The Perfect Man

The day of the lord is the final and eternal judgment by God to the living and the dead who are not included in the first resurrection.

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

It will purportedly take place after the one thousand years reign of Jesus Christ who reigns together with the living first caught up in the air and the dead first resurrected on his second coming.

1 Thess 4:16  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1 Thess 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev 20:5   But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

In the last day, who will condemn and justify if a man is perfect or not.

Rom 8:33 Who will lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth:

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, or rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Salvation is unto God with the intercession of Jesus Christ as the mediator between God and man but there are three (3) ingredients that a man of God should have that he may be made perfect:

2 Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.

Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

And a perfect man kept his word and can never be offended with the word of God.

Jas 3:2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offendeth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

1 Jn 2:5 But whoever keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: by this we know that we are in him.

The Proper Venue

This particular commandment may not gain majority approval even for the so-called devotees.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

And when the borrower will not be able to pay, you are prohibited to go to any court of law.

1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

You may ask, who are the saints? Unlike the Catholics where their saints must die first and be declared after, members of the Church of God are considered in the Bible as Saints.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

Besides, how can a saint judge things that pertain to this life when he is already dead?

1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

The Church is the proper venue. One believer must not sue another believer—right in front of unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 6:4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?

Let us therefore accept the injustice and leave it at that and let ourselves be cheated.

1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?

Without Blemish

I wonder why the burnt offerings made unto God are without blemish. God is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.

Leviticus 22:19 you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats.

The offerings are to be eaten by the children of Aaron.

1 Corinthians 9:13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?

Leviticus 6:18 All the males among the children of Aaron may eat it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Everyone who touches them must be holy.

The offerings that comes from the good heart of the giver makes the children of Aaron holy or without blemish.

Matthew 23:19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

All these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Live such good lives among the unbelievers that they may see your good deeds and glorify God.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The gifts, the giver, the recipient of the gifts must therefore be without blemish to become holy in the eyes of God.

Lesson From God

The rain that flooded some areas of Metro Manila, Philippines brought about by typhoon Ondoy creates massive destruction of properties and death, with some still not accounted for.

This is the right time that we who are not victim of the situation may show any kind of support. An opportunity given by God to all of us, especially those who has the capacity to do so, to share what they have.

1 Timothy 6:17-18 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Bear in mind that giving is not that simple as one may think. It is a divine gesture measured according to the intent of the heart.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Give charity in secret for if given for the purpose of publicity is a curse from God instead of a blessing.

Matthew 6:3-4 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

The disaster being presented in different form, the charity and the helping of one another is something not new to us. Moving only when the iron is hot, when the whole world is looking, then draws back the helping hand afterward.

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth [it], that [men] should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

It is a lesson from God that will happen again & again until we all learn and will know by heart that the Creator can modify His creation anytime, anywhere, anyhow.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.

A lesson that we should not trust in ourselves, in our possession & in all that we have but in the living God, who created all things.

Left And Right

Matthew 6:3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Reading this verse, I said, it is very impossible that the right hand would not know what the left hand was doing. Wonder why Jesus taught us this way while He Himself knows even a slight touch of his clothes.

Mark 5: 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

Luke 8:46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”

I consider Matthew 6:3 as a solid food since it can not be digested by babes in faith.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Driving for example is a very good example of what I want to convey.

The senses of a new driver does not work well in the beginning but will work well in the long run. Eyes front, ears listening, left hand on the wheel, the right hand on shifting gear, left foot on clutch, right foot on accelerator and brake - Making them all busy is to know not what the others are doing for they work independently. This is the meaning of senses exercised mentioned in Hebrews 5:14.

Clearly, the left hand knows what the right hand is doing only when the left hand is not busy and not doing anything.