God is perfect and has created as in his image to reflect his glory and honour. He therefore expects us to be perfect as he is. Matthew 5: 48 says you, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Biblically, to be perfect means upholding the principles and values of the doctrine of Jesus Christ who is the foundation of perfection in God.
Perfection also means holiness before God. Ephesians 1: 4 says we should be holy and blameless before Christ Jesus. 1 Peter 1: 14-16 say as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. We can find the blueprints of perfection in Hebrews 6: 1-20. The chapter tells us what and what not to do if we are to be perfect in Christ Jesus.
Maturity in Christ Jesus
Maturity in Christ in 2 Timothy 2: 15 means do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 1 Peter 2: 19 says for one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14: 20 that in thinking be mature. It is our thoughts that our actions are conceived.
Maturity in Christ Jesus brings perfection in him. Hebrews 6: 1 says to be perfect, we must avoid laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. It means Jesus Christ is the only foundation for repentance and with maturity we must be satisfied to build on it without another. If Christ is the only foundation, then our preaching must be based on only that foundation. When we preach on any other, we build another man’s foundation, Romans 15: 20.
In confirmation, 1 Corinthians 3: 11,14 says for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. Christ Jesus rewards perfection which is from maturity on the foundation of repentance. 2 Timothy 2: 19 says God’s firm foundation stands bearing the seal of Christ Jesus. We must not reinvent the wheel because it amounts to a betrayal of faith in Christ Jesus and hence immaturity.
Doctrine of Christian baptism
We are not clean spiritually so we must be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. For us to be restored, we must be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Acts 2: 38 says repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore a sign of spiritual cleaning after repentance. Jesus himself submitted to baptism because on earth, he wore human form, Matthew 3: 13.
Water and Spirit baptism
Before Christ Jesus, baptism was by water and John the Baptist continued with that tradition, Matthew 3: 5-6. However upon the coming of Jesus Christ, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ became accompanied by spirit baptism. In Matthew 3: 11 John the Baptist said I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
In Acts 8: 17 the disciples laid their hands on new converts to the faith who had earlier received water baptism and they received the Holy Spirit. Jesus also received Spirit baptism when he had water baptism from John the Baptist in the river Jordan, Matthew 3: 16. The disciples also received Holy Spirit baptism on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2: 1-4. In Acts 10: 44 the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word of God.
Character of Spirit baptism
In Acts 2: 38 Spirit baptism has been described as a gift of the Holy Spirit and in 1 Corinthians 14: 1 Paul says we must earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. Jesus said in Luke 4: 6 to you I will give all authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give to whom I will. As a gift of God, we can ask for it or prayerfully desire it for God’s purpose. In Acts 10: 47 Peter asked, can anyone forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? In Acts 8: 36 the Ethiopian eunuch also requested to be baptized by Philip and it was done.
Matthew 7:7-8 say ask and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For, everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. We must mature and must be baptized in the name of only Jesus Christ our savior. Acts 4: 12 says there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Are we mature for perfection in Christ Jesus?
Are we building on the foundation of repentance through Jesus Christ and him alone for forgiveness of sin unto righteousness? Are we baptized by water and of the Holy Spirit? For those of us who have not received the Spirit baptism as a gift, what prevents us from asking for it as Paul directed? Maturity with total baptism is necessary for our perfection which is built on the foundation laid by and in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, lead us in maturity based on the foundation of repentance which you already laid as we proclaim your word. Upon our penitence, baptize us with water and your Holy Spirit and fire and make us perfect in you by your grace. In your Holy name we pray, Amen!!
