Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian perfection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensation from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God, or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thousand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood.

—A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, 11. 383

As most of us schlep along in our respective faith journeys, especially in this country, we sometimes forget the how costly our faith can be. The following is an excerpt from the martyrs of Lyons. It is both chilling and awe-inspiring.

The whole fury of crowd, governor, and soldiers fell with crushing force on Sanctus, the deacon from Vienne; on Maturus, very recently baptized but heroic in facing his ordeal; on Attakus, who had always been a pillar and support of the church in his native Pergamon; and on Blandina, through whom Christ proved that things which people regard as mean, unlovely, and contemptible are by God deemed worthy of great glory, because of her love for Him shown in power and not vaunted in appearance. When we were all afraid, and her earthly mistress, who was herself facing the ordeal of martyrdom, was in agony lest she should be unable even to make a bold confession of Christ because of bodily weakness, Blandina was filled with such power that those who took it in turns to subject her to every kind of torture from morning to night were exhausted by their efforts and confessed themselves beaten they could think of nothing else to do to her. They were amazed that she was still breathing, for her whole body was mangled and her wounds gaped; they declared that torment of any one kind was enough to part soul and body, let alone a succession of torments of such extreme severity. But the blessed woman, wrestling magnificently, grew in strength as she proclaimed her faith, and found refreshment, rest, and insensibility to her sufferings in uttering the words: “I am a Christian: we do nothing to be ashamed of.”

Blandina was hung on a post and exposed as food for the wild beasts let loose in the arena. She looked as if she was hanging in the form of a cross, and through her ardent prayers she stimulated great enthusiasm in those undergoing their ordeal, who in their agony saw with their outward eyes in the person of their sister the One who was crucified for them, that He might convince those who believe in Him that any one who has suffered for the glory of Christ has fellowship for ever with the living God. [Finally] after the whips, after the beasts, after the griddle, she was dropped into a basket and thrown to a bull. Time after time the animal tossed her, but she was indifferent now to all that happened to her, because of her hope and sure hold on all that her Faith meant, and of her communing with Christ. Then she, too, was sacrificed, while the heathen themselves admitted that never yet had they known a woman suffer so much or so long.

—Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History

Don’t fool yourself. Given half a chance, there are many who, given half a chance, would perpetrate acts like this against Christians today, even in our own country. Pray for such people, that God might change their hearts and release them from their hatred. Pray too that God might strengthen you in your trials so that you might come to know the power that Blandina knew.

The way of the cross involves suffering. But it also involves power, the very Power of our crucified God. As you continue in your Lenten disciplines of fasting and self-denial, remember the martyrs of Lyon to help you gain a proper perspective of what you are doing.

By Christian Perfection, I mean, 1. Loving God with all our heart. Do you object to this? I mean, 2. A heart and life all devoted to God. Do you desire less? I mean, 3. Regaining the whole image of God. What objection to this? I mean, 4. Having all the mind that was in Christ. Is this going too far? I mean, 5. Walking uniformly as Christ walked. And this surely no Christian will object to. If any one means anything more, or anything else by Perfection, I have no concern with it.

—Journal, 3.369

Here you have it. This is Wesley’s definition of Christian perfection. Is it possible in this life? Why or why not?

All the difficulty [about understanding the nature Christian perfection] is, to fix the meaning of it according to the word of God. And this we have done again and again, declaring to all the world, that Christian perfection does not imply an exemption from ignorance, or mistake, or infirmities, or temptations; but that it does imply the being so crucified with Christ, as to be able to testify, “I live not, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal. 2. 20.) and has “Purified my heart by faith.” (Acts 15. 9.) It does not imply “the casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

—An Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, 8.22

Here Wesley tells us that by Christian perfection he does not mean that we are able to live mistake-free and sinless lives. He does not mean that each of us are not burdened by our own weaknesses or that we are free from temptation.

Can you see where he is going with this? Do you agree with Wesley?

Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.” Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.” Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.” The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

[God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’ ” Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.]

—Exodus 5:1-2, 15-6:1 [2-9] (TNIV)

Anyone who says that the Bible does not smack of real life has simply not read it. Take the story in today’s lesson for example (the passages in brackets are not part of the assigned lectionary for some curious reason but are very much part of today’s story). God has told Moses to go to pharaoh and demand that he release the Israelites from their slavery. Yet God has also told Moses that he will harden pharaoh’s heart so that pharaoh will not let God’s people go. God has done this so that his people will be able to see first-hand a demonstration of God’s mighty power to act on their behalf. Sometimes we need to get smacked right in the face to see the reality of our situation.

In today’s lesson, Moses, after vigorous and almost comical protestations, obeys God and we see the results of his obedience here. God is in the process of making Israel his people but at first blush they do not want any part of it because initially it is making their lives much harder! They would rather remain in slavery than be freed to be God’s people and that seems to be the problem with the human race. Humans have always been myopic in our ability to see what real life and true freedom is all about.

