THAT WHICH IS PERFECT

^[p. 38] THAT WHICH IS PERFECT

1 Corinthians 13:9,10; 1 Corinthians 13:12; Romans 8:29; Philippians 3:12 - 14

It is in my mind to say a short word on “that which is perfect”. Our apostle reminds us it has not yet come, but the blessed God who has called us in His grace would have nothing less before us than that which is perfect.

When the eternal purpose of God spoken of in Romans 8 is carried into effect, and the whole company of God’s called and redeemed saints are conformed to His Son in conditions of glory, then that which is perfect will have come. Our circumstances and testing here are on the way, but have no part in the end. The end is perfect.

The apostle says, “then shall I know even as also I am known”. How blessed is the way that God has known His saints. We do not know fully yet; we see partially as through a dim window obscurely; it would not be possible to know fully in our mortal condition. But we are known in view of God’s purpose. God has known us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and all His great and glorious thoughts are set forth in Christ before His face — God knows us in Him.

What triumph to look forward to the day when we shall, without our present creature limitations, enjoy that consummation; seen obscurely even by the great apostle Paul himself. We are moving on to what is perfect. In Romans 8 we see the way; sons are to be conformed to the image of His Son in glorified conditions. I do not know if any have actually seen Him thus, but He will be seen. “But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”.

We can understand the energetic movements of Paul to reach forward to this goal of the blessed purpose of God. What a comfort to think that the consummation of God’s delights can be the consummation of the delight of a feeble saint here. It was so in measure to our beloved brother. That is how God knew him, and that is how we shall know him, in new creation blessedness in Christ, and that is the end we are to have before us.

A Word given at a Burial, 1942