Perfect Equals Complete.

We are to be perfect.  You heard me. Now, what definition of perfection are we talking about? Completeness.

You read that correctly. Completeness. We don't often think of being perfect as being complete, but rather being without flaws in many ways. When we are complete in Christ, or seek completeness in Christ we are striving for the perfection spoken of here in Philippians.

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Php 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. 

Here Paul is talking about pressing towards the mark…the goal, and why was he pressing towards the mark, because he wanted the prize. What prize was Paul seeking? The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The prize of being of God in Christ Jesus! The glorious, wondrous, prize of all that it means to be called of God in Christ Jesus. And Paul goes on to say as many as be PERFECT…   and he was not talking about perfect looks, perfect without any flaws whatsoever, he was saying as many as be complete think this way- think of pressing towards the mark, think of attaining the prize and if we are thinking any other way, about any other prize GOD WILL REVEAL IT TO US.

God will reveal to us when we are no longer fixing our eyes on the prize but dwelling upon other things that will leave us far from being complete in Him. As long as we do NOT grieve the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will convict us upon every point when we are not on that narrow path. Every single detour we make that keeps us from the completeness we would have in Christ Jesus will be laden with signs. You know what I mean. Think of it this way. When there is road work being done around my neighborhood and I'm out for a drive intent on driving down a familiar road but I come to a sign that says detour, I turn off the familiar road and go down a less familiar one. On that road I will look for other detour signs because once you take a detour you want directions to lead you back to the familiar route you know will get you to your destination. When we are intent on following our Savior, seeking to find the completeness that can ONLY be found in Him, we need to keep HIM in our minds always. When our minds turn inward towards selfish, self-serving, self-focused pursuits we have taken one of a million detours Satan has put on our path to distract us. Satan would have us believe that the detour is the better route, the safest route because the route we are on is a treacherous one. Satan lies.  Satan will never guide us back to Christ Jesus, never.  The Holy Spirit will reveal to us that the detours we go on are in fact leading us in the wrong direction (WRONG WAY SIGNS) and THEN He will guide us towards the route God would have us take as we daily live pressing on towards that mark.

Php 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. 

God will reveal to us if we are not His- IF we are truly seeking to be complete in Him and then He will lead us the right way.

Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 

Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 

We have examples of how we are to live. We have examples of what our lives should be like. We have to follow those examples. We have to study the lives of those who have gone before us. God has not left us clueless. Often it might seem that way. The thought that when the Apostles and disciples as well as the earliest of Christ followers taught by them were upon the earth their lives were so much simpler, is something that can put a huge speed bump in a Christ follower's walk today.  The technology, the modern ways of life, everything is so much different than way back a couple thousand years ago. Our temptations are so much harder to resist- Paul didn't have the temptation of ungodly entertainment- or did he? He did, but NOT in the many forms we have it in. Bottom line- the path to destruction has existed from the moment sin entered the world. Our examples from two thousand years ago gave us the basic guide by ultimately summing the matter up for us in telling us that God needs to be FIRST in our lives, and loving others with the compassion of God needs to be NEXT.  So that leaves us with the forever realization no matter how many years pass- that anything else will lead us away from Christ Jesus, not towards Him.  Simple, really, no matter the new forms of old temptations.

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Today the enemies of the cross of Christ are all those whose God is their belly. They are RULED by their base passions.  We are all inclined to indulge our appetite in order to live, but when our appetite becomes what we live for it is abused. So if your God is your belly- you are living for your belly- for yourself. If you glory in living for yourself you are glorying in the things of earth, not of heaven. 

We need to have our CONVERSATIONS heaven focused, our Savior- the Lord Jesus Christ resides in heaven as our Advocate. It is our Lord who will change our vileness so we are like Him. We cannot change ourselves, but we must seek forever the One who can change us.

May we press on towards the mark always heeding the Holy Spirit should we tend to detour off the mark. May we find completeness in the only place we truly can, Christ Jesus. May we live our lives for God and as a result of living for Him, live for others. May we live focused heavenward where our Savior resides, knowing all the vileness that makes us up now will be changed by Him into something glorious as He is glorious- our completeness in Him.

All through the love, grace, and mercy of our Lord and Savior. May His will be done in us always as it is heaven. May He be our righteousness, our hope, our glory. All honor and praise, all thanksgiving unto HIM, now and forever!!!!!!!

Amen.