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Will you ever in this life attain perfect conformity to God's standard of holiness?

2006-10-13 09:24:21 · 19 answers · asked by BlueAngel 5 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

19 answers

No.

Think of it as a "figure skater" in the Olympics. To get a 10.0, you have to perform a flawless routine, start to finish. Now, if 10 seconds into your routine, you stumble, then you receive a mandatory 0.1 deduction. You can go on to skate the best routine in the world - the most outstanding performance ever given on the ice - and you will still receive a 9.9. The deduction is mandatory.

Our lives are the same. One stumble taints us. One failing means we fall short of God's "standard." We can live the most perfect lives imaginable, and we're still yoked by that one time as a child that we told our parents "I don't want to."

God's standard is unattainable. That's why Jesus had to come to earth, and why he had to die. He, as the incarnation of God the Son, was able to achieve the perfect life - thus making His sacrificial death acceptable to His Father. By virtue of this death, Jesus can restore us to a "righteous" state - his Sacrifice covering our sins. He, and only He, can restore that "0.1" deduction we all face, no matter how good we are.

Luckily for me, He can also pick up the other 9.9 point deductions I've earned along the way, too!

2006-10-13 09:32:21 · answer #1 · answered by jbtascam 5 · 0 0

That's the idea.

But God isn't interested in us attaining to it by our own human efforts or ability (also known as the flesh). He gave us a new nature that is naturally - or supernaturally - holy. He gave us freedom from the condemnation that came from the law of Moses and gave us acceptance in the Beloved. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which He already planned out beforehand that we should walk in them. We are born again - not of a corruptible seed but of incorruptible unto a lively hope (a living expectation). All we need is maturing (perfecting), and Jesus is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith. And so, He sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to mentor us in this place of acceptance in the Beloved to teach us how to walk out what He made us to be: holy as He is holy.

Every sentence in that last paragraph contains at least one verse of scripture. Now, if you really want to know if what I just said here is true, then you get to go do your homework and find the verses of scripture (Strong's Concordance or one of the online Bible sites such as BibleGateway.com as well as other study aids are a big help in finding verses of scripture).

2006-10-13 16:42:34 · answer #2 · answered by Carol L 3 · 0 0

We will never do so while living life on earth. The furthest we can attain in our life of faith is the example of St. Francis of Asissi or St. Gema (both stigmatist; those who miraculously bear the wounds of Christ on their body). The gift of the stigmata is a sign of God's approval that said person is living the image of Christ's holiness perfectly on earth. Note that the highest a sinful person can attain in imaging Christ is His crucifixion, but Christ's own humanity could image the Father (the transfiguration on the hill), therefore his humanity was sinless. As far as us attaining such a state as that, it will come when we are before the Father's presence. So, despair not. It cannot happen while on earth, but will happen to us in Heaven. So have hope and rejoice.
May the Lord bless and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.
God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

2006-10-13 16:38:24 · answer #3 · answered by som 3 · 0 0

No. No I will not. Mostly because I have no clue what God's standard of holiness is. I know what certain groups consider holy, and I won't reach that either. Maybe I should just turn to a life of crime now.

2006-10-13 16:27:41 · answer #4 · answered by Electron Blue 3 · 0 0

Given the atrocities done by Christians in God's name over the years, I should hope I'm a better person than that!

2006-10-13 17:13:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I don't think so. I mean I would love to be close but it seems unlikely. I believe God is more interested in progress than perfection.

2006-10-13 16:30:54 · answer #6 · answered by Stiletto ♥ 6 · 0 0

No, it is not possible. That's why Jesus came to earth to wash us with his rightest blood so that we can obtain the Holiness of God

2006-10-13 16:27:58 · answer #7 · answered by jadamgrd 7 · 0 0

No, because no one can be perfect no matter how hard one tries, perfection was only of God and Jesus.

2006-10-13 16:26:50 · answer #8 · answered by Wise One! *DuH* 2 · 1 0

No one can. "Perfection" is not possible. Besides...it is a relatively subjective term. What may be considered to be perfect to you may not be so to someone else.

2006-10-13 16:32:37 · answer #9 · answered by Rance D 5 · 0 0

All we can do is try and He loves us for that..cuz everlasting life is a free gift for his born again ppl...

2006-10-13 16:27:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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