perfection – La Vista Church of Christ https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:46:01 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cropped-LaVistaBanner-Copy-1-32x32.png perfection – La Vista Church of Christ https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms 32 32 157465916 Personal Perfection to Get to Heaven? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/personal-perfection-to-get-to-heaven/ Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:46:01 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=93768

by Perry Hall

Ever hear someone say, "I hope I did enough to go to heaven?" Or have you heard preached, "That church isn't 'sound' so anyone baptized there is still lost"? Those are dangerous thoughts.

If we have to be perfect in all areas to get to heaven, then we only need grace until we become perfect. Therefore, we entered heaven because we had made ourselves perfect and no longer needed God's grace. That is a dangerous thought.

When I make it to heaven, it will be because I still need God's grace, not because I used to.

This doesn't mean I shouldn't be concerned that certain imperfections could cause me to fail. They can (I Corinthians 5, 15).

What it does mean is if personal perfection in all things is needed, then no one is saved until they have finished growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18). That is a dangerous thought.

God declares us perfect by faith, even though we aren't personally perfect. That is a biblically comforting thought.

]]> 93768 How can I perfectly repent? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/how-can-i-perfectly-repent/ Mon, 13 Oct 2025 01:54:16 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=91198

Question:

Hello Mr. Hamilton,

I feel I need to preface this email. This email was written over the course of many months, during which various issues arose at different times. For instance, the repentance part was written several months ago, but other stuff was written more recently. This is coming from a very fearful season in my life, so I don't always feel this way. Most of the time, I doubt my own beliefs, but a lot of this email discusses fearing many different things.

I previously emailed you about repentance, noting that it seems confusing and difficult to understand. You sent an email with an article about all things it isn't, and then I recently saw something else about repentance. I struggle to feel confident that I'm doing it right, and that scares me. There was an article that said repentance is being pricked of the heart and that you must feel sorrow. Well, I have OCD, but it deals with how I relate to my emotions and feelings. Sometimes I might not feel what I want to feel. Meaning I might not feel sorrow. Then it makes me feel guilty and anxious, and the spiral of thoughts starts.

One thing that I have been trying to work on is gossiping. I had felt really horrible about that. Must you tell every person that you have gossiped about and ask for forgiveness? That seems impossible because I don't know everything I have said and to whom I said it. I'm not sure if I am being too hard on myself. That is one instance where getting repentance just right scares me. Should I approach the person and say, "I gossiped about you"? I don't want to create a divide based on something I don't even remember saying. Not only is that humiliating, but it is also impossible to remember all the people I could have said something about. The fear of doing this just a certain way has me scared and fearful that God is just ready to punish me. Then I wonder if you have to ask every single person for forgiveness, or if God won't forgive you. Then it would be something unforgivable.

How do you overcome gossiping?

The fear of not doing something perfectly scares me. Repentance isn't just about feeling sorrow or covering up sin. And then trying to do all the things repentance is creates this black and white - all or nothing mindset that fuels my OCD. It is frustrating to feel like I'm not doing things quite right. It creates this idea that if I don't feel a certain way (remorseful, sad, etc.), that I'm unforgivable.

Previously, you said I tried to feel bad for something when I hadn't done anything wrong. For instance, I mention not feeling sorrow. I have come to see sin in not listening to my parents when they want me to go to bed earlier, and I don't. Sometimes I masturbate. I have also watched Fifty Shades of Grey. I have concluded that this is wrong. I have asked God to forgive me, and I no longer want to watch that. Is that the correct way to repent? On top of other things that I'm sure I do that I might not feel anything toward. I may not always feel sorrow for these things. I feel I should be upset and crying, but I don't think I feel that way about some of these things. I'm not sure if it is because I am putting so much pressure on myself to behave a certain way. But then I think you can't truly repent because you don't have a contrite heart and aren't crying. Then I start wondering if I even feel sorry for my sin.

