Perfect Failures, Part 3 of 3.
“Are you going on to perfection?”
That’s a traditional question that was part of my ordination process. It’s been used for a couple of centuries in the Wesleyan/Methodist way of doing things.
It’s asked in front of a large group of people.
The standard answer is along the lines of “By grace of God, yes.”
Which is about the best conclusion to this “Perfect Failures” series I currently know: “By the grace of God, yes.”
It is what the New Testament itself frames as “going on to maturity” in the New International Version and “to perfection” in the King James version of Hebrews 6:1.
I sure am not there yet! But at least I’m in solid company. St. Paul himself wrote, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Jesus Christ took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12)
How about you — “Are you going on to perfection?”
joescheets 
Joe, I went to a Spiritual Formation Journey meeting on Saturday and that was one of the questions. Are we moving on to perfection. Being perfect was never taught to me. I was taught their is someone always better than you and someone always worse than you so that leaves you right in the middle. This makes it hard to attain perfection, by as you say, by God’s grace, I am working on it.
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Thanks for this! Another way I’ve heard it answered, which says the same thing but even simpler, is “Yes, with God’s help.”
Makes me wanna say “Amen,” ya know?
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Ah, the perfection of my mind just is never realized in reality. :p Still working on the sufficiency principle–“it is good enough!” “It’s the best I can do right now; I am out of time.” I like this series, Joe! We need more of “Frank.” Thanks!
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Thank you for your kind words here; greatly appreciated, especially today.
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I figured one thing about perfection a long time ago. Being an English Minor in my late 30s helped. The verb is “to” perfect; always perfecting. I coined a phrase, once dissed by a pastor, but still my call. Perfection is the destination and we are constantly perfecting. I also believe it is an ultimate attainment, not realized here.
I am reading backwards at the moment and see that this is a third installment of three. This was good to read today Joe!
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Thank you for reading and commenting, and I personally love your phrase here.
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