 |
| Daniel J. Musokwa |
Here’s the third installment in this series on Being God – the Love Aspect, the first and second installments can be found here and here respectively.
Let’s dig in:
So let us derive God
mathematically, if we dare…
Mat 5:48 Be
perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is PERFECT (Greek: Teleios =
“Perfection”, “Perfect” or “Completeness”)
1Jn 4:8 Whoever
does not love does not know God, because God is LOVE.
The above two verses
can be summarized as follows;
(1). Our Heavenly Father = Perfection
(2). Our Heavenly Father = Love
Therefore, it follows
that…
(3). Love = Perfection = Our Heavenly
Father/God
It is interesting to
note that the Greek word translated perfect in Matthew 5:48 above
is teleios, which more precisely means “completeness” or
“complete.” It is exactly the same word Paul uses in 1
Corinthians 13:10 when he says “… but when perfection comes,
the imperfect disappears.” Here he was talking about perfection being
love, which is God Himself. In other words he was saying “… but
when Love comes, the imperfect disappears” or “…
but when the character of God comes, the imperfect
disappears.” This means that whenever we are perfected in love as
Christians, all the gifts (imperfect emanations of a perfect God) will be
defined or punctuated by our love and not otherwise!
We are supposed to be
identified and defined by our love and not by our gifts. The gifts are just
parts of a whole God, and God is love. If God is perfection or completeness
personified, then each of His gifts is an ‘imperfection’ or a part of a whole.
When the world can identify us because of how we love one another and sinners,
then we have become perfect just as He is perfect (Mat 5:48). But if the
world identifies us by our giftings such as prophecy, tongues, healings, how we
baptize people etc.; then indeed we are imperfect as individuals and as a body,
and we are immature as sons.
Let us further examine
verse 10. “… but when godliness through love comes, the
imperfect disappears.” Oops! Does this mean that
when we've learned to love, tongues and prophecies will be rendered
useless because they are “imperfect?” Not at all, we will see what Paul meant,
soon enough. Let us see the same verse from different translations before we
take a nosedive into the Greek:
1 Co 13:10 but when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in
part will be caused to cease. (Literal
Translation of the Holy Bible)
1 Co 13:10 But when the perfect [or, complete] comes,
then the [thing] by part [fig.,
which is partial] will become useless. (Analytical-Literal Translation)
1 Co 13:10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be
done away. (American Standard Version)
1 Co 13:10 But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will
then disappear.(Contemporary
English Version)
1 Co 13:10 but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear. (Good News Bible)
1 Co 13:10 But when the Complete arrives, our incompleteness will be cancelled. (The
Message)
1 Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall
be done away.(Webster)
I like how The
Message translation capitalizes the word “Complete.” They have
correctly translated “perfection,”teleios, as God. And now the Greek
from Strong’s Concordance:
1Co 13:10 But1161 when3752 that
which is perfect5046 is come,2064 then5119 that3588 which is in1537part3313 shall be done away.2673 (KJV +Strong’s)
Each of the green
superscript numbers in the above verse corresponds to a Greek word in the
Strong’s Concordance. The ones I am interested in are in bold letters, here
they are:
G5046 - τέλειος
teleios
From G5056; complete (in
various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.);
neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness: - of full age, man, perfect.
G1537 - ἐκ, ἐξ
ek ex
A primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence motion or
action proceeds), from, out(of
place, time or cause; literally or figuratively; direct or remote): -
after, among, X are, at betwixt (-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+
abundantly above), for (-th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, +
heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, . . . ly, (because, by
reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth,
through, X unto, X vehemently, with (-out). Often used in composition, with the
same general import; often of completion.
G3313 - μέρος
meros
From an obsolete but more primary form of μείρομαι meiromai (to get as a section orallotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide
application): - behalf, coast, course, craft, particular (+ -ly), part (+ -ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some
sort (-what).
