Perfectly Trained

Perfectly Trained

“Everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40; Matt. 10:25. This does not speak about being perfectly trained in knowledge alone, but rather in deed and in life, as it says in Colossians 1:11; James 1:4; Philippians 4:8, 9, 13, for example.

Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. He was a master in not sinning when He was tempted. Paul had also become like his Master in not sinning. He says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ . . . .” 2 Cor. 2:14. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Rom. 8:37. This is what we are to learn as disciples. When we are perfectly trained in it, we will be like our teacher. Then sanctification continues—being transformed into Jesus’ image. Paul was not perfected in sanctification, but he pressed on toward the goal. However, he was perfected in not sinning when he was tested. Phil. 3:12-15.

These are the simple clear words of Scripture, which people generally say they believe; yet who of all the world’s professing Christians really believes these words? Who really believes in all seriousness that they are to become like their teacher; for example, having perfect patience and perfect longsuffering that never fails no matter the circumstances?

Usually people simply skip these words when they read them. It is as if they seem to be written in a strange, foreign language of which they are completely ignorant.

There is one single reason why such an unspeakably great salvation seems so extremely far away and so impossible to attain. Indeed, there is just one reason!!!

This particular, ever-present, and powerfully active reason is that one sees something great and important in the things that this world values: money and all you can buy with money; the honor of man and power over people; the opposite sex, and getting one’s own way.

This deceptive, earthly-minded delusion makes it more than difficult for a person to believe in the possibility of living in the spirit and mind and being of Christ. It becomes absolutely impossible.

Yet the fact remains that we can receive a heavenly vision of the whole matter, of all values, so that we see them for what they really are. Paul received a heavenly vision, and he was not disobedient to it. It was almost as if he was changed by the wave of a wand. Now he saw as loss what he had previously seen as gain.

With this true, heavenly vision, everything that was difficult and impossible before, becomes easy. Read 2 Corinthians 4:17 and 1 John 5:3.

For example, the Sermon on the Mount seems to be just a number of insurmountable mountains to almost everyone, but that is only because people are earthly-minded. They are totally devoid of a heavenly vision. As soon as this vision rules in their hearts, all the mountains become a plain. Glory to God! This is the essence of the matter. A person wouldn’t steal if he considered it a loss. They wouldn’t fall away from God and the church in order to get a husband if they didn’t see something to gain by it, etc., etc.

The great thing is not to earn a lot of money, but to be righteous and merciful and content. It is not a great thing to avoid being robbed or cheated of smaller or larger amounts of money, but it is very great and glorious, by God’s grace and power, to be free from wrath, worry, all hardness and bitterness, and all unrest when such things happen to you.

If money is no longer something precious and valuable to me, then the great difficulty of keeping the words of the Sermon on the Mount about giving and lending will fall away completely, won’t it?

God helps every upright soul, so that the heavenly vision gains power in their life. The Lord be magnified!