Sunday Reflection with Rev Fr (ASP) Raphael Fagbohun Making everyone PERFECT IN CHRIST Texts: Genesis 18:1-10; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42. The task of every preacher (deacon, priest, bishop) is to make everyone perfect in Christ (Col.1:28). This, according to Paul in the 2nd reading, is the reason for the proclamation of Christ. What is our reason for proclaiming Christ in the Church today? Do we even proclaim Christ or some human ideologies and teachings of demons from the pit of hell meant to destroy hearers? It seems as if, in the face of other things, the preaching of Christian perfection is old-school, and there is no more room for it in our present generation. God have mercy! Perfection Mandate: 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 perfect (Gen.17:1). You shall be perfect with the Lord your God (Deut.18:13). Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day (1 kgs.8:61). Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Mtt.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 Cor.13:11). Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph.4:13). Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded (Phil.3:15). That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim.3:17). Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God (Heb.13:21). But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James 1:4). But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you (1 Pet.5:10). Christ’s Perfection: And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth (Is.53:9). And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man had committed no sin (Lk.23:41). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth (Jn.1:14)…Which of you convinced me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? (Jn.8:46)…Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him (Jn.19:4). For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; the we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor.5:21). You love righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows (Heb.1:9)…For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb.2:10)…For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Heb.4:15)…And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Heb.5:9)…For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Heb.7:26)…For the law makes men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated for evermore (Heb.7:28)…How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb.9:14). But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Pet.1:19)…Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth (1 Pet.2:22). And you know that he was manifested to tale away our sins; and in him is no sin (1 Jn.3:5). Christian Perfection: From the above scriptures, it is clear that: (i) God is perfect and the foundation of perfection. (ii) God created me in his (perfect) image and likeness. (iii) As a creature and child of God, I am to be perfect as my creator and Father. (iv) When sin destroyed God’s original perfect image in man, God did not give up the requirement of perfection. (v) Christ came to restore me back to the perfection of God. (vi) Therefore, I am meant to be perfect in Christ like God my Father. (vii) Christian perfection was the mandate of Christ on earth. (viii) It was the mandate given to all the Apostles of old. (ix) It was the pursuit, proclamation and labour of the Apostles and Christians of old. (x) Christian perfection is the mandate and the ideal of all followers of Jesus Christ. (xi) Christ’s command that I should be perfect like God means it is possible. (xii) The secret of Christian perfection is Christ in me. The Revealed Mystery: Christian perfection is a mystery. But according to Paul in the 2nd reading, it is an already revealed mystery. The people of old order/testament could not attain it, but it has been made possible for us. The secret is Christ in me. The Word Dimension: How will this Christ be in me? John says He is the Word (Jn.1:1-3,14). Jesus was the one Mary in the Gospel reading was receiving, as he listened to Jesus, while Martha was doing many things. Though it is good to do many things, even many religious actions and activities (like vigils, devotions, novenas, adoration, etc). But, according to the Master Jesus, only one thing is needed, that Christ be in me. This Christ is available unto me even today in the Word of God (Heb.1:1-2). As I receive the Word of God, according to St Augustine, Christ becomes incarnate in me. Mary took in and conceived Jesus by accepting the Word of God. According to Pope John Paul II, we should cultivate a new way of reading the scriptures by listening to God. It is only this one dimension that Jesus told us is needed and necessary. The Transformational Process: As I listen to God in reading the scriptures, I daily become transformed into Jesus’ image from glory to glory. Therefore, I must read the scriptures, eat the scriptures, study the scriptures, meditate on the scriptures. As I do so, I become what I eat, I become what I hear, I become what I read, I become what I think, I become what I believe, I become what I say… This is the revealed mysterious secret of Christian perfection: Christ in me! Christian perfection is my call; it is my vocation. It is the mandate; it is the ideal; it is the standard; it is the expectation of heaven over my life. My Decision: Even if everyone around me goes for sin, I shall go for perfection. I will abide and live by the Word of God and obey the commands of Jesus Christ in me. I shall be perfect like my Father in heaven. I shall not settle for anything less. Christ in me will bring it about. I believe it because he said it. As I die daily to myself and allow him to live his life in me, I manifest his glorious perfection. I must become a saint. The cloud of witnesses around me (Heb.12:1) says it is possible. They have gone the road ahead. I shall follow. I shall throw away every weight and sin that easily beset me, looking unto Jesus within for instruction and example. He perfectly dwells in me, so I shall let him manifest in practically holiness. It is then I will be able to do what I say as the angels instructed Abram in the 1st reading. God help me. Prayer Lord Jesus, Master of the vineyard, reveal the mystery of perfection to our preachers; reveal Yourself in them to them. Let them know and have You, so that they can reveal and proclaim You Jesus to us; not another person, idea or thing. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 07:10:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015