Now, let us take a look at this verse
again:
1Co 13:10 But1161 when3752 that which is perfect5046 is
come,2064 then5119 that3588 which
is in1537part3313 shall
be done away.2673 (KJV +Strong’s)
 |
| Source: Google Images |
Please note the three
words highlighted in black in the above verse of Scripture do
not have any Greek reference, this is because they were added by the
translators to bring meaning to the statement in English. But the word
“perfect” here is translated from the Greek teleios, which could
either mean perfect or perfection or completeness. But what if we were to
substitute the word ‘perfect’ with ‘perfection’? It would now read “but
when perfection comes …” Now let us look at the second part of that
verse: “then5119 that3588 which
is in1537 part3313 shall
be done away.2673”
G5119 = at that time
G3588 = that
G1537 = which comes FROM or OUT OF
G3313 = a division or share or part or
installment
G2673 = shall be discarded, cease, fail,
be abolished, be made void.
So let’s now put it
all together, this is Daniel’s Beginner’s Translation…
1 Cor 13:10 But
when perfection comes, at that time, that which comes from [out of] a part or an installment or an imperfection
shall be discarded [cease,
fail, be abolished, be made void]. (Daniel’s Beginner’s Translation) J
It seems to me that
Paul was NOT saying that when we are perfected in love we would stop exhibiting
or practicing the gifts (faith, prophecy etc.), BUT rather that when we are
perfected in God’s love the imperfections in our gifts will be discarded. Why,
because now the love of God perfects us for service as sons. There can be two
people with the same gift of healing:
§ One might have the gift of healing
without being perfected in love, the gift will work because “God's gifts and God's call are under full
warranty--never cancelled, never rescinded – Rom 11:29” (The Message). This is why believers who are gifted
in a certain area, if they fall, the gift will continue to be manifest in them.
This is true! How? I don’t know, but God never takes the gift back. But this
person who has no love of God in them will continue to have a working gift that
is not perfected. It is works without the presence.
§ The other person might have the gift of
healing, having himself been perfected in the love of God. In that person the
gift isn't simply the gift, but it is divinity incarnated or
carnality deified because being perfected in love is being indwelt by God
Himself. How many of you think that Jesus Christ healed people because He had
the "gift of healing"? Think about it friend.
In
both cases the gift comes from God, the only difference is that one of these
two people actually knows God and the other is just
saved.
As we learn from the
Word of God and consume it like spiritual bread (Jesus Christ), we will absorb
its hidden nutrients and be transformed to conform to the very image of Jesus
Christ who is Love personified. When we read the Word of God in order to learn
and be transformed, it will change us into the character of God and we will
become mature as sons. But if we read it as part of our Wednesday “devotion”,
we will remain very religious, in fact, we would even be in danger of
scheduling our Bible reading as a chore.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that
the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to
every good work.
Even our Lord Jesus
Christ had to grow in wisdom, pleasing His Father. Even He was MADE perfect forever
through suffering and discipline…
Heb 7:28 For
the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came
after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
By His offering, Jesus
Christ, has made perfect forever those who are sanctified. Mind you, He did not
perfect those who are justified (just saved) but those who have been sanctified
(a process of spiritual growth through the agency of the Holy Ghost. It
involves being transformed [metamorphosis] by the renewing of the mind).
Most of us are justified alright, but whether we are sanctified is another
matter altogether. I believe justification is a judicial EVENT,
while sanctification is a spiritual PROCESS.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever
those who are sanctified.
How are we perfected
in the love of God? We are perfected by keeping His Word / commandment. What is
His commandment? Love your God, love your neighbour and preach the Good News of
the grace of God through Christ Jesus... period!
1 Jn 2:5 But
whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God is perfected.
By this we know that we are in Him.
1 Jn 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God dwells in us, and His love isperfected in us.
 |
| Source: Google Images |
So this PERFECTION in
us will take place through keeping His commandment of love and by our minds
being severely transformed by the Holy Ghost such that “we have the mind of
Christ!” When love has so permeated our whole being through and through, then
things like fear, self-seeking, self-affirming and self-preservation will begin
to be alien concepts to us and things like denominationalism will be utterly
ridiculous and laughable to us. Only
the Kingdom of Love and Light would matter to us. Do you
have fear in you?
1 Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love
casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in
love.
Fear expresses the awareness of a godless soul. Fear is concerned with "self". Love is concerned with "God and sacrifice".
TO BE CONTINUED...
No comments:
Post a Comment