“Be ye therefore perfect” (A Brief, distant journey from Romans 7 to Romans 8, unreachable by the man of flesh)
Romans 7: God speaks through Paul
the Apostle as under the law and after the flesh
“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am
carnal, sold under sin. For that which
I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do
I. If then I do that which I would not,
I consent unto the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to
perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that
I do. Now if I do that I would not, it
is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present
with me. For I delight in the law of
God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members. O wretched man that I
am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind
I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans
7:14-25
So how can the
scriptures command man to be perfect and even describe some as such?
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
“Finally,
brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live
in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11
“These
are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his
generations, and Noah walked with God.”
Genesis 6:9
“And
when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said
unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17:1
“Thou shalt be perfect
with the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy
18:13
“There
was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was
perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” Job 1:1
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for
the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of
God.” 1 John 3:8-9
“Afterward Jesus findeth him in the
temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a
worse thing come unto thee.” John
5:14
“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus
said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:14
“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them
that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of
this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our
glory:” 1 Corinthians 2:6-7
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in
you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Hebrews 13:20-21
“By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all. And every priest standeth daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take
away sins: But this man, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of
God; From henceforth expecting till his
enemies be made his footstool. For
by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to
us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them; And
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 14:10-17
“Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians
6:9-11
”They are not of the world, even as I
am not of the world. Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent
them into the world. And for their
sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the
truth. John 17:16-19
“Unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called
to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 1 Corinthians 1:2
Romans 8: God speaks through Paul the Apostle as
under the Blood and after the Spirit
“There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind
the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against
God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God. But ye are not in the
flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now
if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:1-9
You must be born again by
repentance, confession and forgiveness!
See Romans 10:9-10
Source: http://www.wtlministry.org