account. We ask for guidance upon our path, we dare not demand. In knowing this, I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. I will walk within myself (house) with a perfect heart. In my path, I shall be perfect, as those who do are His delight. Am I not blessed when my way is undefiled, when I walk in the law (command) of the LORD? As I do walk uprightly, shall I not be saved?
God cannot dwell where there is sin. If the Spirit of God and Jesus dwells in you than you are His temple and that makes you holy. And if you are holy than you are without sin, as you have the eternal sacrifice of Jesus and sin is not inputed where there is no law. And if without sin, than you are perfect, needing nothing to make you complete and needing not again to return to deeds (laws) as a means for God's pardon.
Until we are united in our faith, in the knowledge of the Son of God, until we have become perfect (fully grown), until we can measure up in stature to the fullness of Christ, we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And not a bond of belittlement, calling those who are less matured (perfect) devils and the workers of such. Do those who do such think they are superior in knowledge and therefore holier? All we not all saints, sanctified by the blood of the Christ?
There are those you are perfect (upright), those who are merciful, and those meek. To those who are upright, He shows Himself to them as Upright. To those who are merciful, as Merciful. And to those meek, as Meek. The sign of the one who is perfect is the one who does not offend in word. It is certain that if this one offends in words, then this one has not bridled his whole body.
Love is patience and if we love one another, then God's love is perfected in us. And when we stand in the Day of Judgment, we shall have boldness because as He is, (that is, perfect in love) so are we in this world. So let patience have her perfect work inside of you so that you could be perfect and whole, wanting nothing. The understanding of the great mysteries of God belongs to those who are perfect (of full age), those who have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. But living in a state of superiority, claiming to be a prophet, but yet prophesied nothing, instead being a teacher of unfounded commands, you go and tell others to live by these same rules. Do we not all know that the books of the Bible were divided in chapters and verses for readability? And even then, sometimes, it is not logically divided.