Understanding Perfection

Some interesting points were made in the comment section that I think are important to take a closer look at. I'd like to thank those of you who are commenting and encourage you to keep commenting. My heart for this blog and in these posts in particular is not that I am right and anyone with an opposing view is wrong. I will freely admit that I don't know anything and could be wrong in the view I am holding. My heart, is to find out what is the Word actually saying. Also, with the way the Word is designed - both letter and Spirit - we could be saying what appears to be the opposite idea and can actually both be right. Or wrong.

The Scriptures do not come right out and say that Adam was created perfect. The very first usage of the word perfect was in reference to Noah. It says, "These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." Gen 6:9 Now I know there are alot of theories out there that the word 'generations' actually means 'genetics' and that idea is used to prove alot of pretty out there doctrines. We could debate whether or not evil changes your genetic code or changes you at the genetic level, but I think that idea is going to take up more space and be more of a distraction than I want for this discussion.

Unfortunately for us, the Word does not explain why Noah was perfect - was it because he was just? or because he walked with God? The answer is not in the text.

I believe that everything God creates is perfect. I don't think that He is even capable of creating something that is imperfect. I believe that the imperfectness comes from the created being and not from God. Even the anointed cherub himself was created perfect:

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Eze 28:12-15

I still hold to the idea that Adam was created in the image of God - and God is perfect - therefore Adam being in God's image was perfect. Plus, I think Adam had to be created perfect on a legal basis. It is impossible for God to do anything that could cause Him to be accused of unrighteousness. Not that people don't accuse him of unrighteousness, because they do that all the time since they do not understand what righteousness is and that God is incapable of unrighteousness. If Adam had been created imperfect - then he could say, "of course I sinned, you created me this way". It would have been unfair.

No. I believe God created a perfect man and put him in a perfect environment. He also gave him the Word that the man could stand on to use against the adversary. God also told the man the consequences of breaking the Word. The man chose himself to break the Word and bear the consequences.

Yes, absolutely Jesus Christ was perfect. He had to be like the first Adam in order to be the perfect sacrifice. That is why he took part (the flesh) but not the blood (the tainted sin nature brought by the fall of man). Before the fall, Adam's blood was not tainted, because he was created perfect. The blood became tainted with the sin nature after Adam sinned.

This is a very vast subject and I don't have more time today to devote to it. I also believe books and books could be written on the subject and it still not be adequately covered. Blessings in Christ!
Linda