David Alsobrook - Aim for Perfection.

Aim for Perfection

by

David Alsobrook

"Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace.

And the God of love and peace will be with you."

(2 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)

Contents

Special Notice
1 The Glory of Holiness
Holiness is Glorious
Holiness is Beautiful
Holiness is Becoming
Holiness is Eternal
Holiness is a Nature
Called to Holiness
Our Behavior
Sanctification
2 Must We Sin Daily?
Could I possibly Live and Not Sin?
Called to Perfection
3 The Cleansing Agents
Who is Our Sanctifier?
The Cleansing Agents
About the Author

Special Notice

The subject of holiness has long been a controversial subject in the church at large. In the past six years this small volume has sometimes added to that controversy.

The issue of sin in the believer is an important one.

Surely, no Christian can look at this issue lightly, as our eternal position with Christ will be affected with regards to our personal victory, or the lack of it.

Having said this, however, let me hasten to add that there has been the misimpression that I believe in and teach the doctrine of sinless perfection. I do not teach that total sinless perfection is presently obtained by the majority of Christians. I have fallen short of the mark and so have those whom I know. What I am saying, in this book, is that sinlessness should be our goal, our aim, our chief desire.

Otherwise, who can say we are desiring to be like our Heavenly Father who is holy in all His ways? As He is holy, so are we to be holy. If we are not holy as He is holy (and we have not been) then we are to desire to be partakers of His holiness to a larger degree until as He is so are we in this world.

The accuser of the brethren has been faithful to perform his duties of condemnation and guilt over those sincere believers who have read this message and have been overcome with their faults and failures. Such is not the intent of this author, nor the intent of the Author of our salvation.

His Word, some of which is presented herein, is full of exhortations and commands to put off the old man and present our members as instruments of righteousness.

But His Word is also full of mercy, pardon, encouragement, and uplifting for those who stumble, however slightly, in their walk with God. There are those whose lives appear sinless in the eyes of man, but who are still in a progressive state of sanctification, their inward parts still needing change. There may be some whose love is perfected, too, who love the Lord their God with ALL their heart, and ALL their mind, with ALL their soul, and with ALL their strength. They love their neighbors as they love themselves. There may be some who have obtained the prize of the high calling of God. I do not deny it.

After all, our Father is not a trickster, who tells us to be as He is while never providing the how and the way for His children to achieve His goal.

There are some who do not desire to be more than they are. They are content with their walk. They despise this message, as Paul said they would, not realizing they are despising the Holy Spirit (I Thes. 4:7,8).

There are others who yearn for a closer, purer walk with their Father. Some of them allow the devil to discourage them with their shortcomings in the light of God's Word on sin. Be of good cheer, dear ones, for "faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." Will do what? Will "sanctify you wholly" and preserve your "spirit and soul and body" "entire" and "without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thes. 5:23-24).

This book is for those who desire to become all God wants them to be. Let the Holy Spirit encourage you through it.

The Glory of Holiness

With Egypt behind, and Pharaoh and his hosts and chariots swallowed up in the midst of the Red Sea, the children of Israel moved up on the shore. Israel, in a place of victory, and her enemies slain, burst forth with spontaneous jubilee as is recorded in Exodus, Chapter 15.

This song of praise included exhortations, adulations and prophecies, many of which were not fulfilled until forty years later. Notice a portion of their praise to the Lord God:

"Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Exod. 15:11).

Holiness is Glorious

"Who is like thee?" What sets Yahweh apart from every other god, Israel asks.

The three chief characteristic differences between Israel's God and Egypt's idols are:

Glorious in holiness

Fearful in praises

Doing wonders (miracles)

"Glorious in holiness," could be rendered "glorious by holiness," or "glorious because of holiness." It is the holiness of God that makes Him glorious. He is glorious due to His holiness. Holiness is glorious!

When God brings us out of our Egypt (a symbol of the world), and we pass through the Red Sea (compares to the blood) and we stand in the Kingdom of God, we have passed from death unto life. Just as God revealed the glory of holiness a few hours after Israel's deliverance from Egypt, He wishes to reveal to the young believer the reality of a holy life early in his Christian experience.

God wants to make us glorious by His holiness.

"... Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, THAT he might present it to himself a glorious church"

(Eph. 5:25-27).

God has a people that He has redeemed. Christ loved and gave Himself for that people. Thereafter He washes and sanctifies them that He might make them glorious. The church will be glorious in the same way that God is glorious!

"... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY and without blemish"

(Eph. 5:27).

"Not having spot." A spot pictures impurity. God erases or gets out the spots. He blots and washes out the spots. He cleanses with the washing of the water of His Word. God has made the church glorious by imparting His holiness to it.

"Nor wrinkle." Unlike a spot, a wrinkle does not represent uncleanness. Rather, it is a fold or a crease that divides the semblance of smoothness in a garment. Within the body of Christ there are many folds, creases, disunities, and divisions. But only after He washes out the spots, does He iron out the wrinkles. "Without spot" represents the message of purity. "Without wrinkle" portrays the message of unity.

In God's Word, purity always precedes unity. Some have tried to iron out the wrinkles and have left the spots. I would rather have a dirty wrinkled shirt than a dirty ironed shirt. Some have proclaimed unity without first introducing purity. There cannot be unity without purity. A right relationship to God is the basis for a right relationship with one another. If you try to bring unity without purity all you will have is conformity.

In the Song of Solomon, Christ speaks to His bride:

"Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee," then continues with the words: "Come with me" (4:7-8). If we are to "come with Him" we will have to be in the place where He can say, "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." He desires us to be without impurity. He is bringing us into "righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).

We are to desire true holiness, holiness of truth. When Paul used the phrase "true holiness," he automatically implied not all that is called holiness is true. In the church there have been some harsh holiness teachings. Perhaps there is an aversion in some of us toward the word "holiness" because of a leaden experience in which there was an over-emphasis on external observances and religious idiosyncrasies incorrectly labeled "holiness."

All too often Christians have regarded holiness as grievous, but the Word of God says true holiness is GLORIOUS! Most of us will have to change our attitude in order to understand the true concept of holiness. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3).