That is what I mean by feeling the need to do things just right. I'm not sure if I am being too hard on myself or what. The pressure I feel is insurmountable. The sins I have listed, for which I feel no sorrow, make me wonder how I can truly repent. Which makes me wonder if the added pressure is fueling my OCD mindset. I could stop doing these things, but I guess my question is, am I doing it wrong because I don't always feel bad? Repentance seems so hard because I keep wondering if I am behaving the way an alcoholic would, where they know what they are doing is wrong, they stop, but they may not have the feelings. The idea of repentance is very difficult. Then it gets me thinking, do I even want to repent? That could be an OCD thought, but I'm not sure.

Then, I feel pressure to come up with other sins I might have committed that I can't think of. It is all a lot. Trying to repent just right is a pressure and struggle that feels so strong. I feel like it shouldn't be this complicated, but the fear of not repenting perfectly and causing God to be angry with me fills me with dread.

On top of all that, I'm also afraid of getting everything wrong, which makes me anxious about getting baptized. Plus, I'm trying to figure out the right time, but I'm uncertain and doubtful. I guess I keep expecting to feel at least somewhat at peace, knowing I am making the right decision, rather than terrified that I don't believe at all.

The fear of not getting salvation just right is terrifying. The feeling that you have to do everything perfectly is scary.

There are so many things that denominations teach or the Catholic church teaches that are different from one another; it scares me that I could be wrong. This isn't something that I want to be wrong about. Why does it have to be so complicated? People in different denominations read the same bible, yet get something entirely different. Does that mean God is going to send people to hell because they interpreted the Bible differently? I can see how people come to their conclusions based on how they interpret the text. I can understand why people might be Catholic, given the history, but I also find the Church of Christ to have very compelling points. It is scary. Why wouldn't God explicitly say that the _______ church is correct instead of feeling like different things could be right based on interpretation. Does that mean these people who are Catholics or different denominations won't go to heaven? My OCD can't handle the uncertainty. The pressure to believe and do the right things is overwhelming.

OCD creates this urgency that I have to have things figured out yesterday, and it only makes me frazzled and have no clarity. I have recently developed a fear that Jesus might come back. Partly, it doesn't make sense to me because here I often wonder if I even believe, and here I am worrying about Jesus coming back. Which then makes me think I must believe. But then I feel uncertain because I constantly have doubts, and the thoughts seem so real. Then, when I recently started thinking about Jesus coming back, I started worrying that I had to hurry as fast as I could, so to speak (because none of us know the day or the hour). By hurry I mean repent, get baptized, etc. Which comes from the OCD mindset. Which makes me not respond with clarity, but from a place of fear. Plus, it makes me wonder if I would even be doing it for the right reasons because I can't judge what I even believe anymore (with the big spirals in my mind).

But then part of me wonders if I want a relationship with Jesus, which has to be OCD because why would I be so all over the place if it wasn't? My mind is just so confused and worried. How do I respond to this? Should I be patient with myself, trusting that I will get there without rushing? Because ultimately, I want to know that I'm doing it for the right reasons.

To add to that, the fear that I haven't taken action because the constant, incessant thoughts leave me feeling like I don't know what I believe. And it makes me think I keep disobeying God (which scares me), but my brain doesn't even know if I fully believe. I am really struggling with the idea of trying to please God, but I feel like I'm going to mess up. I struggle so hard with believing, as a result, I haven't done what I need to do with obeying God's commandments for salvation, which worries me that He is mad at me. But I also convince myself that I don't really believe, which makes me feel like a fraud and undermines my authenticity. It is very stressful.

To add to that, I attend a church that isn't a church of Christ, but it is a church I've been going to since I was a child. It is a very small church, and I would feel terrible not to go since my family is the majority of the congregants. Plus, this church feels like home. My OCD convinces me that God is constantly ready to punish me, and I struggle to see the love that He is because I'm constantly worried that everything I do is wrong and is going to send me to hell. I don't want my family to go to hell because we don't attend a church of Christ. All of this and more has been on my mind, and it keeps me spiraling. I see that I am worried about dying!

I don't always get worried by these things, but sometimes OCD fuels my worry, other times I worry so much I'm numb. Other times I am okay because I tell myself to be patient because if you try to rush it only makes you anxious. I did well for a while (no anxiety), I don't know if it's because I avoided everything or what. I feel like a fraud when I read the Bible because I struggle to see if I believe. So I had avoided reading, but I am trying to get back into it. I avoided going to church because of all the anxiety, but I am trying again. I had clarity when I stopped doing these things, but now I want to have a relationship with Jesus. Why is it so hard for me?

