THE PIONEER AND PERFECTER

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and PERFECTER of faith…” – Hebrews 12: 2b

The Secret to the productive Pursuit of Perfection is to be Focused on the PIONEER and PERFECTER of our faith: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and PERFECTER of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb.12:1-2, NASB). Perfection does not come by self-effort; JESUS is the One that makes us perfect. This is a foundational insight that we must never fail to appreciate and appropriate!

This Bible passage is built around the metaphor of a sporting event, with “a great cloud of witness” – the heroes of faith as eternal spectators cheering us on. We are to lay aside every weight or limiting burden and sin that keeps us from getting close to or focusing on Jesus. Then, we can be in shape and run with endurance and steadfastness. Jesus is the Author of our faith. An author is an originator or creator of a theory, plan or project. The Greek word translated “author” also means: captain, commander or prince. Christ is the Founder, Originator and Pioneer, as well as the Captain and Prince of our faith. He blazed the trail of faith, showing us what it means to trust our heavenly Father with our whole lives. He controls our faith, steers it as a captain steers a ship, and presides over and cares for it as a monarch presides over and cares for his people.

Jesus is also the ‘Perfecter’ of our faith. The Greek word translated “perfecter” appears only this one place in the New Testament, and means “completer” or “finisher” and speaks of bringing something to its conclusion. His sacrificial death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead completed the Mission of God. He who created our faith will watch over it, care for it, sustain it, and perfect or complete it. He who was perfect, sinless, and flawless died on the cross and took our sin upon Himself. He came to meet our need for a Saviour, which is the only way we could come before God. When we accept Jesus, we are given a perfect life in Him. We access a new and living Way (Heb.10:20). Jesus, as God, pioneers and perfects, creates and sustains, commences and completes our faith.

We can claim Christ’s perfection because it’s all about who we are in Him; but we have to live it, too. At the moment of our salvation, we are made perfect through the righteousness of Christ, but we still have to keep pressing into perfection by answering the upward call to maturity (Mt. 5:48; Phil. 3:12-16). God in Christ is not only the Creator and Sustainer of our saving faith and new life, but He is also the Sustainer of our daily walk and the Perfecter and Finisher of our spiritual journey and eternal race, through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Paul affirmed: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will COMPLETE it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phi.1:6).

This revelation of perfection liberates us from the unending cycle of condemnation, futile self-effort, guilt and negative self-talk. God wants us to receive His love rather than try to earn His approval. Part of the huge weight or encumbrance we need to shed off is that of perfectionism. God is into lifting weights. He takes our burdens, while we receive divine relief and new joy in what Jesus has done and is doing for us. Now, we can find fresh freedom and a new liberty. God’s will is not for us to live defeated, discouraged lives. He always makes a way for the things He calls us to, even our perfection in Christ!