Perfect in Christ

What is a "perfect" Christian? The word perfect does NOT mean sinless.
It DOES mean 'mature? So how do I recognize maturity in myself?
I am going to give the texts with very little commentary
because I think GOD has said it quite clearly and He does not requie
a great deal of elaboration by me. So here are some signs that
I am mature or at least maturing:
1. Forgetting the past reaching for the future:
Philippians 3:13-15
"Let us therefore,
as many of us as be perfect, be thus minded...
forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.'
2. Carnality - envy, strife, division = NO unity:
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
"And I brethren could not speak unto you as spiritual,
but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in CHRIST..."
"...for you are yet carnal: for whereas
there is among you envying, strife, and divisions
are you not carnal, and walk as men?"
3. knowing the Father intimately:
1 John 2:12-14
"I write unto you little children..."
"I write unto young men..."
"I write unto you fathers because you have known
the Father... because you have known Him that is from the beginning."
the 'know' is an intimate knowledge NOT an academic knowledge;
[a topic for another time].
4. being spiritual - living in the Spirit NOT under law = love:
Galatians 5:22
"The fruit of the SPIRIT is love, joy peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,
against such there is no law."
5. the "body" characterized by unity, eddification of one another, love, truth:
Ephesians 4:14-16
"That we henceforth (from here on) be no more children..."
but speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things...
makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
(note "all things", in verse 15/16)
It would be appropriate to summerize these scriptures by saying intimacy with the Father brings walking in the Spirit which results in unconditional love thus breaking down the walls of division and bringing unity and edification to the body of Christ - the church.

MAN TO KNOW< GOD TO BE KNOWN

Some time has passed since I last posted and there is reason not easily explained for that. To know GOD sometimes takes much waiting upon Him, and so it has been: But I know not that even now He has actually moved me to write or if the movie I just watched, "The Grace of My Heart", has moved me to pursue that which thrills my heart and brings me a sense of being where I belong - and where is that? - here expressing what He has shown me of Himself for our own personal relationship. So what ever drives me in this oh so wee hour of the morning, here I sit in hopes that something that is shared herein will be used by my Father to touch your heart for your edification and the furtherance of your pursuit of the knowledge - experiential - of the heart of the Creator. It has long been my conviction that GOD created man for the purpose of Him being known, not only by the "principalities and powers in heavenly places" (Ephesians 3) but by His creation also. Take for example the statement King David of Israel - under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - writes in a song, Psalm 106, "...nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known." The key phrase here is "...to be known." He desires to be known; He desires His mighty power to be known. GOD wants us to know how very powerful He is. He desires it not out of pride, but rather because He is GOD - He is almighty, none more powerful. In fact He gives out power. He, Jesus, said to Pilate the Roman potentate over Jerusalem, that He would have no power unless GOD had given it to him. That's power: When the only power available to any one is the power you give them you can honestly and rightful say you are all powerful - and GOD wants that known. Besides are we not like sheep who would walk off a cliff were it not for His protection, who would starve to death were it not for His provision, who would walk in darkness were it not for Him speaking light into existence? How much power when a mere shh calms the raging waves of the sea, when a mere word brings worlds into being, when one can pick up a handful of dirt, mold into the shape of a human being and then breathe into the nostrils of that mold clay and it become a living soul. How much power? And where is the pride in desiring it to be known? Is it not for our own benefit that He find glory, is it not our honor to be the vessels He uses to demonstrate His power in and with and through? Why would we not want to see such glory? Why would we shun such power in our lives. To grasp the fact that GOD wants to be known is paramount to the understanding of His heart - If indeed a man can even begin to fathom the depths of the infinite GOD. So I would challenge you to seek to know Him - not know about Him - but rather strife for that intimacy, that experiential knowledge of the one who created you and I out of the dirt He created, and then breathed life into our soul. And I would encourage you to ask GOD for a heart that desires to see His power and not man's.