One last point I want to add is that when I am fearful, I almost feel like I believe more, even though my mind questions: "Do you believe in resurrection, etc?" I don't know if my OCD makes me hyperfixated when I am fearful, to the point where I feel I believe. Other times, though, I doubt altogether. It's been a few days since I wrote about fearing God and all that kind of stuff. I almost feel closer to God when I am extremely fearful. Is my faith merely a feeling rather than a substantive belief? Or did I worry so much that now I'm numb? I feel like I'm not taking it seriously when I don't worry. What am I supposed to do? The fear makes things pertinent and important, keeping them at the forefront of my mind. I feel like I'm on this emotional roller-coaster. How can I take my faith seriously when fear isn't involved? For me, OCD has made it so that when I am fearful, it shows how much I care. I can go from one week saying I care to the next feeling like I don't. I am beyond confused. Do I even realize how much I need Jesus?

Ultimately, it scares me to say that Jesus is Lord, and he was resurrected, because when I say it:

  1. I feel like a fraud, putting on an act, and wonder if I truly believe it.
  2. I want to believe with all my heart, but I feel like I don't. And to be honest, that scares me more than anything.
  3. It makes me wonder if it is a faith problem or an OCD problem.

Do you think it's that I really don't believe in the resurrection? I thought I had OCD (never been diagnosed), but maybe I am just gaslighting myself. What is wrong with me? I think what if I'm wrong and this isn't true?

I see people who aren't stressed out like this, and I know that's how it's supposed to be, but everything feels so worrisome. I often wish someone could believe in me because I just don't feel I can! I feel like I'm back to avoiding simply because I don't know how to work through this without intense anxiety!

It is all very discouraging! Please bring some rationality to my storm! I would appreciate your sensitivity!

At this point, should I consider seeking out a counselor if you think I do have OCD?

I do apologize for such a long email. There has been a lot on my mind.

Thank you for your time.

Answer:

There are so many things I probably should discuss with you, but my reply is late as it is.

You asked if I thought you had OCD. Your question that you sent in is almost a classic illustration of OCD thought. Since you are struggling so much with it, you may want to talk to your doctor about your struggle. While doctors and psychologists may not be interested in the religious aspects of your cycling, certain practices can generally help. Meanwhile, we can discuss the religious questions.

At its roots, religious OCD (scrupulosity) comes from intolerance for risk [Fletcher Wortmann, “The Danger of Doubt: The Ruthless and Frequently Misunderstood Logic of OCD," 27 June 2013]. The sufferer strives for greater perfection than God (or anyone else) expects because he wants absolute certainty that he will be saved. Thus, the person adds stringent rules because he believes rules might make him more acceptable to God. But man-made rules don’t produce righteousness (Colossians 2:20-23).

In other words, the OCD sufferer strives for perfection because, in his mind, anything less carries too much risk. He doesn’t realize that he sets himself up for failure because no one is perfect. It leads to ruin, as Solomon warned (Ecclesiastes 7:16).

Faith isn't a feeling that you are doing right. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Faith is that you trust what God said to be true. Thus, faith cannot exist until you have something to believe in.

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (I John 2:3-6).

If you don't know if something is or is not commanded by God, then it can't be of faith. Notice that you have been making decisions based on your uncertainty, not your confidence that this is what God commands.

Since nowhere in the Bible does God command that men complete tasks with absolute perfection, a good but less than perfectly completed task cannot be a sin because no law of God was broken. Sin is when a person breaks a law of God. "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (I John 3:4).

The Bible says that when you sin, you are to repent of that sin. Repentance from sin means making a complete turnaround in your attitude and behavior toward sin. Paul said he "declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" (Acts 26:20).

