MIKE MAZZALONGO God's New Vision of Mankind 17

1.Primitive Sacrificial System 2.Law Keeping 3.Human Philosophy Man’s Justification

1.The Time is Now I Corinthians 6:2 2. The Method is Imputation Romans 3:19-24 Justification

We are Justified when we become acceptable to God according to His standard. We become acceptable only when God confers / imputes “Acceptability” upon us based on our faith in Jesus Christ. The Doctrine of Justification says:

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. - Galatians 3:26-27

The Doctrine of Perfection describes the Quality of the Condition of those who are in Christ. The Doctrine of Perfection

OT= Healthiness/Completeness NOT “Sinless Perfection” Perfection

Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day. - Kings 8:61

N.T. = Wholeness/Maturity NOT “Without Flaw” Perfection

to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. - Colossians 1:27-28

John Wesley (Methodism) One could achieve Sinless Perfection in this lifetime. Perfection

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, - Romans 3:23

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. - John 1:10

because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:20

although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. - Philippians 3:4-6

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. - Philippians 3:7

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, - Philippians 3:8

and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, - Philippians 3:9

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:10-11

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:12

Resurrection Glorification Perfection Status Permits:

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, - Philippians 3:13

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; - Philippians 3:15

however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. - Philippians 3:16

Perfection = Being “IN CHRIST”

God always knew that Jesus’ sacrifice would Perfect His Children.