Perfect Minded

"Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." (Philippians 3:15-16)

Earlier, Paul had noted that he was not "already perfect" (Philippians 3:12), using a form of the Greek verb teleioo. In today’s verse, Paul uses the adjective form teleios. Although the root of the word is the same, this particular usage is significant.

In verse 12, the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to use the past perfect tense of teleioo, rendering the translation "not having been perfected" and thereby recognizing that the end product of God’s salvation has not yet been completed. The adjective form, teleios, denotes the sense of maturity, both in our text and the other 18 instances in the New Testament.

Morris III, H. M. October 14, 2016. Perfect Minded. Acts & Facts. (distributed by email, no volume number available).

I haven’t yet gone to pull my Gresham/Machen out of the totes in the barn — I’m not even sure it’s still there — but everything I’ve found says that both to/ov can be acc/nom.

That won't be necessary, because the actual grammatical use is given in the e-Sword Bible software.

1 Cor 13:10:

οταν^{G3752 CONJ} δε^{G1161 CONJ} ελθη^{G2064 V-2AAS-3S} το^{G3588 T-NSN} τελειον^{G5046 A-NSN} τοτε^{G5119 ADV} το^{G3588 T-NSN} εκ^{G1537 PREP} μερους^{G3313 N-GSN} καταργηθησεται^{G2673 V-FPI-3S}

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το here is a predicate nominative demonstrative pronoun referring to the implied "it" of the 3rd singular person of the verb, which in itself refers to the method of transmitting and imparting inspired knowledge and prophecy, whose locus is in verse 9. The method is what is going to be abolished, taken away, when the last of the prophets who learned from Jesus first-hand, are departed. There is to be no Apostolic succession, so that route of gaining and passing on knowledge is gone, and in its place we have the Written Word of The God, the Holy Scriptures, indelible, infallible, inerrant, plenarily and verbally inspired, preserved by God unto all generations, on Earth or in Heaven (Ps. 138:2), and preached by faithful humans and angels unto every creature everywhere (Re. 14:6).

τελειον is a predicate adjective in the nominative case, singular, and neuter because its implied noun "thing" is neuter; this condition is possible because ελθη ("come") is a copulative verb, in this instance demanding the the perfected thing be in the nominative case, and not accusative.

So the easiest translation remains “But when the perfect comes, then in part terminates.”

Perhaps, but here "easiest" only means simplistic, and does not carry the finer and fullest content that verses 9 and 10 are meant to convey.

I do believe that the very capable translators of the Authorized Version have the better approach, although their chosen English word "perfect" is a bit ambiguous, unless one reviews all the possibilities and selects one which today more closely fits what the Greek mind intended in 56 A. D.

But, my brother, I believe we need to be a bit careful with this, for you well know that it is not desired that we drape a debate over several different threads. As you indicated, our original exchange on cessationism took place elsewhere. I really posted this ICR meditation to show that the word "perfect" can have a meaning different that that of 1 Corinthians 13:10. In contrast, here in this thread it is the perfection of humans in spiritual maturity that is under consideration. That change is always going to be continuing, even after a believer's physical death.

Therefore, I believe that there will be Bible study in Heaven. But while that proceeds the bases of our text ought not to be changing when our theology is built upon it (Mt: 4:4, Lk. 4:4; it stands written, perfect tense), eh? And if that is so, it means that, though then we never sinning, there is a great vista of being perfected, in being made complete in the knowledge and grace of the LORD. I do not believe that is all going to be achieved in one fell swoop. It is my opinion that Jesus' plan of discipleship, initiated on Earth by Him (Mt.4:19-20;Jn. 3:22), delegated the process to others (Jn. 4:2, not=none, but=other than; Mt. 28:18-20), and continued in Heaven (Mt. 18:20) is going to be followed in the spiritual dimension to which we shall be admitted.

While I believe we shall not sin, I also believe that to be made incapable of change would be death, not absolute eternal life. I believe The God is more interested in the process than the product. We have yet a thousand years to be involved with Him in reigning as overcomers, in administering His Kingdom, a time of learning of His Glories, and yet another time of judging angels.

Brother, we ought to approach this issue of being made "perfect" rather slowly. I belivee it's going to be an eternal occupation.

But on the other hand I believe that, while we do not understand His Word--His Logos--completely, I believe its accumulation has been completed and modifying it by progressive revelation has ceased. Like Him, His Word is never to change henceforth; like Him the Same always, without shadow of turning; yet so deep that the finite mind, in plumbing its depth, will always find something new, something of great joy, in continually transforming each of us as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1,2) which is and always will be our reasonable service, our spiritual worship, and in sharing of ever-existing (but to us new) findings which we can report to Him as we winkle them out of His lines of text and marvel in their beauty.

Look at Jehovah Elohim's plan for Adam: to live, do things, walk with God, and enjoy uninhibited, unhindered fellowship and joy with Him forever. That means continuing change, not being plunged to an absolute immobility at minus 273.16 ^oK. That's not on-going fellowship and eternal life, is it?

With regards . . .

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

In this context, there is a newly created (by Spiritual birth) entity, a creature new--not in time--but in kind.

However (keeping with the theme of this meditation), this new man, this new bundle of joy, comes first as a new-born spiritual babe (1 Peter 2:2, brephos); develops as a diapered spiritual infant still needing others to feed him (Heb 5:12-13, nēpios); when correctly responding to discipline, a child who can handle some of his own spiritual affairs (1 Jn. 2:13,14, paidion), to be trained by chastening and verbal instruction (Eph. 6:4, paideia, nouthesia; Heb. 12:5-11, paideia, paideuoh) such that they learn to consistently hear and obey (Eph. 6:1, hupakouō); and when they have become entirely able to overcome the Wicked One, being strong in The Word as spiritual young adults (1 Jn. 2:13,14, neaniskos); and after laboring in the discipleship of others (2 Tim. 4:5, euaggelistēs) and care of the assembly (Acts 6:3,5,6;1 Tim. 3:12, διάκονος) under supervision of their spiritual fathers (1 Tim. 1:2, 1 Pet 5:5-6, neōteros) to be acknowledged an elder (Titus 1:5, presbuteros), a bishop overseer (1 Tim. 3:1, episkopē), a spiritual father themselves accountable only to God as Father (1 Jn. 2:13,14 pater), Jesus as Lord (1 Pet. 5:1-4), the Holy Spirit as Guiding Comforter, and to the local assembly of brethren (Acts 6:4; Prov. 22:1; 1 Pet. 1:22). The last earthly step is then graduation with a crown as diploma (1 Cor. 9:25, stephanos; cf 1 Thess. 2:19, 2 Tim. 4:8, Jas. 1:12, Rev. 2:10).

So, here is a progressive development, first being disciplined, then being self-disciplined in the Work of The Gospel. I don't knowwhere you picture yourself in this scale of progressive development, but I count you as a wise friend and brother, and commend Eph. 4:32-5:4 to you as a guide to interacting with the various participants of FR!

With sincere (without earwax) and felicitous (cat-like) regard . . . you ... you ... you new critter!

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