Perfected!

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10: 14)

Men and women in the body of Christ will say "No one is perfect", then resign themselves to struggling with painful memories and bad habits.

The truth is that our lives are not a calling to self-improvement, but recognizing the graceful power of Jesus transforming us from glory to glory to be more like Him:

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)

and also

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)

Let us revisit Hebrews 10: 14, and recognize what has been perfected specifically, then we can understand how Jesus' perfect work sanctifies us.

"Perfected for ever" refers to our conscience:

"1For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." (Hebrews 10: 1-2)

To be perfected indicates that we no longer feel guilty for our sins, for any sins.

In order for the Spirit of God to operate in our lives, we must recognize the following:

"1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1, NASB)

When we recognize that every sin has been forgiven, and sin in our flesh has been condemned (Romans 8: 3), we are then free to walk in His Spirit and let His life live in us.

When His life pours forth, His glory is manifested in us:

"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:" (Colossians 1: 27)

and also

"Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." (1 Peter 1: 21)

Now, we have been perfected in our conscience, no longer to feel a sense of guilt or condemnation about our sins. From this sense of perfection, we can see Jesus perfecting us in our thoughts and actions.

We are perfected in Christ, and this recognition perfects us in our walk, because we continue to "grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord" (2 Peter 3: 18).