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Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in [i.e., trusted] vain.
--I Corinthians 15.1-2 (ESV)
St. Paul urges the Corinthian Christians in loyalty to the Good News of Jesus Christ. He sets before them 1) Past reception of the Gospel, 2) Present continuance in the Gospel, and 3) Ongoing sanctification, or movement toward spiritual wholeness.
Past, present, and future join in description of the Christian life. Past is certain: we received the Gospel. Present is certain, we remain in that commitment. The future is uncertain; for, St. Paul says, "by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you." If not, we "believed in vain." This is to say, "Yes, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, as is taught us in II Corinthians 1.22, Ephesians 1.13, and Ephesians 4.30. But, by choice and act, we can resist that seal, not due to the incompetence of the Holy Spirit to preserve us; rather, due to the freedom by which we were sealed by the Holy Spirit, initially. We can choose to resist the sweet Holy Spirit and, thereby, its seal of Love upon us as a true Christian."
Our call, then, is to Christian Perfection, which is sanctification. Christian Perfection is not a moral and rational freedom from human fallibility. Christian Perfection is complete union of heart with the Indwelling Trinity, by the inward operations of the Holy Spirit, the economy of Divine Grace. Human infallibility remains, but within ardent, untarnished desire to grow into full Christlikeness—therefore, Christian Perfection does not entail that we have arrived at some moral or reasonable end point. The Trinity is Infinite; we will evolve in heart and mind infinitely, beyond the earthly life.
Hebrews 6.1 reads, "Therefore, leaving behind the initial lessons about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation from works that lead to [spiritual and eternal] death, trusting God, and instruction about [ritual] washings, s'mikhah [laying on of hands; likely referring to ordination], the resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment. And, God willing, this is what we will do" (CJB).
St. Symeon the New Theologian (b. 942) affirms that Christian Perfection, along with indescribable blessings pertaining to eternal life, do not only refer to an after-death paradise, but the paradise we can enjoy--and many have enjoyed--in this present moment of eternal timelessness:
But if that "which no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, which God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Cor. 2:9) is above human comprehension and above all visible blessings, how much more is God Himself who has prepared them! Not only is He above them, but also those who have been counted worthy to see Him and to stand before Him and have converse with Him, and who have become partakers and sharers of His divinity and His glory. They have become altogether superior to the good things that God has prepared for them, since they have received as their inheritance the very Lord who has prepared these good things. That men have become such and continue to do so until the present time, and that not merely after death, but, I say, even while they are living this present life, this the whole inspired Scripture teaches.
One of the greatest heresies in the churches is that to receive all of God, we must wait to an after-life paradise. How the preaching and teaching of this has added to the laxity of many Christians! How could such True Love as the Holy Spirit withhold any of the Trinity from anyone seeking the Spirit wholly?
And what is the greatest blessing of growing toward Christian Perfection? The greatest blessing is receiving the Triune Divinity intimately, lovingly, and wholly. Such spiritual conjugality leads to the Silence and Solitude of True Lovers! And may many more Christians receive this message of the spiritual riches already offered us now, as the joyful and unspeakable life of all who are fully within Christ, in the spiritual Paradise of God.
The man or woman who has so been spiritualized by the Holy Spirit has been gifted with Christian Perfection. He or she in Christ has become a christ by the Holy Spirit, even as one who would receive union with the light of the Sun would become a sun by the Sun.
*Quote of Saint Symeon the New Theologian, from Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses, Trans. C. J. DeCantanzaro, "The Classics of Western Spirituality."
OneLife writings are offered by Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist pastor serving in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He writes in the spirit of John Wesley's focus on the priority of inner experience of the Triune God; scriptural holiness; ongoing sanctification; the goal of Christian perfection (or, wholeness). Brian seeks to integrate the best of the contemplative teachings of Christianity East and West, from the patristic Church to the present. Brian lives a vowed contemplative life with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis, in North Florida. OneLife writings are for anyone seeking to live and share love, joy, and peace in the world and in devotion to God as she or he best understands God.
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