A part of the change involves addressing problems that may have arisen from sinning. "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter" (II Corinthians 7:10-11). Zacchaeus demonstrated this when he turned to Jesus. "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold" (Luke 19:8). Zacchaeus declared that if he wrongfully took money from someone, he would return to that person four times what he stole. The Jewish Law only required that a thief return 20% more, but we can see Zacchaeus' zeal in wanting to change because he was willing to do more than the law required. Of course, there would be many whom Zacchaeus would not remember or would not be able to restore. For these, Zacchaeus declared he would take half of what he had and give it to the poor. Perhaps those he stole from would benefit, but in this manner, he removed the ill-gotten profits from his own household.

Notice, though, that Zacchaeus did not say he was going to track down every person and deliver a personal apology. Many would not be available. Many would not be known. Rather, Zacchaeus is making it clear what he is willing to do, hoping that anyone harboring ill will against him will reach out to him.

If you have gossiped, the first step is to stop and focus on mentioning good things about others rather than bad. If someone approaches you and says, "I heard you told lies about me!" then apologize and mention how you have been working on changing your behavior. God never said that you have to tell everyone you've changed to be forgiven. In fact, Zacchaeus was told he was forgiven before he even implemented his plan. God wants people to change for the better. Everyone is a work in progress for the rest of their lives. I will never be perfect, but I can strive to be better than I was last year. That striving to be better is what God is looking for. "'Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Therefore, repent and live'" (Ezekiel 18:30-32). What God is against are people who make no effort to change or who excuse their lack of change.

Let's take the example of watching inappropriate movies that are designed to get you sexually aroused. God said, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God" (I Thessalonians 4:3-5). Thus, it isn't a question of whether I feel that sexual movies are wrong. I trust God and know that I am told to avoid things like that. In this case, you did change for the better, and that is what God wants.

Are you going to repent of every sin? No. You are not likely to remember them all. You may not even realize that some things are sinful at this point. However, you can leave the sins you do know about. Even then, Satan isn't going to stop tempting you. Those sins will remain a struggle, but the goal is that as you get stronger, you are better able to resist. If you do slip up after becoming a Christian, you go to God and admit your errors, and He promises to forgive (I John 1:5-2:1).

The reason there are so many denominations is not due to a failure on God's part. People can't leave well enough alone. Rather than asking if every person will be saved following the man-made teachings of some denomination, you are better off asking: Can I go against what I know God commanded and expect to reach heaven? When you know the truth, then you can help others learn it. However, whether they follow it will be up to them. I work out my salvation, and they work out their salvation (Philippians 2:12).

Are you making things too complicated? Yes, because you are adding rules for perfection where none exist.

]]> 91198 Does I John 4:19 make us blameless at Judgment? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/does-i-john-419-make-us-blameless-at-judgment/ Sat, 11 Oct 2025 00:34:15 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=91168

Question:

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence (boldness) on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. (I John 4:17).

Does this verse make us blameless on the day of judgment, brother?

Answer:

The difficulty lies in understanding the meaning of "blameless." We tend to assume it means "without fault" or "sinless." However, various people in the Bible are called "blameless," but being human, we know they have sinned. Interestingly, the one person whom we know was without sin (Jesus) was never called "blameless."
"The word translated “blameless” conveys the idea of a life or covenant standing to which no legitimate charge can be attached. It does not teach sinless perfection on earth but the absence of grounds for accusation before God or men" [Topical Lexicon].
"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love" (I John 4:17-19).
The idea behind "perfected" is not being without fault. It is becoming mature. When we know and believe the love God has for us, we have a close relationship with love and with God. In this way, love matures in us, and that matured love gives us confidence when we meet God in Judgment. Our love for God causes us to live in imitation of God. We are not perfect, but we know we have done our best. In this way, we show maturity in our love.
]]> 91168 Judgment and Love https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/judgment-and-love/ Sun, 17 Aug 2025 17:22:44 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=89476

by Raymond Warfel

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]]> 89476 Sinless Perfectionism https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/sinless-perfectionism/ Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:56:42 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=84204

by Floyd Chappalear
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987

Some brethren are saying today that they believe the "walk" of the faithful saint is negated if he commits even a single sin inadvertently (or against his will). This, of course, would include the sin of teaching a point of error. I don't believe those who insist they hold such a position have really thought it out.

