You Have To Be Perfect
“For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18-19.
The Law made nothing perfect. No one was perfected by it before God. The Law was given to the Hebrews around 1446 BC, but sin, in a real sense, reigned over all of humanity from Adam (the Fall of man) to Jesus. Question, reader: how perfect do we have to be to enter God’s heaven? To enter his very presence, how righteous must we be? What do you think? Do you have to be perfect? John writes: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. How clean must those robes be? In the chapter prior, John again: “Nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27. I will argue that one must be perfect to not go to hell. Yes. 100% Perfect. So, who’s going in? I guess it’ll just be God and his elect angels there, right? How many sins did it require for Adam’s eyes to be opened to his (and our) expulsion? Just…one…sin. I’d argue in the inverse then that not one sin can remain to enter heaven! Not a single one! That’s how perfect we must be. We must have all sin gone. We must have our robes washed from every stain. No defilement enters heaven. None!
Reader, no, the Law never perfected anyone, but God has. Since long before the Law was even given, with his eyes on his Cross, God has extended his graces to his elect. Yes, that’s not everyone, but of that whole sea of humanity presented in Revelation 5, not one of them “deserved” God’s grace. John cried (vs. 4) at this fact when he says, “No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.” All of this intentionally sets up the Godman, Jesus of Nazareth, the one we call the Christ to loose the scrolls.
Back to Hebrews. Jesus’ incarnate life (he’s eternal God) merits him the title “perfect” in Hebrews 7:28. He alone is the “Son made perfect forever.” So, he’s perfect. But the author’s main point is that this perfect one is the Christian’s mediator, see 8:1. The writer crystalizes his main point as he continues. By the time we get to 10:14, through the New Covenant God has made, we’re told that it’s not just the Son who is spoken of as perfect, but that he: “Once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26. Whose sin? He had none (cf. vs. 14), so it wasn’t his sin he put away. Was it the sin of any of the angels? No. Was it the Father’s or Spirit’s sins? No, of course not. So, whose sins were “put away” by the perfect one’s Cross and New Covenant? Bow down! “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14. Reader, the perfect one, by his perfect covenant, has perfected his church. There is a perfection in full yet to come, but perfections are also already enjoyed. If you miss this, you miss the Gospel. Romans 4:1-8.
You must be perfect to enter heaven. Nothing less than perfect. There’s only one man who can make that happen, and he’s right there where you are. Repent. Trust in him alone who died and rose again from death. He shares his glory with no one. He shares his glory with no ordinances (or sacraments). He shares none of his glory with anyone or anything else. Trust in him and you show yourself already perfected…as you are being sanctified.
Here's more:
https://subsplash.com/bibleciacom/media/mi/+yhyg24x
The Law made nothing perfect. No one was perfected by it before God. The Law was given to the Hebrews around 1446 BC, but sin, in a real sense, reigned over all of humanity from Adam (the Fall of man) to Jesus. Question, reader: how perfect do we have to be to enter God’s heaven? To enter his very presence, how righteous must we be? What do you think? Do you have to be perfect? John writes: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. How clean must those robes be? In the chapter prior, John again: “Nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27. I will argue that one must be perfect to not go to hell. Yes. 100% Perfect. So, who’s going in? I guess it’ll just be God and his elect angels there, right? How many sins did it require for Adam’s eyes to be opened to his (and our) expulsion? Just…one…sin. I’d argue in the inverse then that not one sin can remain to enter heaven! Not a single one! That’s how perfect we must be. We must have all sin gone. We must have our robes washed from every stain. No defilement enters heaven. None!
Reader, no, the Law never perfected anyone, but God has. Since long before the Law was even given, with his eyes on his Cross, God has extended his graces to his elect. Yes, that’s not everyone, but of that whole sea of humanity presented in Revelation 5, not one of them “deserved” God’s grace. John cried (vs. 4) at this fact when he says, “No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.” All of this intentionally sets up the Godman, Jesus of Nazareth, the one we call the Christ to loose the scrolls.
Back to Hebrews. Jesus’ incarnate life (he’s eternal God) merits him the title “perfect” in Hebrews 7:28. He alone is the “Son made perfect forever.” So, he’s perfect. But the author’s main point is that this perfect one is the Christian’s mediator, see 8:1. The writer crystalizes his main point as he continues. By the time we get to 10:14, through the New Covenant God has made, we’re told that it’s not just the Son who is spoken of as perfect, but that he: “Once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26. Whose sin? He had none (cf. vs. 14), so it wasn’t his sin he put away. Was it the sin of any of the angels? No. Was it the Father’s or Spirit’s sins? No, of course not. So, whose sins were “put away” by the perfect one’s Cross and New Covenant? Bow down! “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14. Reader, the perfect one, by his perfect covenant, has perfected his church. There is a perfection in full yet to come, but perfections are also already enjoyed. If you miss this, you miss the Gospel. Romans 4:1-8.
You must be perfect to enter heaven. Nothing less than perfect. There’s only one man who can make that happen, and he’s right there where you are. Repent. Trust in him alone who died and rose again from death. He shares his glory with no one. He shares his glory with no ordinances (or sacraments). He shares none of his glory with anyone or anything else. Trust in him and you show yourself already perfected…as you are being sanctified.
Here's more:
https://subsplash.com/bibleciacom/media/mi/+yhyg24x
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