When the Perfect Comes

"But when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away."

—1 Corinthians 13:10—

We live in an imperfect world. Not because it was created imperfectly, but it became imperfect as a consequence of sin. “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20–21).

And to Adam [God] said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17–19).

The gospel is God’s good news to mankind of a place to live that is perfect:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1–4).

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10–13).

As God prepares heaven as a place to be received (John 14:1–6), we need to prepare ourselves according to what He has revealed to us through His word (Romans 10:17; 14:23;  2 Corinthians 5:7) to receive it. “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28–29; cf. Daniel 2:44).

Are we praying for the kingdom to come? In the prayer Jesus spoke, teaching the apostles to pray (Luke 11:1–4), Jesus began by saying, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come’” (v. 2).

Are we living in holiness? “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13–16).

As we were reading moments before from 2 Peter 3:11–12, “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.”

Again, we prepare ourselves for a place prepared by the Lord. Heaven will be worth it all because there we shall see Him as He is: “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2–3).

A Lesson Learned from a Charcoal Briquette

First things first—the word “briquette” is easier to say than spell. I knew the basics (the potential letters to use) but not exactly how to spell this exciting word. I saw exciting because a briquette is used in the most wonderful way: grilling. And grilling is thrilling!

The main thing that I wanted to convey in this article is a lot more serious than spelling words or food.

The other day when I was preparing the grill, setting up the briquettes and lighting them on fire, I noticed that one of the hot coals was beginning to slip away. There was no feasible way at that moment for me to help it from slipping away from the rest of the white hot coals (I didn’t have gloves to stop it). So, I watched its decline.

It fell from the group of white-hot coals. And initially, it continued as hot as it had been. But it didn’t take but a few moments to become less ashen, and therefore less hot. Actually, within just about five minutes I could pick the briquette up barehanded.

So, I barehanded it back on top of the white-hot coals. And within moments it went back to its ashen and useful state.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23–25).

What Have We Resolved in Our Heart?

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself (Daniel 1:8).

We make hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of choices every day. From the time we wake up to the time we go to bed, we’re making choices. Most of the things we choose may not ever seem to bear much consequence, but there are certainly choices we do make that bear a lot of consequence on the moment and into our future, even into eternity. As the apostle Paul put it: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Satan seeks to distract us from the things that matter most. And what matters most? Our relationship with our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Who we choose marry, who we choose to be friends with, the jobs we choose to make a living, the things we choose to entertain our thoughts … all of these things have a bearing on our relationship with Jesus, for better or worse.

Being a disciple of Jesus doesn’t mean we’re supposed to have nothing to do with the world. But it does mean we need to be wise. In our thinking we need to hold in the highest esteem the relationship we have with our Savior (Matthew 10:34–39). Consider what the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:9–13).

I know a lot of people who know nothing about the Bible remember Matthew 7:1 — “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Part of the problem, honestly, is that a lot of so-called Christians are quite judgmental. Part of the problem, also, is that the world doesn’t seem to understand or appreciate context. Jesus went on to say:

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you (Matthew 7:2–6)

We need to resolve in our hearts — where it all really needs to begin in our service to the Lord — not to “pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Romans 14:13). We need to aim to conform ourselves to God’s way of thinking and behaving by loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43–48). How was Jesus among us? He didn’t act or speak condescendingly, but lovingly (Mark 10:17–23; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Timothy 2:1–6).

Indeed when we’re living right (or trying to live right) someone’s going to have a problem with us (2 Timothy 3:12). But we press on (Hebrews 5:12—6:1; Ephesians 4:11–16). We set our minds on things above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1–3).

If we’re going to resolve in our hearts to be more like Jesus, then we’re going to make the best effort to love others: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this attitude among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3–5).

Resolving to be like Jesus means we’re going to pursue love (1 Corinthians 14:1). Why?

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13:4–8).

Do We Believe Prayer Works?

1 Thess 5:17 reminds us to “pray without ceasing.”

Initially this may sound daunting—pray without ever stopping? We eat without ceasing—every single one of us eats without ceasing because, otherwise, we’d be dead from starvation.

Again, what about our praying? Do we pray without ceasing? How might we know?

In any and every relationship communication is the lifeline—the connecting point. Without communication there’s really no relationship to speak of. God speaks to us through His word: Are we listening to Him?

We all want more faith. That’s great, but how are we helping ourselves to His word? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17).

Are we growing in Christ? Do we only call upon Him in prayer when we’re in need? Or do we make the time in prayer to praise Him?

1 Pet 2:9 reminds us that we “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

James reminds us that if we lack wisdom we are to “ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (1:5-8).

The story is told of a congregation in a farming community that had been praying for rain. After one such prayer had been offered, a little boy sadly assessed it all by saying to his Dad that no one believed. “Why would you say such a thing?” The boy replied, “Because no one’s carrying an umbrella.”

Do we really believe prayer works? Are we asking God for rain and not carrying an umbrella?

Where Is Our Zeal?

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11–14).

Zeal is essential in our service to the Lord. Consider the Lord’s zeal for the Temple:

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:14–17).

Zeal isn’t everything, though. Zeal must be tempered by a knowledge of what it is that God wants (Ephesians 5:6–10). For example, the apostle Paul bore witness to the zeal of some of those Israelites for God, but their zeal was “not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:1–4).

We say things like, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” This is not entirely untrue. But with the Lord and his family — our family in Christ — we’re supposed to grow together; we’re not supposed to be so petty. This doesn’t mean that everything is going to go perfectly at all times, but it does mean that we’re going to bear with one another in love, being eager to maintain unity in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2–3).

