01/20/22 IT REALLY IS AS SIMPLE AS THIS (Introduction to a video)

01/20/22 IT REALLY IS AS SIMPLE AS THIS
(Introduction to a video)

In this video, I address the popular misconception that Paul denied and denounced Biblical Perfection in Philippians 3.

Paul did not deny that Christians can, and should experience personal, present, Biblical Perfection (aka Atonement Perfection, Believer's Perfection, and Christian Perfection) in this present evil world.
He did not deny that he had been perfected in love or in righteousness or in holiness or in purity of heart or in conscience.
He said that he had not yet been made perfect through the resurrection from the dead, which I will call Resurrection Perfection (Glorification Perfection, Afterlife Perfection).

That is right. He was saying that he was not yet perfect in Resurrection Perfection. In fact, he acknowledged that he was perfect and that other believers were perfect, and therefore all believers can be perfect, in specific areas of the Christian experience.

This is not about Absolute Perfection or Angelic Perfection or Adamic Perfection or After Life Perfection. It is not a self attainable perfection or a perfection that cannot be lost. The Perfection which God provides for us is best designated as Atonement, Biblical, Believer's, Christian. It is the norm, the expected, the miraculous, the Divine work of God, which is part of normal salvation. It is the life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit by the believer who leans not to his own understanding but brings every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

The next time you hear someone erroneously refer to Philippians, to prove that Paul denied God provides a present-day Perfection, you will know the truth and not be sucked into their maelstrom of confusion.
Read the passage as I share this video.

(I put breaks between different points Paul made in this passage.)
Philippians 3:7-17
(7) But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

(8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

(9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

(11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

(12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
(13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

(15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

(16) Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
(17) Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.