Consider the brother who believes a woman must cover her head in the assembly to be faithful to God. Not all believe this. Worse yet, not all teach it. Some teach the very opposite. Now, if a woman must cover her head, then those who say otherwise are teaching false doctrine, and any bareheaded woman is practicing sin. Who could deny it based on the premise? Let us put the two doctrines into practice. On the one hand, anyone who practices or teaches less than required of the "covering position" is out of fellowship with God and walking in the darkness rather than the light. May we fellowship them? Consistency demands that we break fellowship. Therefore, any man who believes in the covering and does not make it a test of fellowship is guilty of the worst inconsistency, for it borders on dissimulation; that is, if he also denies the consequences of "continuous cleansing." (That is, the faithful saint may be cleansed of sin about which he is unaware.)

Also, those who teach that wearing shorts and swimsuits is wrong must likewise make it a test of fellowship. That is unless one is willing to allow time for growth and trust God's grace for the imperfect saint. According to them, this is contrary to what God does; therefore, it would be wrong for us to practice it.

Because of the striking inconsistency of those who claim to believe that sinless perfection and perfect knowledge are required to walk in the light, I have a hard time taking them seriously. They preach one thing and practice something entirely different. Perhaps that is why it is all a tempest in a teapot. It is hard to take it seriously in light of such inconsistency.

]]> 84204 I don’t think I’ll ever be perfect https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/i-dont-think-ill-ever-be-perfect/ Tue, 13 Aug 2024 18:19:15 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=69281

Question:

I struggle to keep my heart and thoughts on God through the day. I'll be doing good for a while, then doubts creep in, saying you won't ever amount up to God by trying to be perfect, even though Jesus said to be perfect like the Father. I feel as though He's grown tired of me

Answer:

Solomon warned about people striving to obtain something they cannot reach. "Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:16). God understands that everyone sins (Romans 3:23). If someone claims to be without sin, they are lying. "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ... If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us" (I John 1:8,10).

While we know we have sinned and will likely sin again in the future, it does not mean we tolerate sin in our lives. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2). Sin might momentarily knock us down, but we get right back up and continue the battle. "For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity" (Proverbs 24:16). Sin doesn't defeat us. We are set to defeat sin. "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" (I John 2:1-2).

Therefore, God is not expecting you to be perfect. He wants you to aim for perfection -- not to think being less than perfect is good enough. "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Albert Barnes said it well in his commentary of this verse:

"'Be ye therefore perfect,' he concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be perfect. This word commonly means finished, complete, pure, holy. Originally it is applied to a piece of mechanism, as a machine that is complete in its parts. Applied to men, it refers to completeness of parts, or perfection, when no part is defective or wanting. Thus Job (Job 1:1) is said to be perfect; that is, not holy as God, or sinless -- for fault is afterwards found with him, (Job 9:20; 42:6) but his piety was proportionate -- had a completeness of parts -- was consistent and regular, he exhibited his religion as a prince, a father, an individual, a benefactor of the poor. He was not merely a pious man in one place, but uniformly. He was consistent everywhere. This was the meaning in Matthew. Be not religious merely in loving your friends and neighbours, but let your piety be shown in loving your enemies; be perfect; imitate God; let the piety be complete, and proportionate, and regular. This every Christian may be; this every Christian must be."

As long as we are on this earth, we will be maturing. There is always something more that I can improve on in my life. That is what God is asking of us.

Question:

Also, I'm struggling to pray, only wanting to pray for forgiveness and not others. Please ask God to help me pray for selfless things, not just my own forgiveness. What should I do?

Answer:

You are struggling with scrupulosity. It is a religious version of OCD. See:

Though it appears difficult, perhaps even impossible, force yourself to regularly pray for other people. Make a list of people you know who need prayers on their behalf and work your way through that list at least once each day.

]]> 69281 It seems impossible to abstain from all evil https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/it-seems-impossible-to-abstain-from-all-evil/ Thu, 15 Dec 2022 23:30:49 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=56903

Question:

I think about the verse ‘Abstain from all evil.’ I feel it’s impossible, and I can’t even try to be perfect. Does it sound like I don’t have enough faith?

