Becoming Perfect

I used to think that is was possible to "have it all together".  I thought that a Christian who had been saved a long time and was not in ministry must really be on top of things & that they never hurt anyone... Like, how much they love God directly impacts their level of perfection.  I would've denied that wording-- "perfect"-- but when I looked at certain people like Beth Moore or the infamous Billy Graham; perfect was exactly what I thought. What's the secret?  If I just try hard enough and work toward where I think that is... I'll get there.  Eventually.

I'm finally starting to see. 

“I do not admire the term ‘progressive sanctification’, for it is unwarranted by Scripture.
But it is certain that the Christian does grow in grace.
And though his conflict may be as severe in the last day of his life as in the first moment of conversion, yet he does advance in grace —
and all his imperfections and his conflicts within cannot prove that he has not made progress.” 

and Ann Voskamp adds, "Christianity isn’t about growing good — it’s about growing grace-filled" (www.aholyexperience.com).



The testimony of this woman, Corrie ten Boom, I've come to admire more than any other person I've heard of besides Christ had all kinds of things in her life that proved her imperfection & weaknesses over, and over, and over again.  What made her admirable and different, one of the greatest Christians to ever live? She constantly and consistently sought God. If she needed comfort, direction, help, provision, protection, anything... she went to God. She sought forgiveness from Him every time she needed it. If she fell and became distant she bounced back to Him over and over... and her bounce-back-ability became faster and faster.  She was after the heart of God & quite literally followed Him to the ends of the earth until she was united with Him face-to-face in heaven.

What then does God deliver us from, if He's not delivering us to self-perfection?  He is delivering us from all these things we turn to instead of Him for comfort, direction, help, provision, protection, anything... When it comes down to it, He is delivering us from complete self-centeredness and delivering us to Christ-centeredness.  This Christ-centered life is the goal, it is the perfection of heaven... in the midst of failure after failure, living a Christ-centered life grows us in His grace. To Love Him is to Trust Him, and to Trust Him is to Obey Him-- it is the essence of the Christ-centered life.  This life is also evident by the growth of the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, & Self-control.