Working together requires love. “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. . . . Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:11, 13–15).

Working together requires patience. The first thing the apostle Paul mentions about love is that it is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

Working together requires working together. “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Proverbs 18:1). I know there are times when we might want some space to ourselves. I don’t believe this is always wrong, but if we get to the point that we feel a lot better being alone than with being with brothers and sisters, then there’s a problem. Congregational growth often doesn’t happen because not everyone’s working toward it, which means they’re not even praying about it.

Paul wrote, “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16).

If we think we have nothing to contribute to the growth of the congregation, or we think that’s what others are thinking, then let me be clear: that’s Satan in your ear. Every member has an important part to play in the body of Christ:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. . . . For the body does not consist of one member but of many. . . . But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. . . . Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 18, 27).

So, where’s our zeal for the Lord? Discouragement is real, and can directly affect our zeal for the Lord, and for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. The solution? Look longingly to the cross! “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. . . . but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6, 8).

“Do You Love Me More Than These?”

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, 

“Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

— John 21:15 —

The question Jesus asks Peter has everything to do with priorities. Peter, Andrew, James and John worked as fishermen. The statement Peter makes here is more of a declaration that he was going back to what he knew before he met Jesus three years before.

Jesus is asking us the same question: Do we love Him more than these? We’re not talking about fish, but rather, self, money and family.

Paul warned Timothy, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self” (2 Tim. 3:1–2). Do we seriously believe we’re the first people ever to be so consumed with self? It’s expressed in different ways — selfies, “Have it your way!”, “I’ve gotta have my music!” TV commercials overwhelm us with the idea that we’re the center of the universe; that we’re the standard; that what we think and do is the most important thing. Social media (Facebook, Twitter) urges us to tell the entire world what we think because what we think should matter to everyone, right?

Paul spoke of the promotion of self-made worship (Col. 2:23). Again, we’re in the twenty-first century thinking first-century thoughts! We’re doing what mankind has almost always done: putting self first. Remember, Paul spoke of difficult days where the first thing listed was the love of self. How dangerous self-love is.

When we’re consumed by self, God’s desires don’t really matter so much to us — they might coincide, or they might not. But when we think we matter more than anything, then we’ll ignore what God’s word teaches (Titus 2:11–15). And so we worship the way we want, buying into one of the biggest lies Satan’s ever told us: that it doesn’t matter to God how we worship as long we’re going to the church of our choice!

Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24). “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25).

Paul put it this way: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1–2). Self is the worst standard when it comes to worshipping our Creator — “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” (Rom. 1:25).

Right alongside the misplaced priority of self is the love of money (2 Tim. 3:2). Being moved by the Holy Spirit of God, the apostle Paul wrote, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Tim. 6:6–10). Later in the same context he then added: “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Tim. 6:17–19). As Solomon put it: “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it” (Prov. 15:16).

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matt. 6:24; also read Luke 12:13–21). So why do we try? Do we believe we’re the exception to the rule?

Finally, we can be guilty of putting our families above God: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Jesus didn’t say it would be difficult to be his disciple by putting self and family first, he said we cannot do it.

Do we love Jesus more than these?

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). 

If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).

Speaking the Truth in Love

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in 

every way into him who is the head, into Christ

—Ephesians 4:15—

He who speaks truth declares righteousness, 

but a false witness, deceit.

—Proverbs 12:17—

Not everyone who had the face-to-face opportunity to speak to Jesus while he was on earth used it well. Quite frankly it seems that hardly anyone did. But when the rich young ruler came to Jesus, he asked him an extremely important question: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

What I find most interesting is that what the Lord says in quick response was an essential snapshot of Mosaic Law. “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” The excitement in this man’s reply to Jesus is unmistakable: “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And with a cursory glance into the text we might think the conversation between Jesus and this man was done. But it wasn’t.

The full story of the rich young ruler and Jesus is found in Matthew (19:16–22), Mark (10:17–22) and Luke (18:18–23). One of the most significant details of this story, however, is only found in Mark. We find there: “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).

Jesus loved this man. Some suggest that Jesus felt love for him because of his charm, but there’s nothing in the text of any one of the gospel accounts that would manifest this. It might be—and this just as speculative as anyone else’s guess—that Jesus’ love toward him was because of what he was about to tell him, knowing (possibly) the outcome. We don’t know, but what we do know—again—is that Jesus loved this man and told him the difficult truth that he needed.

The apostle Paul warned Timothy: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:1–4).

Earlier in this second letter to Timothy, the apostle foretold “that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1–4).

We might believe that Paul was exclusively referring to our day and time. Alas, what he wrote could serve as divine commentary to practically all of mankind’s history. We too often give lip-service to truth, much like those in Jesus’ day (Mark 7:1–13), but we don’t want anyone to judge us on what we do (see Matt. 7:24–27). We offer platitudes while forging ahead living the way we want (Psalm 78:34–39).

We desperately need to love the truth (Psalm 119:160; Prov. 23:23; John 8:31–32; 17:17), and love those who are willing to tell us the truth (Prov. 12:17–22; 14:5, 25; Heb. 13:17–18). Paul insisted that he and the others who taught the truth had “renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor. 4:2).

There are very many who do not love the truth (2 Thess. 2:9–12). They have itching ears, accumulating teachers that entertain them. “And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle . . . These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For . . . they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Pet. 2:2–3, 17–19).

Jesus loved the rich young ruler, and spoke the truth in love. “Disheartened by the saying, [the ruler] went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). Jesus didn’t run after him begging him or coercing him into obedience. The truth from Jesus’ mouth accomplished what he purposed, and succeeded in the thing for which he sent it (Isa. 55:11).