Answer:

What frequently happens is that people hear a verse but subtly change it in their memory. I Thessalonians 5:21-22 says, "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." It is saying that we should look at all the things that we do. It is far too easy to assume that whatever we do must be acceptable to God (Psalms 19:12-13). The things that are good we should hold onto with a solid grip. But we should avoid or hate the various forms of evil.

In other words, we can't drift through life. We have to take a stand with God for righteous living. Nothing in this verse says a Christian must be perfect. We strive to live as righteously as we can, but we know that every one of us makes mistakes despite our best intentions (I John 1:5-2:1). God is wanting us to try, and when we goof up to admit our mistakes.

]]> 56903 Ideal Versus the Real https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/ideal-versus-the-real/ Tue, 20 Apr 2021 19:16:05 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=34336

by Jeff Wolverton
Sentry Magazine, December 1999

As Christians, we are instructed to add the Christian graces to our life (II Peter 1:5-8). We are also told that if we love Christ we will keep His commandments (John 14:15). James tells us that if we stumble at one point we have become guilty of all (James 2:10). We are to wear the fruit of the Spirit and put off the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-24). Ideally, this is how a Christian is to live each and every day.

Of all the heroes of the New Testament, probably the Apostle Paul would be many people's number two choice (I hope Jesus Christ would top everyone's list), yet as we look at Paul before his conversion he was not a person a Christian would want to keep company with. He gave his consent in putting Stephen to death, entered house after house, dragging off men and women, putting them in prison, and caused some to even lose their lives (Acts 9:12,21;22:4-5).

I have wondered how I would have reacted if I was a Christian back then and was a victim of Paul's persecution. How would I have· reacted after hearing of his conversion to Christ if my wife had been killed because of him? Well, ideally the scriptures tell me what I am to do. I have to forgive if I expect to be forgiven of my sins (Matthew 6:15). I also have to put away bitterness and wrath, which I believe any normal person would have under such circumstances (Ephesians 4:31-32). Realistically, would this be something even the strongest of Christians would be able to do immediately? Probably not. Realistically, one would be emotionally hurt, bitter, angry, and probably wish bad things to come upon this person.

How then does a Christian go from realistic behavior to ideal behavior? Like God tells us to. First of all, we have to acknowledge our utter dependence upon God and realize that we cannot live as He would have us to without His guidance and help. God is the creator, man is the created and it is not within man who walks to direct his own steps (Jeremiah 10:23). Second, we have to pray, pray, pray. We would have to ask God to show us things through His eyes, not through our eyes. Realizing this, I would be reminded that my Christian wife is with the Lord and she cannot be with me, but I can go and be with her (II Samuel 12:23).

Even with God's help, it wouldn't be an easy thing to go from the real to the ideal, but with God, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). Hopefully each day the bitterness and wrath would be less and less, while the forgiveness would be more and more until, finally, years later when news comes of the death of the Apostle Paul (he was thrown from a pinnacle and then beheaded it is alleged) I would hopefully have gone full circle. Not only would I love my brother, the Apostle Paul, and long ago have forgiven him, but at the news of his death would be weeping and mourning for him and praying that family and friends of the Apostle Paul would be comforted in their grieving.

 

]]> 34336 Perfection or Perseverance? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/perfection-or-perseverance/ Sat, 05 Dec 2020 16:39:31 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=28271

by Ken Green

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress" (I Timothy 4:12–15 ESV).

The standard that Paul set for the young disciple, Timothy, wasn’t perfection; it was perseverance. “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”

It is a training regimen that he provides. He includes both personal and public practices as part of the training. It’s a mindset Paul had stated earlier: “train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (I Timothy 4:7–8).

If we expect perfection, we fall short. But if we persevere at making genuine progress, letting God work on us as long as it takes, good things happen. We won’t ever arrive at perfection this side of heaven, but we are growing and moving forward. God delights in such progress.

The Christian life is often compared to a long race. Seeing the end of his own life, Paul told Timothy, “I have finished the race” (II Timothy 4:7). The writer of Hebrews urged his readers to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1–2). How we run today reflects how much we have benefited from the training we have received.

