Growing Toward Complete, Perfect, Maturity

There is a ringing, melodic note that runs all throughout the New Testament. It calls followers of Christ to grow toward the goal of maturity. Placing an accent on that melodic pitch, Paul begins Romans 12 with a clarion call to his readers to hear that exact note and to play it on the instrument of their lives. But you might miss it if you don’t take the time to meditate on what he is saying, or to cross reference other scriptures, or to examine the original language. Provocatively, Paul ends the chapter with a challenging example of the very maturity to which he is calling us.  Let’s briefly examine Paul’s call for us to attain maturity, and then consider his challenging example. He tells us to avoid conformity with a God-hating world and to be transformed by renewing the way we think in that world. Paul argues that when we think in a way that is saturated with a desire to align with God’s will, then we will be able to discern and choose his good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:2). He then goes through the rest of the chapter giving us tips on how to hone our character toward one that is Christlike by changing how we think. In other words, he is giving us tips on how to be perfect.

In most English translations of this verse, the word perfect is used to translate the Greek word, teleios (τέλειος / Strong’s G5046). But teleios does not mean what modern speakers of English ordinarily understand when they hear the word perfect. Unless we are using it casually, we most often mean something that is without any errors, faults, or mistakes. It is a word of utter, precise, cold, hard, flawlessness. And while God’s will is perfect in that sense, this is not the sense that Paul is trying to convey.  Instead, this Greek word carries the meanings of completeness and maturity. So Paul’s argument is that when we align our thinking with God through Christ, then we will be able to maturely discern the complete, good, and acceptable will of God which will empower us to live our lives in accordance with his good will. 

Now consider just a smattering of the other many, many uses of this concept carried by that Greek word in the New Testament. In Matthew 5, right after The Beatitudes, Jesus instructs his listeners to love their enemies, and pray for those who persecute them.  He then tells them In Matthew 5:48 to be perfect (Teleios) as their father is perfect (Teleios). When you are able to love your enemies and persecutors, then you have matured to a level of near spiritual completeness that others who can’t do that, haven’t attained. This level of maturity is impossible without the Holy Spirit who conforms us into the image of Christ (Matthew 19:26, Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Paul tells us to  be infants in evil, but mature (Teleios) in our thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20). In Ephesians 4:9-13, he tells us that spiritual leaders are tasked to bring us to mature (teleios) adulthood – a measure that is all the way to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ! James tells us that trials make us steadfast, and that steadfastness makes us perfect or mature (Teleios) (James 1:1-4).  Paul ends Romans 12 by echoing Christ’s command to love our enemies. A complete and mature Christian will bless those who persecute them, will not repay evil for evil, will not avenge themselves, and will not be overcome by evil, but will defeat it with good (Romans 12:14-21).  How much practice do you need before you can start playing that note completely?