The search for Christian perfection is the search for the fullest possible expression of life.

You may not understand yet, but it is a continual journey to Jesus, who is the ultimate expression of life for you. Most men, if not all men struggle with life because there is mystery in experiencing perfection, the rich, full, complete life.

Search for Christian perfection cannot be produced by man.

The search for Christian perfection, the search for the rich, full, abundant life is not the product of the pursuit of man (Job 11:7). It is the lordship salvation of God, by God, and for God.

It is, mysteriously, the unmerited gift of God.

As Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you . . .” (John 15:16).

Like the water that plunges over the falls, the river of life carries every man to his destiny. Life itself dictates to man his every action and reaction. It is actually how man response to life that dictates his search for Christian perfection.

Driven from deep within the essence of his being, every man continually seeks the fullest possible expression of life. Again, whether they understand it or not, all men are on a journey–the journey to Jesus, who is the ultimate expression of life for mankind. Life and the search for Christian perfection is experienced only under the Lordship of Jesus.

Although this journey of life begins with such hope and glory, it soon turns to despair and shame. Most men, if not all men, eventually struggle with life because there is mystery in experiencing the rich, full, complete life. Surprisingly, it is the pursuit of life by man that destroys the life of God already given to him.

Paul, of the first century believers summarized this profound truth when he wrote to the church in Rome. He said, “. . . the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (6:23). Man earns his hells (the wages of lost innocence). However, he does not merit his heavens.

Search for Christian perfection is actually the pursuit of man by Jesus.

Such was and is the story of my life. After over forty years of religious pursuits, I came to see the error of my ways. I can express it only by saying that some way Jesus broke through to me and arrested me. I am now continually being saved because God is continually conquering me.

As a result of this rescue of my life. I now see Jesus more distinctly as “. . . the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

This redemptive revelation has delivered me from the bondage of seeing Jesus as the object of my devotion, my piety, and my worship. I now know that if there is any true (spiritual, as opposed to fleshly) devotion, piety, or worship in my life, it is there because Jesus is the Devotion, Jesus is the Piety, and Jesus is the Worship. Jesus Christ is the Life and Light of all men (John 1:4,9).

This true revelation of Jesus Christ can be illustrated in another way. I now can say, “My faith is in Jesus.” However, do I mean, “My faith is in Jesus? Or, do I mean, “My faith is in Jesus?”

My faith always produces my devotion, my piety, and my worship. Perhaps, it would be more honest to say my attempt to be more zealous, more holy, and more serving to and for God.

Whereas, being in Jesus, he is always faithful to do what he said he would do. The faithfulness of God is as sure as the essence of himself.

I am justified (rendered, once again, innocent, as “freedom from guile or cunning: simplicity”) by the faithfulness of God. The true faith that is now manifested in my life, is the miracle (the faithless now experiencing faith) and mystery (the breathless now experiencing breath) of life. It is his faithfulness, his glory, and his life being reflected in me that can bring to fruition my search for Christian perfection.

Search for Christian perfection is the quest truly to know Jesus.

With the understanding that Jesus Christ is my “Life and Light” (John 1:1-14; Acts 17:22-29; Isa. 42:5; Prov. 20:7; and John 14:6), the quest to know him, then, has become the challenge of life itself.

With the innate desire within every man being to experience the rich, full, complete life; the quest to know Jesus is the challenge of every man’s life. Although this inner craving of man is largely misunderstood and seldom fully realized, it is, nevertheless, the driving force that propels man to seek the fullest possible expression of life.  They seek life, therefore, they seek the life of God. Mysteriously, all men seek Jesus.

Within the mystery of what it means to be a living soul, man finds himself struggling continually for his physical and/or emotional survival. It is as:

a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it growth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadows of it. (Mark 4:31,32)

The knowing of Jesus Christ is a journey that moves the learner from an understanding that is “less than all the seeds that be in the earth” to become “greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches.” It is the process of life itself that can fulfill man search for Christian perfection.

Search for Christian perfection emphasizes the learning process itself.

The quest to know Jesus Christ, the Way, is learning that is uniquely Christian in that the emphasis is actually upon the learning process rather than what is being learned.

This is not to say that what is being learned, being experienced, is not important. Rather, it is to imply that how one learns what is being learned is more important.

For when one stops learning he begins to die, even though he now has a vast resource of things that has been learned.

Life in the learning process can be illustrated by the germinating relationship between a man and a woman. When the relationship begins, it, too, is like the smallest of seeds planted in one’s life. Yet, if the relationship is allowed to grow to maturity, the process, the growing together of two to become one, becomes the greatest event of their lives.

