Perfection A Study in the Scriptures
Called to perfection | Perfection
a condition of the heart
| Perfection a way of life | Perfection
the work of God |
The means of
perfection | The meaning of the word | When
accomplished | God is perfect | Some have attained
WE ARE CALLED TO PERFECTION:
Gen 17:1 ... the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Deut 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Luk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
Jhn 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent
me...
2 Cor 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, [even] your perfection.
2 Cor 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in
peace...
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Phil 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
1 Thes 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
Hebr 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward
God
Hebr 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corin 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
James 1:4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body.
PERFECTION IS A CONDITION OF THE HEART:
1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
1 Kings 11:4 ... his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 15:3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
2 Kings 20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight...
1 Chron 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
1 Chron 29:9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the
LORD...
2 Chron 15:17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him...
2 Chron 19:9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
2 Chron 25:2 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
Isa 38:3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
PERFECTION IS ALSO A WAY OF LIFE, AS WELL AS A CONDITION OF HEART:
1 Kings 15:3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
1 Chron 29:19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all [these things], and to build the palace, [for] the which I have made provision.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Psa 101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
Isa 38:3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
2 Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Hebr 13:21 {God] Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
GOD PERFECTS US - HE DOES THE WORK:
2 Sam 22:33 God ... maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:32 [It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 138:8 The LORD will perfect [that which] concerneth me...
1 Pet 5:10 But the God of all grace... after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].
THE MEANS OF PERFECTION:
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and...
come [and] follow me.
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Jam 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Eph 4:11-13 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints,... for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ
Col 3:14 And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Hebr 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec...?
Hebr 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
[did]...
Hebr 10:1 For the law... can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
THE MEANING OF THE WORD 'PERFECT:
The Hebrew word "tamiym," (taw-meem'), translated
"perfect" in Genesis 17:1, etc., is often translated "without
blemish," "upright," "without spot," "whole,"
"sincerely," "complete," and "full" in the
Authorized King James Version. The New
American Standard Bible (NASB) translates it "blameless," with
marginal notes stating: "Lit., complete, perfect, or having
integrity."
WHEN WE SHALL BE PERFECTED:
1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump... we shall be changed.
1 Cor 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1 Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Hebr 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
GOD IS PERFECT:
Deu 32:4 [He is] the Rock, his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
2Sa 22:31 (cp. Psa 18:30) [As for] God, his way [is] perfect; the word of the LORD [is] tried: he [is] a buckler to all them that trust in him.
GOD DECLARED A FEW MEN PERFECT:
Gen 6:9 ... Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God.
1Ki 15:3 ... and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:8 (cp. 2:3) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
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MISCELLANEOUS OTHER VERSES ON PERFECTION:
Job 9:20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
Job 22:3 [Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Psa 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul...
Psa 37:37 Mark the perfect [man], and behold the upright: for the end of [that] man [is] peace.
Psa 64:4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
Psa 101:6 Mine eyes [shall be] upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
Pro 11:5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
Isa 42:19 Who [is] blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger [that] I sent? who [is] blind as [he that is] perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?
Lam 2:15 All that pass by clap [their] hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, [saying, Is] this the city that [men] call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
Eze 28:15 Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Luk 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third [day] I shall be perfected.
1Cr 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Hbr 2:10 For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hbr 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Hbr 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Hbr 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
1Jo 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1Jo 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jo 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
2Ch 8:16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. [So] the house of the LORD was perfected.
2Ch 24:13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
Isa 18:5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect...
Hbr 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.