Nobody’s perfect was spoken by Joe E. Brown in the film titled ‘some like it hot’ by Billy Wilder in 1959. Nobody is perfect is also the name of an Italian Restaurant in New York City. Hannah Montana sang it – Nobody is perfect. Jessie J also sang it – Nobody is perfect. And today, it is widely known and commonly say and admit that nobody is perfect – exclusively sinners and for the ignorance and them that know not God, being alienated from the life of Christ, through the ignorance that is in them. But the enemy is using this phrase to snare, captivate and enslaves regenerated and sanctified souls in Christ called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2) which ought to graduate from elementary teachings about Christ and move on to perfection to get stuck in the works of the flesh though (leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Hebrews 6:1) they have received the Spirit of God living in them whose major work is to teach them into all truth, empower and bring them into the same level, statute and the attainable heights of the spirits of just men made perfect. We have examples of such people like Samuel who was the first great prophet in Israel who let none of God’s word fall to the ground in complete and perfect obedient. The Message bible translation says, its prophetic record was flawless. We also have the example of the priest couple Zachariah and Elizabeth his wife that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 1 Samuel 3:19. Luke 1:6. Hebrews 12:23. You must be thoughtful and mindful of God’s expectations and your responsibility to go on to perfection. Christ demands it – the disciple is not above his master, but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master. Luke 6:40. Christ commands us to practice it – be ye therefore perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48. You must pray and seek that you might be made perfect and complete in all the will of God through grace, faith and lifestyles. Colossians 4:12.
The saint’s perfection in Christ is not an aversion therapy of behaviour modification that uses unpleasant stimuli in a control fashioned to alter behaviour in a therapeutic way primarily used for people addicted to alcohol. In Hebrews Chapter 2 verses 10, we learnt about Christ that it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. In order words, Christ endured and suffered the cross to establish and prepare the way as our forerunner to perfection in him, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. It is going to be the same way Christ did by suffering the flesh by (those that are in Christ or belongs to him have crucified the flesh with its affection and lusts. Galatians 5:24) denying and resisting its cravings and demands upon us through the indwelling Holy Spirit -if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die (though you are born again, you’ll go to hell) but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death – give the old life a decent burial and let it go) the deeds of the body, ye shall live – make heaven. Romans 8:13. It is written of Christ, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Hebrews 5:7-9.
We must quit like men ready for war and stand up to engage sin in conflict of good fight of faith to lay hold of eternal life, for we have not yet resisted unto blood (which Christ has shed for us) striving against sin. Hebrews 12:4. The temptations must be resisted, endured and overcome patiently through grace and power received by prayer (my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers’ temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4) and by application and continuity in the perfect law of liberty, which is the word of God (James 1:25) so that patience might complete his work of perfection of Christ righteousness which by faith in you, and that that which is written by the Psalmist might be fulfilled in you – blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Psalms 119:1-3. The saints’ practices rightoeusness at all times (Psalms 106:3) and they strive to walk the narrow way and the straight gate without deviation to do no iniquity. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 2:29.
Crucifying the affections of the flesh and its lusts is our cross to bear and endure against the fleshly lusts that wages war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11. This is equivalent to suffering the flesh to cease or free from sin (forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. 1 Peter 4:1) which is absolutely essential and impossible to evade, though it is going to be progressive by the strait of staying aware of our responsibilities to keep cleansing ourselves from all the filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting (growing in Christ to live without a flaw) holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1. You may fail, defiled and fall along the way, but this is the reason you have the provision and allowances from 1 John 1 verses 8-10 that you might confess, repent and forsake (he that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13) to rise up from the place you have fallen and pick it up again where you have failed to do the right thing (exercising yourself in godliness and righteousness. 1 Timothy 4:7) and to overcome the sinful habits and lifestyles, for sin shall not have dominion over you (Romans 6:14) so that Christ should found your work and life perfect before him. Revelation 3:2.
If the Lord’s will, in the following days of this week, we shall see how Jehovah has prepared to bring us into this perfection and completeness in Christ (i) thorough his agents of perfection (ii) the necessity of saint’s perfection and (iii) the lifestyles and practices of perfection and completeness in Christ, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:27-28.