From the Greek word teleios. It means, "having reached its end (telos), finished, complete, perfect." It can be used for physical growth--to become mature or grown up. It is often used of the spiritual, or ethical, part of man--to be full-grown, mature, complete--to be perfect, as God is perfect. This spiritual perfection does not necessarily depend upon one's age or physical maturity. One may be old in years but still be a "baby" in their spiritual goodness or perfection. Likewise, one young in years may be in the mature stages of gaining the goodness or perfection, which God displays toward us. Hebrews 5:11-14 says, "We have much to say about this [the mature subjects that the Hebrew writer wanted to explain to these children of God], but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary Truths of God's Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the MATURE, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
This perfection we seek comes about by studying the Will of God--the Word of God--and putting it into active use in our daily lives. This feeding upon the Word of God is to allow the Holy Spirit, Who was given to us when we believed and obeyed the Lord, to work in us. The Holy Spirit works in us to make us perfect--mature, full-grown and complete in Christ--THROUGH the Word of God. This Word was written down my men who spoke from God as they were carried along by the Spirit, (2 Peter 1:21). These Words given by the Holy Spirit are GOD'S WORDS, the Holy Spirit speaking only the Words given Him by God, (John 16:12-15). The person without the Spirit cannot mature because he/she does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. The person who is in Christ and is maturing accepts the spiritual Truths that come from the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 2:1-16). This Word is INSPIRED--God's breath on you as you study it and put it to use in your daily life, (2 Timothy 3:16). This Word--God's breath--IS Christ, Who IS Life; this Word--God's breath--IS Christ, Who IS Truth; this Word--God's breath--IS Christ, Who is the Way we should live and grow and mature, the Way home to the Father, (John 14:6). Jesus wants us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, (Matthew 5:48). To live God's perfect Word is to become like God in His perfection. In other words, when perfection (God's Word) is working in one, the result can only be perfection. One no longer conforms to the imperfection of the world, but is transformed by the renewing of one's mind. Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's Will is--His good, pleasing and perfect Will."
Since we have God's promises, we are to constantly be in the process of purifying ourselves, and perfecting holiness out of reverence for God, (2 Corinthians 7:1). God's power is made perfect in us who are weak, (2 Corinthians 12:9). God's children are to aim for perfection, (2 Corinthians 13:11). The Scriptures, God's Word, thoroughly, or completely or perfectly equips a man for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God's love is made complete, or perfect, in the one who obeys His Word (by walking as Jesus did), (1 John 2:5-6).
Perfection in Christ is God's Word put into ACTION in our lives. It is the continuing process of living for righteousness--the continuing process of being made right with God--being justified in the sight of God. Christ left us that example to follow. 1 Peter 2:21-25 says, "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.' When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." Christ was made perfect by being reverently submissive to His Father and learning obedience from what He suffered, (Hebrews 5:8-9). Christ, the Author of our salvation, was made perfect through suffering, (Hebrews 2:10). By one sacrifice, Christ made perfect forever those who are being made holy, (Hebrews 10:14). Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith, (Hebrews 12:2). The spirits of righteous people are made perfect, (Hebrews 12:22-24). The birth we receive into a new life through Jesus Christ is a good and perfect gift from God, (James 1:17-18). Striving for perfection requires diligence, intensity, perseverance, and the action of obedience. James 1:25 says, "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does." We are to be made perfect in love, (1 John 4:18).
Does being perfect (mature and complete in Christ Jesus) mean that the Christian will never sin? No. We are to read and study the Word of God so that we may not sin. But if we do sin while we are striving for perfection in our daily lives and trying our best to live in obedience to the Will of God, Jesus speaks in our defense. Read 1 John 1:1-10 and 1 John 2:1-6.
(See also Sin / Sinful / Sinner, Word....)
From the Greek word dioko. It means (a) to put to flight, to drive away; (b) to pursue, to drive out. The idea is that of a dog constantly nipping at the heels of a person. The dog will not stop, and the person feels a constant sense of fear, dread and danger. In the case of Christians suffering persecution for the sake of righteousness (being right with God--justified), persecution can range from insults and ridicule to imprisonment and death. Christians are told that they WILL be persecuted, (John 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:9; 2 Corinthians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:12; Hebrews 11:32-40). Christians should ENDURE persecution, (1 Corinthians 4:11-13), and not give up because of persecution, (Matthew 13:20-21). Christians are called "Blessed" (meaning, "happy," or "supreme blessedness; exalted happiness") when they suffer and endure persecution, (Matthew 5:11-12). Christians are to pray for those that persecute them, (Matthew 5:44), and they are to bless those who persecute them, (Romans 12:14).