Nor are things much different for us today, are they? God has acted decisively on our behalf to rescue us from the exile and alienation from him that our sin has caused, but often we don’t want any part of it. We would rather wade through life on our own instead of taking up our cross each day, denying ourselves, and following Jesus. That is one of the reasons why Lent is such a difficult season for many of us. We would rather settle for a familiar, but temporary, existence instead of doing the hard work it takes to be transformed into the likeness of Christ so that we can enjoy life with him forever. Let’s face it. Sometimes we simply do not trust the promises of God.

But if we are not careful, there will be a time when we look back at our missed chances and likely regret that we were so short sighted. God’s story of redemption is not quite finished yet. We live in the “already-not yet,” the time in between Christ’s death and resurrection which inaugurated his new age and his coming again to consummate his saving work. Then we will see clearly and understand the things that remain mysterious for us in our mortal and finite condition.

As this year’s Lenten season draws to a close, think on these things. Do not allow yourself to become myopic in your view of life. Realize that the way of the cross, while sometimes if not often difficult, is the way to real life. Real life, of course, is not a physical existence but rather a relationship with the living God that we can enjoy because of Christ, and as Jesus reminds us in John’s Gospel, real life never ends, even though our mortal bodies die.

Instead of grumbling and questioning why things are this way, stop and give thanks that God loves you enough to have done what is necessary for you to live with him forever. Then roll up your sleeves, take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow the One who promises you life forever, a life and existence so glorious that it is far beyond our ability to comprehend or even dream about.

“Death” is estrangement and punishment from God, “life” is immortality and “peace” is fellowship with him.

—Gennadius of Constantinople, Pauline Commentary from the Greek Church

The prophets have foretold two comings of Christ: the one, which already took place, was that of a dishonored and suffering man, the other coming will take place, as it is predicted, when he gloriously comes from heaven with his angelic army, when he also raises to life the bodies of all the men that ever were, cloaking the worthy with immortality, and relegating the wicked into the eternal fire.

—Justin Martyr, Apology 1.52

Wesley believed that the opposition to Christian perfection grew out of misunderstanding rather than genuine resistance to the holy life. Those persons who are serious about their faith journey want no part of a false piety or an unrealistic expectation about how one can live. These persons want an authentic faith that grows out of and is nurtured by a vital relationship with the living God. And this is precisely what Christian perfection proposes to be.

Do you want to go on to perfection? If not, where do you want to go? The church and the world could be transformed if every person who claims Christ as Savior were to intentionally walk this road to perfection. May it always be the road for you.

—Reuben Job, A Wesleyan Spiritual Reader, 208

This week I am going to post some of John Wesley’s writings on Christian perfection because I think they get at the heart of what it means to be a Christian and are certainly appropriate for the Lenten season. Wesley’s writings seem to be consistent with what St. Paul was getting at in Sunday’s NT lesson from Philippians.

I especially appreciate Job’s last paragraph quoted above. Once you understand what Wesley meant by “Christian Perfection” why would you not want to go there?

What do you think? Register and chime in with your own experiences this week.

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands. He will be killed, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

—Mark 9:30-35 (TNIV)

It was not a banner day for Jesus’ disciples. Here Mark gives us another example of their continuing failure to understand the true nature of Jesus’ saving mission and the kind of Messiah he fashioned himself to be. Indeed, Jesus’ disciples are not alone in their misunderstanding of the atoning nature of his death. Even today, there are many who deny that Jesus’ death atoned for our sins and at one time I was among those who did. The thought of God punishing his Son by torturing him to death repulsed me. Of course, in so thinking, I failed to comprehend the inseparability of the Holy Trinity and the impossible predicament of the human condition. I failed to take sin seriously enough. I failed to see that this was God himself bearing the just punishment of our sins.

This is hard stuff to think about and reflect on, but it is the heart of the Good News. When we begin to realize that we have a crucified God and not a vengeful or bloodthirsty One, we are freed to respond to God’s great love for us with joyful and grateful obedience. This, of course, is the essence of our Lenten journey (and beyond). Today, think about this crucified God of ours who loved us and gave himself for us so that we could live with him forever. Think about an appropriate response on your part to that great and gracious love and then ask God to help you respond in kind.

It is amazing how the sweetness in this often distressing life is still so great that it causes us to have such a fear of dying. Even those who believe that they will pass through death to a life without death, still wish that they could avoid going through the dying to get there.

—Sermon 280

Life is nothing but a race toward death, a race in which no one can stand still or slow down, even for a moment. Those who live many years and those who live only a few days run with equal speed.  Just as a long journey does not mean that travelers slow their steps, so on the way to death those who take more time proceed no more slowly than those who seem to reach the goal more quickly.

—City of God