Some of you know that I own three robots in the parsonage, and no, one is not momma.  We have a roomba vacuum named Sam, and two yard mowing robots called nameless drones.  They have no freedom; I tell them when to work and define where they can go and when.  They are robotic slaves.  The only time they get any attention is when they cause a problem.  And they save me countless hours a week.

You and I, however, are free agents.  God granted us freedom of choice and thought.  We can be as independent as we want.  This got us into trouble in the Garden of Eden and everywhere else we have gone since.  Not because God gave us such gifts but that we abused them.

God gave His Son to live, die, and be resurrected so that we could be forgiven of these sins and all others when we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. That is Justification or Justifying Grace. 

Our new sermon series is on the next step, which we refer to as Christian Perfection.  You can see Christian Perfection as a process and state of being.  As a process, it is God, through the Holy Spirit, perfecting us, or what we sometimes call Sanctification (the process of becoming a Saint).  As a state of being, Christian Perfection is having Christ's Love completely overwhelm us so that we love as He loved.  When we can see others as Christ sees them and love and treat them as Christ does, we have reached “Christian Perfection.”  We believe we can achieve this in our lives, but it is elusive and challenging, and we may reach it and then have it slip from us. So, it is always a goal that we may achieve this side of Glory, but when we are finally with Christ, we will be made entirely Perfect for all time.  Until then, we work with the Holy Spirit to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48 

Curious to learn more about our new sermon series on Christian Perfection? Join us this Sunday and let's explore this fascinating topic together.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Burt