(See also Blessed, Righteous / Righteousness.)
From the Greek word hupomone, meaning "an abiding under," (hupo, under, and meno, to abide). It can be translated "perseverance" or "patience." This patience, or perseverance, grows only in trial, James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
In its passive form, it is usually translated "patience," meaning the ability to endure (to last, to persist, to suffer firmly or patiently, to bear, to tolerate, to continue, to abide, to last for the duration, to have the ability to withstand hardship or stress, to have fortitude)--endurance in trials and trouble, generally, Luke 21:19: "By standing firm [being patient, enduring] you will gain life;" Romans 12:12: "Be joyful in hope, patient [able to endure] in affliction, faithful in prayer;" James 1:12: "Blessed is the man who perseveres [endures; has patience] under trial, because when he has stood the test [when he has completed this patience/endurance], he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." This passive patience/endurance/perseverance is also manifest in trials one may encounter in service to the Lord and His Gospel: 2 Corinthians 6:4: "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance [patience - bearing up under trials]; in troubles, hardships and distresses;" 2 Corinthians 12:12: "The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance [patience, endurance under persecution and/or doubt, continuing even though the burden is great]". This passive patience is also endurance under undeserved affliction as in 1 Peter 2:20-21: "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure [bear up under it, accept and then go on] it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure [bear up under the burden of suffering even though you did no wrong] it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps."
In its active form, hupomone is usually translated "persistence or perseverance." This is not a passive acceptance of "what must be" in Christ as rendered in "patience." This is action that persists in spite of difficulties. This is a constant progress in a chosen direction with a perceived goal in mind, and nothing will stop you from attaining that goal. It is a patient, steady, consistent pressing onward. This active persistence or perseverance is what we must display in doing good, Romans 2:7: "To those who by persistence [perseverance--the patient, consistent action required] in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life." Active perseverance is also required in fruit bearing, Luke 8:15: "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering [actively persevere, persist, progress, strive to attain--without being drawn away from the desired result] produce a crop." And it is this same active persistence or perseverance that enables us to run the race which has been marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1-3: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance [actively pursue, ‘keep on keeping on,' no matter what the obstacles or difficulties are] the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured [the passive patience in suffering an undeserved punishment] the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him Who endured [again, the passive patience that accepts what must be endured--to bear patiently--so that the goal is attained] such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
[Parts taken from Great People of the Bible and How They Lived: ] A party, or sect, among the Jews that laid great stress upon the observance of rites and ceremonies. They made a pretense of superior piety and separated themselves from the common people though they claimed to be the democratic, progressive new party of the common man. In Jerusalem the Pharisees lived in several communities. Membership was limited to men who had demonstrated their ability to follow scribal teachings. Each community had a leader and followed a stringent set of rules. Members were required to fast twice a week, to observe fixed daily hours of prayer and to take part in a weekly communal meal. The Pharisees saw themselves as practicing the ideal way of life and were convinced that their communities would form the core of the community of the righteous in the Lord's kingdom. They were often contemptuous of the masses of people who did not live as they did. The masses, on the other hand, looked up to them as models of perfect piety. They were believers in the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the existence of angels and spirits, (Acts 23:6-8). Like the Scribes--the Teachers of the Law--they loved to be seen of men, dressing in flowing robes with long tassels, and wearing the larger prayer boxes (phylacteries) so that all could see them and be in awe of them. They, like the Scribes, could not understand how Jesus taught with authority because they knew that He had not been taught in any scribal school, nor had He sat at the feet of any of the great Rabbis--Teachers of the Law. They despised Jesus for His use of the Scriptures and for showing the people that they [the Pharisees] were truly ugly, unclean, hypocritical vipers who appeared righteous on the outside but were really like a dead man's tomb on the inside--full of vile and corrupt things. (Read all of Matthew, chapter 23.)
In the time of Jesus there was much hostility between the Pharisees and another party, or sect, called the Sadducees. The Sadducees tolerated foreign rule (the Romans) while the Pharisees opposed Roman rule, refused to take the oath of allegiance to the emperor and more than once participated in short-lived revolts against Rome. The Pharisees greatest influence was in the realm of religious thinking and daily ritual, and they therefore controlled the synagogues, while the Sadducees controlled the temple and its rituals. Even though these two parties were very hostile toward each other, they joined together with other groups to unite against Jesus. For their own very separate reasons, both parties saw Jesus as a self-styled prophet, a dangerous enemy, and together they concluded that He must be brought to trial and condemned to death, (John 11:45-54; John, chapter 18).
