Bible verses about "perfectionism" | Worsley

¹⁵ Now the law worketh wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.

¹ Therefore laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisies, ² and envies, and all evil-speakings, as new-born babes desire that rational milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby: ³ for ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious; ⁴ to whom coming as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen of God, ⁵ and precious, ye also are built up as living stones, a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ⁶ Whence also it is said in scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, choice and precious: and he that confideth on it shall not be ashamed. ⁷ To you therefore who believe it is precious: but to them that are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner, ⁸ and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. These stumble at the word through unbelief, unto which also they were appointed. ⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should declare the glories of Him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ¹⁰ who heretofore were not a people, but are now the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ¹¹ Dearly beloved, I exhort you as strangers and sojourners here, to abstain from carnal lusts, which war against the soul: ¹² having a good conversation among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may glorify God in the day of their visitation, on account of the good works which they behold in you. ¹³ Be subject therefore to every human form of government, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to a king as supreme; ¹⁴ or to governors as persons sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well. ¹⁵ For so is the will of God, that by your good behaviour ye may silence the ignorance of foolish men: ¹⁶ as free, and yet not using your liberty as a cloke for wickedness, but as the servants of God. ¹⁷ Give due honor to all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. ¹⁸ Ye who are servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and mild, but also to the morose: ¹⁹ for this is an evidence of grace, if any one for conscience towards God endure griefs, suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what glory is it, if when ye sin and are punished for it, ye bear it patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye bear it patiently, this will gain favor with God. ²¹ For unto this are ye called; because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye might follow his steps. ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. ²⁴ Who Himself bare our sins in his own body on the cross, that we being dead to sins, might live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed. ²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now turned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

¹⁵ And He said unto them, Ye justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

¹ And I, when I came among you, brethren, came not with excellency of language, or of human wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God: ² for I did not think it meet to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my discourse, and my preaching was not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; ⁵ that your faith might not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. ⁶ Yet we speak true wisdom among the perfect: though not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, that hidden wisdom which God ordained before the worlds for our glory: ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written, "Eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for those that love Him." ¹⁰ But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who among men knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man which is in him? so also the things of God no one knoweth, but the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God; that we might know the things that are graciously bestowed upon us by God: ¹³ which we also speak of, not in words dictated by human wisdom, but in those which are dictated by the holy Spirit; explaining spiritual things by spiritual words. ¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ Whereas the spiritual man discerneth all things, yet is himself discerned by no one. ¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

² and if any offend not in word, he is a compleat man, able to manage also the whole body. ³ Are ye so void of understanding? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness:

¹² not that I have yet won the prize, or am already perfect: but I press forward to acquire that perfection, for which also I have been apprehended by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have attained it: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to those before, ¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For that which was impossible for the law to do, and in which it was weak through the corruption of the flesh, God by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for sin, hath done; that is, hath condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴ that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. ⁵ For they who are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh; but they who are led by the Spirit, do mind spiritual things. ⁶ Now to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: ⁷ because the carnal mind is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be: ⁸ and they who are carnal, cannot please God. ⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: but if any one hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwelleth in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead, will also restore your mortal bodies to life, by his Spirit that now dwelleth in you. ¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: ¹³ for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. ¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶ So that the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. ¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ: if so be we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him. ¹⁸ And I account the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be set against the glory that shall be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the world is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God: ²⁰ (for the world was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but through him who made it subject:) ²¹ in hope that they also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole world groaneth, and doth as it were travail in pain together even to this day. ²³ And not only others, but those also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen, is not hope; for what any one sees, how doth he yet hope for? ²⁵ but if we hope for what we see not, then we wait for it with patience. ²⁶ And the Spirit likewise helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for, as we ought: but the Spirit itself intercedes for us with unutterable groans. ²⁷ And He that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit; for he intercedeth for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that all things co-operate for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose; ²⁹ for those whom he foreknew, He also predetermined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be as the first-born among many brethren: and whom He before ordained, these He also called; ³⁰ and whom He called, these he also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. ³¹ What shall we say then to these things? if God be for us, who can be against us? ³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall lay any accusation against the elect of God? will God, who justifieth us? ³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? Is it Christ, that died for us? yea rather, that is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and who maketh intercession for us? ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ (as it is written, "for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter:") ³⁷ but in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things future, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

⁹ And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is manifested in thy weakness." With the greatest pleasure therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ And therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, and in straits for the sake of Christ: for when I am thus weak, then am I made strong.