Reference: Perfection
Easton
See Sanctification.
Hastings
The various Biblical terms connoting 'perfection' differ in shade of meaning between wholeness, the attaining of an end or ideal, complete adjustment, full equipment in fitness for an appointed task. They are sparingly applied to God; In OT His way, work, knowledge, law are 'perfect' (Ps 18:30; De 32:4; Job 37:16; Ps 19:7); in NT the same term is used of His will, His gifts, His law (Ro 12:2; Jas 1:17,25), while Christ describes the Father in heaven as 'perfect,' and therefore as the source and pattern of moral ideals (Mt 5:48). The sense in which perfection is attributed to or urged upon men must naturally vary according to the moral conceptions of the time.
1. In OT.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all things be effected. read more. Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments and teach men so, shall be the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and each them, he shall be great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, That unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard, that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt do no murder, and whosoever doth murder, shall be liable to the judgment. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be liable to the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to hell-fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember, that thy brother hath ought against thee, Leaving thy gift there before the altar, go; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt in no wise come out thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing. Ye have heard, that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. But if thy right eye cause thee to offend, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right-hand cause thee to offend, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of Divorce. But I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, save for the cause of whoredom, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away, committeth adultery. Again, ye have heard, that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thine oaths unto the Lord. But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head; for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of the evil one. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil man: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right-cheek, turn to him the other also; And if a man will sue thee and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go with him one mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard, that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the heathens so? Therefore ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith to him, I say not unto thee, till seven times, but till seventy times seven.
Jesus saith to him, If thou desirest to be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
And as he was going out into the way, one running and kneeling to him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life? But Jesus saith to him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. read more. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answering said to him, Master, all these have I kept from my childhood. Then Jesus looking upon him, loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lackest: Go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me, taking up thy cross. But he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved; for he had great possessions. And Jesus looking round said to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answering again saith to them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to go thro' the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying to each other, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. And Peter said to him, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And Jesus answering said, Verily I say to you, there is none that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last, and the last first.
And a certain ruler asked him saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? But Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? read more. There is none good save one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery. Do not murder, Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my childhood. Jesus hearing these things said to him, Yet lackest thou one thing: Sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich. And Jesus seeing that he was very sorrowful, said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things impossible with men, are possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo we have left all and followed thee. And he said to them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in the present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Therefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, even so death passed upon all men, in that all had sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed, where there is no law. read more. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Yet not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if by the offence of one many died, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, that of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as the loss by one that sinned, so is the gift; for the sentence was by one offence to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if through one man's offence death reigned by one, they who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall much more reign in life, by one, even Jesus Christ. As therefore by one offence the sentence of death came upon all men to condemnation, so also by one righteousness the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. For as by the disobedience of one man, many were constituted sinners, so by the obedience of one, many shall be constituted righteous. But the law came in between, that the offence might abound: yet where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin had reigned through death, so grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.
What shall we say then? We will continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we who are dead to sin, live any longer therein? read more. Know ye not, that as many of us have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we might no longer serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. And we believe, that if we are dead with Christ, we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. For in that he died, he died to sin once for all; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. So reckon ye also yourselves to be dead to sin, and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I myself with my mind serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwell in you. And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.
Owe no man any thing, but to love another; for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. read more. Love worketh no evil to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And do this, knowing the season, that it is high time now to awake out of sleep; for salvation is nearer to us now, then when we first believed. The night is far spent; the day is at hand, let us therefore put off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Let us walk decently, as in the day; not in banqueting and drunken entertainments, not in uncleannesses and wantonness, not in strife and envy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the desires thereof.
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together, in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Yet we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery,
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: in wickedness be ye as infants, but in understanding be ye grown men.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity,
And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Of whom the whole read more. family in heaven and earth is named) That he would give you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith: That being rooted and grounded in love, ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
forbearing one another in love, Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, by the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, as ye are also called in one hope of your calling; read more. One Lord, one faith, one baptism:
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, by the ignorance that is in them, through the hardness of their hearts:
Be ye therefore followers of God, as beloved children: And walk in love,
Being persuaded of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ,
For it is God that worketh in you according to his good pleasure, both to will and to do.
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected: but I pursue, if I may apprehend that, for which I was also apprehended by Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men; the Lord is at hand. read more. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things: Which also ye have learned and received, and heard and seen in me; these do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.
Who also declared to us your love in the spirit. For this cause from the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray also for you, and to desire that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
For this cause from the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray also for you, and to desire that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye may walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; read more. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness: Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature. For through him were created all things, that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist, And he is the head of his body the church; who is the beginning, the first-begotten from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father, that all fulness should dwell in him: And by him to reconcile all things to himself (having made peace by him, through the blood of the cross) whether things on earth, or things in heaven. And you that were once alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, he hath now reconciled, By the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy, and spotless, and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and are not removed from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard, which is preached to every creature that is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister.
Whom we preach, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, that we may present every man perfect through Christ Jesus.
And above all these put on love, which is the bond of perfection:
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayer, that ye may stand, perfect and filled, with all the will of God.
For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the captain of their salvation through sufferings.
became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him,
Concerning whom we have many things to say, and hard to be explained, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
If then perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what farther need was there that another priest should rise, after the order of Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is also necessarily a change of the law. read more. For he of whom these things are spoken, pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man attended on the altar. For it is evident, that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood. And it is still far more evident, because another priest is raised up, after the likeness of Melchidek, Who was made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For it is testified, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek. For verily there is a disannulling of the preceding commandment, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh to God.
For the law maketh men high priests that have infirmity; but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, which could not perfect the worshiper as to his conscience,
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
did not receive the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they might not be perfected without us.
and to an innumerable company, To the general assembly of angels, and to the church of the first born, who are inrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight thro' Christ Jesus; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
that ye may be perfect and intire, wanting nothing.
descending from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
But whoso looketh diligently into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and continueth therein, this man being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be happy in his doing.
For in many things we offend all. If any one offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom tho' ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.