(See also Herodians, Sadducees, Scribes / Teachers of the Law / Expert in the Law.)
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea (where Jerusalem was located) from A.D. 26 to 36. His official residence was in Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast. When he came to Jerusalem, he stayed in the magnificent palace built by Herod the Great, located west and a little south of the temple area. The Gospel of Mark uses the word "Praetorium" to indicate this palace, and it was here that the Roman trial of Jesus took place. When Pilate asked the Jews, "What charges are you bringing against this man (Jesus)?" the Jews knew that they had no charges that would stand up in a Roman court of law. Pilate proclaimed Jesus innocent three times, but because of his fear of the Jews, he washed his hands of the whole business and turned Jesus over to Roman soldiers to be crucified, (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 18 and 19, Acts 3:13, Acts 4:27, Acts 13:28, 1 Timothy 6:13). Pilate helped in the killing of the innocent Son of God, and thus was part of the plan to fulfill God's plan of reconciliation for mankind.
(See also Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes / Teachers of the Law / Expert in the Law.)
"Poor" is from the Greek word ptochos. When used as an adjective, it describes one who crouches and cowers. It can also be used as an adjective to mean "beggarly", or "poverty-stricken, powerless to enrich oneself." When it is used as a noun, it means "beggar" (from ptosso, meaning, "to cower down or hide oneself for fear"). The Greek word prosaites describes a beggar, and stresses his begging, but ptochos stresses the beggar's poverty-stricken condition. Therefore, "the poor in spirit" talked about in Matthew 5:3 is used as a metaphor to show a contrast with those whose spirits are proud and self-sufficient, needing no one and nothing. They will NOT turn to and seek God and His salvation. The "poor in spirit" KNOW that they must reach out to God for their salvation because they are powerless to save themselves. The "poor in spirit" KNOW that they are in a condition of spiritual poverty, and they are blessed when they fear the Lord and do His Will. The Lord then puts them in a favorable circumstance--the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. In our modern language, we might say that the one who is "poor in spirit" has "reached the bottom of the barrel", and REALIZES where he is. With this realization comes the knowledge that he must reach out to God, or be doomed to cower down and hide forever because he cannot "climb out of the barrel" himself. The kingdom is NOT a PAYMENT to the "poor in spirit". God does not pay anyone for the sinful condition in which they live. But the Kingdom of Heaven IS a GIFT from God to one who knows he is powerless to enrich himself, and who seeks, asks, knocks--reaches out for the gift of eternal life. God offers the happiness (blessedness) of a transformed, or, changed, condition. Colossians 1:13 says, "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness [the bottom of the barrel!--sin and death--living in the condition of sin without hope] and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." In this new condition, we no longer cower down or hide ourselves for fear, but we DO keep the humble attitude of one who, in the past, was without hope, but NOW has a sure hope of salvation, (Titus 3:1-8). No one can EARN this payment of the Kingdom of Heaven (2 Timothy 1:8-10). But one can KNOW one's spiritually poverty-stricken condition and SEEK the Kingdom of Heaven--the free gift of God bought with the blood of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
(See also Blessed.)
From the Greek word proorizo, meaning "to mark out beforehand, to determine before, to foreordain." Romans 8:29 says, "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." Many people believe that this verse says that God "predestined" certain specific people to be saved--that He knows their names before they are ever born--and that all other people will be lost. They spread the false teaching that no one has a choice about their salvation--that God has it all planned--who will be saved and who will be lost. This is not true. God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34-35 says, "Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.'" God foreknew that some people would accept the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but He also foreknew that many would reject the Gospel. Romans 2:8 says, "But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the Truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." (See also 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.)
God foreknew that those who, by their faith, became obedient to the Gospel would receive certain blessings. Romans 8:30 continues this discussion by saying, "And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." Those who hear the Word of God and have faith are predestined to be called. They are called by the Word of God. They are predestined to be adopted sons of God through Jesus Christ. They are predestined according to God's plan, and He works out everything in conformity with His Will. (See 1 Corinthians 1:23-24; Galatians 1:6-7; Ephesians 4:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Peter 5:10; 2 Peter 1:3-4.) They hear it, and they believe it--they have faith. Those who are called by the Word of God, having faith, are then obedient to the Gospel commands, and they then become justified--made right in the eyes of God by the cleansing blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who are baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and, therefore, stand justified in the eyes of God are predestined to be glorified.