It is the life long adventure to know each other. For when both members of the relationship are continually experiencing the growing process, the knowing of each other then becomes a never ending noble adventure in the experiences of life.

The relationship that is formed between the man and the woman actually becomes greater than the sum of the two individuals. It radiates life not just to the two but to all those who “may lodge under the shadows of it.”

This process of moving from the smallest of seeds to the greatest of herbs, the quest to know each other . . . as the quest to know Jesus Christ, the Way, becomes the greatest event of life.

Search for Christian perfection cannot be fulfilled by living on past experiences.

Sadly, however, most relationships between the man and the woman, as the relationship between the believer and Christ stagnates and ceases to be an exciting adventure. Rather, it becomes stale and lifeless. It becomes a deadly boredom that subjects the individuals to the temptation to attempt to find life somewhere else.

For the Christian, as with the man and the woman, to experience continual (perpetual, eternal) life, life cannot be attempted by living in the past experiences, as glorious as they may be.

For abundant life, the search for Christian perfection, is not based upon what has happened but rather upon what is now being experienced. Continual, abundant life can be found only in the current learning of Christ, only in being a disciple of Jesus Christ, a continual learner of him.

A learner (disciple) of Jesus Christ is not one who has learned something (such as a glorious truth or even a glorious experience) and then attempts to live life based upon that knowledge or event. Rather, it is to base life upon the learning process itself.

Simply stated, a disciple of Christ is a learner, as opposed to being one who has learned. Eternal (perpetual) life is to experience the eternal (perpetual) learning of Jesus. It is the quest to know Jesus Christ, the Way

Jesus spoke of this mystery of the perpetual life in this manner:

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

Then, Jesus said,

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. (Mark 4:21-25)

Failure to experience the perpetual life is not a problem of the amount of knowledge obtained but rather a problem of failing to experience continually the learning process itself. With the coming of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, all that is necessary for the experiencing of the continual, perpetual life has been manifested. The search for Christian perfection can be fulfilled.

Search for Christian perfection requires an ear that continually hears.

Nothing has been held back by the Father in the giving of his Son. Obviously, however, since his coming, there have been many who have not experienced that abundant life.

Moreover, there are many who at one time experienced the vibrant, victorious life in Christ but now have lost their vitality (“he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath”). Although still a Christian, they no longer experience the wealth of the life that should be in Christ.

The continual experiencing of the learning process, continually having an ear to hear, produces the continual experiencing of the abundant life (“for he that hath, to him shall be given”). On the other hand, if the hearing ear becomes deaf, the believer not only stops hearing but he loses the vibrant, victorious life he was experiencing.

As Paul implied,

[he has] this treasure [Life in Christ] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power [the capability to produce life] may be of God, and not of [man]” (2 Cor. 4:7)

The power to produce life never becomes an attribute of the vessel. It always remains with the source of life, the treasure within the vessel. It is only the continual hearing of the treasure that enables the vessel to experience the continual life of Christ.

Search for Christian perfection is to be mentally controlled by the Spirit.

Unfortunately, since the time of the inception of evil into that which was good (as illustrated by Nebuchadnezzar in Isaiah 14:4), creation has attempted to live life in what has been learned or experienced. In other words, the vessel experiencing the attributes of life from the Treasure attempts to live life in those attributes themselves, forsaking the One who has produced the attributes.

Experiencing the forbidden fruit of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17), man has become trapped in the knowledge of having experienced abundant life but now unable to reproduce it. At best, he has learned to cope with his plight to produce a somewhat stable society and to prevent total insanity. At worst, he has become a raving lunatic.

Thus,  the search for Christian perfection is the journey from the various regions of insanity to complete mental control by the Spirit. It is a journey to life in the Treasure, Jesus Christ, as opposed to the attempt to find life in what has been produced by Jesus.

Search for Christian perfection can become a reality in Jesus Christ.

If Jesus will continually be lifted up (John 12:32), if you can continually hear him (John 6:63), if the Word can continually be set with your heart (Matt: 13:18-23), You will finally arrive at your destiny, complete oneness with Jesus Christ. You will come to know what it means to be filled with the Spirit. You will come to know what it means to be spiritually mature.

The continual lifting up of Jesus in your life will eventually drag (John 12:32) you into submission to the Spirit. There will be one that “. . . shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not” go (John 21:18). Since your hope is Jesus and not your effort, you will come to that glorious state of Christian perfection.