Spiritual Perfection and Perfection in the Spirit
Greetings and good morning, brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series, where we seek to explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years, the heavenly Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them with you. This morning we seek to understand the difference between spiritual perfection and perfection in the spirit.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
Spiritual Perfection and Perfection in the Spirit
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew, Chapter 5, Verse 48
Brothers and sisters, in today’’s broadcast we share the difference between spiritual perfection and perfection in the spirit. This is a subtle difference, and as you would expect the meanings and values associated with this difference are also subtle and might be difficult to grasp. But it is our desire to share those meanings and values of truth just as soon as they become available, for we know the realization of truth is the sharing of it. One does not really possess truth until one has demonstrated the ability and willingness to share it.
Many may have not discovered these particular values and meanings and made them their own; yet there is a technique that can be used. "But whom hath know the mind of Lord, that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ, and having the mind of Christ, we can think like him. “The technique whereby you can accept another's idea as yours is the same whereby you may "let the mind which was in Christ be also in you." To assist us in grasping this great truth, we shall again resort to a material analogy that will serve as a springboard to propel our minds and souls into high gear.
As I strolled through my home this morning, I was struck by all the different shapes of objects. Some of them were rectangular; others were square; some were a mixture of those shapes; some were shaped like cylinders. Some of these shapes were filled with various liquids such as soaps and detergents. And I wondered how all of these things could be configured into these various shapes.
I further noticed that some of the containers were filled with various liquids, and as long as these liquids were in their various containers, they maintained the shape of the containers. But as soon as the liquids were poured out of their containers they lost shape. But I also noticed that solid shapes maintained their shape even when the liquids were removed. And then I noticed that there was some gelatinous candy that were variously shaped and colored——they maintained their shapes as well. The candy had started out as a liquid but the additions of suitable ingredients caused it to thicken and take the configuration of the container it was made in as soon as it cooled to room temperature, and it maintained this shape even after it was removed. What each of these objects and liquids had in common was they had been shaped by a mold.
But for the purpose of this discussion, we are interested in knowing how the one-time liquid maintained its shape after having been removed from the mold, even after other ingredients were added. The candy was made by adding sugar, cornstarch, gelatin, and various dyes and flavors. When these were mixed together, cooked, and allowed to cool, the solution of this mixture assumed the shaped of the mold in which it had been cooked. The most important part of this mixture was the gelatin. The gelatin gave body to the mixture and allowed it to retain the shape of its mold after it cooled. Another example is Jello——it is made in the same way. With this analogy in place, we are ready to consider spiritual perfection and perfection in the spirit.
The heavenly Father has commanded us to be perfect even as he is perfect. We are created in his image. "Let us make mortal man in our own image." ““And as the spirit fragment of the Father dwells within you, so does the spirit presence of the Son [the Spirit of Truth] envelop you, while these two forever work as one for your spiritual advancement.”” Perfection in the spirit refers to that state whereby the liquid value, the soul, is poured into the mold, the Spirit of Truth. This Spirit of Truth is the spirit of Jesus and was given to mankind over 2,000 years ago--and as long as the soul of man remains within this Spirit, it assumes the configuration of perfection and can in effect perform in spiritual perfection.
Prior to the liberation of the spirit, man was a slave and captive of his animal nature, but now by the technique of submitting to the Father’’s will, the liquid value that is the soul moves to the mold that is the Spirit of Truth, and functions perfectly within that state. Contrast the performance of this spirit to the animal nature. We need no description of that, so intimately familiar are we with it. But the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Truth, empowers us to love one another as Jesus loves us. It allows us "to forgive them Father for they know not what they do."
"While we cannot observe the divine spirit at work in our minds, there is a practical method of discovering the degree to which we have yielded the control of our soul powers to the teaching and guidance of this indwelling spirit of the heavenly Father, and that is the degree of our love for our fellow men. This spirit of the Father partakes of the love of the Father, and as it dominates us, it unfailingly leads in the directions of divine worship and loving regard for our fellows. At first you believe that you are sons of God because my teaching has made you more conscious of the inner leadings of our Father's indwelling presence; the Spirit of Truth bears witness with our spirits that we are sons of God.”” "Behold what manner the Father hath bestowed upon us that we shall be called the sons of God." And if you are the sons of God, then can you perform as the sons of God, perfectly. "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.”” All that is required to make this real is to add the gelatin of faith to the liquid value that is the soul.
If our desire to abide by the Father’’s will is supreme, then the gelatin of faith and experience is sufficient to maintain the configuration of perfection when operating within the mold of the Spirit of Truth. The soul is never removed until it achieves spiritual perfection. Thus, perfection in the spirit is maintained by the mold of the Spirit of Truth; spiritual perfection is the result of spending sufficient time with the right amount of the gelatin of faith and experience, which allows it to stand unaided by the Spirit of Truth. It has become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.
This concludes today's message on understanding the difference between perfection in the spirit and spiritual perfection. We hope you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about your day.
Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry.
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Your Kingdom Come; Thy Will Be Done
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By Dr. James Perry
Spiritual Perfection and Perfection in the Spirit