Like Timothy, we haven’t yet finished our race, so today is another opportunity to persevere. Following Jesus is the ultimate marathon. The more we incorporate the reality of spiritual endurance in our lives, the more we will find ourselves successfully approaching the finish line.

]]> 28271 Make Me Know My End https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/make-me-know-my-end/ Sun, 10 May 2020 15:13:00 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=22191

Text: Psalms 39

 

I.         Psalms 38-40 cover related themes regarding the problems caused by sin

            A.        God has punished David because of his sin - Psalms 38:1-2

            B.        Between God’s punishment and the burden of the sin itself, David feels overwhelmed - Psalms 38:3-8

            C.        Even close friends and family avoid you when you are suffering because of sin - Psalms 38:11

            D.        Worse, your enemies try to gain an advantage in your time of weakness - Psalms 38:12, 19-20

II.        David resolves to not sin

            A.        He is going to keep careful watch over what he says - Psalms 39:1

                        1.         Controlling our words is a desirable state - James 3:2

                        2.         He was especially going to be careful in the presence of his enemies

                                    a.         They are the ones looking for ways to bring David down

                                    b.         They would pounce at the first sign of wrongdoing on David’s part

            B.        But like many of us, David went too far

                        1.         His care to not say something wrong caused him to not say anything good - Psalms 39:2

                        2.         Knowing the good to be done and not doing it is also a sin - James 4:17

                        3.         Thus, in trying to avoid sinning, David sinned - Ecclesiastes 7:16

                        4.         Instead of a solution, David’s sorrows increased

            C.        The need to speak burned within - Psalms 39:3

                        1.         As Jeremiah learned when he tried not to speak because of the wicked - Jeremiah 20:7-9

                        2.         Silence is not the solution

III.       We need to realize just how little time we have

            A.        However long our days on earth are, they are short - Psalms 39:4

                        1.         James noted this in regards to making plans - James 4:13-16

                                    a.         Just before noting that to do nothing is also a sin

                                    b.         We aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow.

                                    c.         We cannot leave unsaid, what needs to be said

                        2.         Three “surely”s - Psalms 39:5-6

                                    a.         Every man is a mere breath (literally a vanity).

                                                (1)       Compared to eternity, life is nothing

                                    b.         Every man moves through life like a ghost.

                                                (1)       We each are close to death - Hebrews 9:27

                                                (2)       It is an appointment that none of us can avoid

                                    c.         Every man makes an uproar for nothing

                        3.         In other words, because we lose sight of how short life is, we focus too much on this world, its causes and its things

                        4.         Thus, we need to make the best use of our time - Ephesians 5:16

            B.        Why am I waiting? - Psalms 39:7

                        1.         A solution exists. Not in myself but in God.

                        2.         It means leaving my sins and coming to God for forgiveness - Psalms 39:8

                        3.         Only in God’s forgiveness can David be rescued from the reproach of the foolish wicked

                        4.         Once again David doesn’t speak, but for a different reason

                                    a.         Psalms 38:13-14 - He doesn’t speak, ignoring his enemies

                                    b.         Psalms 39:1 - He doesn’t speak, so as not to sin before his enemies

                                    c.         Psalms 39:9 - He doesn’t speak because he knows his punishment is deserved

                        5.         David realizes he needs to change before he perishes - Hebrews 12:11

                                    a.         God, with His reproofs, is consuming everything a man finds precious to him, just like a moth consumes a person’s clothing - Psalms 39:11

                                    b.         Truly, every man’s life is a breath (a vanity)

IV.      Therefore David begs for forgiveness - Psalms 39:12-13

            A.        Where David was silent, trying to avoid sin, he asks God not to be silent

            B.        He realizes that he is just passing through this world

            C.        Thus, he asks God to turn from punishing him so he can have some joy before he leaves this world - Job 10:20-21

V.        The solution to sin is not in ourselves

            A.        While we try to avoid sin, we cannot solve the problem by becoming perfect

                        1.         Because none of us is without sin - I John 1:8,10

            B.        Ignoring our sins is also not the solution because we have so little time

            C.        The solution resolve our sins with God by asking Him for forgiveness - I John 1:9

            D.        Won’t you do something about your sins today?

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