Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The perfection of Christ is a principle in Christology which asserts that Christ's human attributes exemplified perfection in every possible sense. [citation needed] Another perspective [citation needed] characterizes Christ's perfection as purely spiritual and moral, while his humanistic traits are subject to flaw, potential, and improvement as part of the current human condition.
Traditional Quakerism uses the term perfection and teaches that it is the calling of a believer. [4] [5] Perfection is a prominent doctrine within the Methodist tradition, in which it is referred to as Christian perfection, entire sanctification, holiness, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the second work of grace.
Imitation of Christ is the duty of all who strive after perfection. It lies in the very nature of this formation after the image of Christ that the process is gradual and must follow the laws of moral energy; for moral perfection is the terminus of a laborious journey, the crown of a hard-fought battle.
The imputation of Christ's active obedience is a doctrine within Lutheran and Reformed theology. It is based on the idea that God's righteousness demands perfect obedience to his law. By his active obedience, Christ has "made available a perfect righteousness by keeping the law that is imputed or reckoned to those who put their trust in him."
Chapter V of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium discusses the Universal Call to Holiness:...all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; ...They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things.
In Summa Theologica 2.2.186.5, Aquinas stated that "Religious perfection consists chiefly in the imitation of Christ" and in 3.65.2 he positioned the "perfection of the spiritual life" as an imitation of Christ, with baptism as the first step in the path towards the imitation of a perfect Christ. [3]
Similarly, John Gill notes that "this perfection is to be restrained to the subject Christ is upon, love to men, and not to be referred to any, or every other thing". [8] The Qumran followers described themselves as the followers of the "perfect way", in that they were followers of what they believed was perfect dedication to God.
In Christianity, the three evangelical counsels, or counsels of perfection, are chastity, poverty (or perfect charity), and obedience. [1] As stated by Jesus in the canonical gospels , [ 2 ] they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect" ( τελειος , teleios ).