God foreknew that all of these things would happen to a believer because that was His plan from the beginning, (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). He planned from the beginning to provide a Way for people to come back to Him--to be reconciled to Him. God provided the plan of salvation and provided certain promises for those who WILLINGLY--by their own choice--accepted His plan--the Good News. Jesus completed the plan of salvation, being the "firstborn among many brothers"--those who would be born again (a spiritual birth--baptism--which was the natural culmination of their obedient faith in Him, John 3:1-8; 1 Peter 1:23). These children of God would then "conform" their lives to be like God's Son, living and serving and maturing in His Word, (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:14-16). And now it is up to mankind to either accept or reject God's plan of salvation. The fate of those who accept God's plan of salvation is eternal life, (Romans 6:22-23). The fate of those who reject God's plan of salvation is eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Revelation 20:11-15, which was also "predestined" for those who do not believe on Jesus Christ.
From the Greek word hilaskomai. It means "to gain or regain the favor of; to appease." To the Greeks, who had many "gods," it meant that their gods did not possess good will as a natural attitude. Therefore, the Greeks had to earn the favor of the gods first. This use of the word is NOT used with God the Father. The word is NEVER used as an action of man to make God have a favorable attitude or gracious feeling toward man. Man cannot earn God's favor. God is propitiated by the rightness--justice--of His holy and righteous character. He cannot go against what He is! His righteousness demands justice for sins. God is appeased by God! In other words, through the plan He made of the offering of Christ (Who willingly took OUR sins upon Himself and atoned for OUR sins--reconciling us back to God by His shed blood) God has dealt with sin, opening the Way so that sin might be removed from US, letting us stand pure before God. God, in the form of Jesus Christ--the Son of God, Who came among us as a man--the Son of Man, has dealt with sin, and now God can show mercy to the BELIEVING sinner in the removal of his guilt and remission of his sins. But man must obey by faith all the commands of God.
Romans 3:25 (King James Version of the Bible) says, "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" The New International Version of the Bible translates "propitiation" as "sacrifice of atonement": "and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--"
1 John 2:1-2 (KJV) says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." The NIV translates "propitiation" here as "atoning sacrifice": "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have One Who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 4:10 (KJV) says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The NIV translates "propitiation" here as "an atoning sacrifice": "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
The sacrifice of Jesus appeased God's wrath--His tremendous anger about sin. The one who believes on Jesus is delivered from the justly deserved wrath of God NOT because the believer paid any price, but because GOD paid the price for our sins. The BELIEVER then comes under the covenant of grace. God is never reconciled to man. Man has made himself God's enemy by the separation caused by sin. MAN needs to be reconciled to God, and not God to man. God is always the same. Since He is Himself unchangeable and unchanging (His wrath against sin will always remain the same, and His judgment of wrath against the unchanged sinner will always be the same), His relative attitude DOES change towards those who change and conform to His likeness. His wrath is no longer against the BELIEVING sinner who has listened to and believed on His Son, and thus has repented of his past life of sin, confessed that Jesus is truly the Son of God, and been buried with Him in baptism, rising to begin a new life IN the Son of God, continuing in this change. This is an obedient faith. With this, God is well pleased. (Doing that which is pleasing to God is "godly" or "godliness".) God can act differently towards those who come to Him by faith, and this is done completely on the foundation of the "propitiatory" sacrifice of Christ. God does not act differently towards those who come to Him by faith because HE (God) has changed, but because He always acts according to His unchanging righteousness. And those who come to Him by faith are made righteous by the blood of His Own Son, and THEY do the changing.
The work of the Cross is atonement--the Way to be reconciled back to God. The work of the Cross is the Way that the barrier--the separation, which sin puts between God and man, is broken down. By the giving up of His sinless life in a willing sacrifice for ALL people, Christ annuls (makes void, makes useless, makes powerless) the power of sin to separate between God and the BELIEVER. The WAY is now open for LIFE to any person who will listen to, accept and OBEY the TRUTH. Man must make the choice to either reject this Gift of God--the grace (unmerited or undeserved favor; kindness) of God which IS His sacrificed and resurrected Son, or to humbly accept the price he could never pay for his own sins, but which has been paid already by Jesus, the One Who appeased God on our behalf.
Man has forfeited (given up) his life on account of sin, and God has provided the One and Only Way whereby eternal life could be given to man. That One and Only Way was the voluntary laying down of His life by His Son, under Divine retribution. The awful price for sin had to be paid. We do not have to pay that price. We could NOT pay that price. The ONLY perfect sacrifice that would appease God's wrath was the Perfect Son of God. Those who come to God, obeying Him by faith, and who remain faithful are promised eternal life by God the Father. Those who reject God are promised eternal destruction because they are not under the propitiatory blood of Christ, and God's anger is NOT taken from them.
(See also Atone / Atonement / Atoning, Just / Justice, Reconcile / Reconciliation.)
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