Biblical Perfection

There are many sections of scripture that speak of New Covenant perfection and they all relate to the blood of Christ. The word “perfect” is used 12 times in the book of Hebrews in the KJV. The Old Covenant was said to be wanting, the work of Christ already finished is said to be perfect.

Heb 6:1-2 says “Let us (the Hebrew) go onto perfection”, not returning to the foundational (rudimentary) principles. This is not speaking about Christian growth, but of the Jews embracing the fulfilment, the maturity, the completion and the substance of the shadow of the Old Covenant, who is Christ. Christ is the perfection of what the Old Covenant foundational doctrines pointed to. Christ does not do away with the foundational doctrines, but He fulfils and thus perfects them.

The book of Hebrews then continues to show that Christ is that perfection. “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw near to God.” (Heb 7:19). This is past tense. The better hope has made us perfect through a perfect High Priest.

The book of Hebrews was written to encourage believers not to go back to the ritual of the Old Covenant types and shadows, but to embrace their fulfilment, who is Christ, by faith. This is what the author means by “let us go onto perfection.” (Heb 6:1). Christ is that perfection, not us.

Heb 9:9, 14 shows that the Old Covenant could not perfect the conscience, but the blood of Jesus did. A Christian does not have a sin consciousness. Our sin has been cleansed. This does not mean that we will never sin, but it certainly will not be often. John wrote to us “that we sin not”, but if we do we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus the righteous (1 John 2:1-2).

Heb 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified.”. His offering has perfected His brethren.

Heb 12:23 says that we have come, “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”. This verse is not saying that we are perfected by our works, but by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is the whole point of Hebrews.