Works in Progress
I was encouraged by something someone said to me today. She told me not to give up hope in Him, and instead to keep praying in all circumstances, never giving up. Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith, she said, quoting Scripture to me.
Hebrews 12:1-2 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Jesus, the "author and perfecter of our faith". The Greek word for "author" is archegos, or chief, leader, author, captain, prince; derived from ago which means to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, or induce. The Greek for "perfecter" is teleoites or a completer, a consummator, a finisher; derived from teleioo which means to complete, accomplish, consummate. Jesus is the one who induces our faith, begins it, and gives it a beginning. Similarly, just as Philipians 1:6 says, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it till the day of Jesus Christ." He will bring it to completion.
What does this mean? Does it suggest that my faith now is imperfect, and that I need to wait to make it completely good? Well, simply for an exhortative point of view, we're all works in progress and need grace to wash us over. Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you can't sin, can't be depressed, can't feel down, can't feel out of it - we're not immune to all these things because our spirit still resides in this body, and the imperfections of the fallen world are going to be with us until we return to Him.
But it makes good sense that Hebrews encourages us to remember that He is the beginning and the end of it all, putting our temporary here and now in the perspective of then and there. We may not be perfect now, but we are perfect through Him who made no mistakes. We aren't immune, but we have an eternal hope in Him, because He paid it all for us. One day, we'll be completed.
In Prince of Egypt, Jethro sings, "a single thread in a tapestry can never see its purpose, in the pattern of the grand design". It's true, isn't it? One day, we will be finished, completed, pots of clay made beautiful by the Potter's loving hand.
So if you're down and out, like I was, let's look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. We're works in progress, but we will be completed eventually, and it'll all be beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful
Jesus is beautiful
Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life
Carefully touching me,
Causing my eyes to see
That Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life.
Hebrews 12:1-2 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Jesus, the "author and perfecter of our faith". The Greek word for "author" is archegos, or chief, leader, author, captain, prince; derived from ago which means to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, or induce. The Greek for "perfecter" is teleoites or a completer, a consummator, a finisher; derived from teleioo which means to complete, accomplish, consummate. Jesus is the one who induces our faith, begins it, and gives it a beginning. Similarly, just as Philipians 1:6 says, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it till the day of Jesus Christ." He will bring it to completion.
What does this mean? Does it suggest that my faith now is imperfect, and that I need to wait to make it completely good? Well, simply for an exhortative point of view, we're all works in progress and need grace to wash us over. Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you can't sin, can't be depressed, can't feel down, can't feel out of it - we're not immune to all these things because our spirit still resides in this body, and the imperfections of the fallen world are going to be with us until we return to Him.
But it makes good sense that Hebrews encourages us to remember that He is the beginning and the end of it all, putting our temporary here and now in the perspective of then and there. We may not be perfect now, but we are perfect through Him who made no mistakes. We aren't immune, but we have an eternal hope in Him, because He paid it all for us. One day, we'll be completed.
In Prince of Egypt, Jethro sings, "a single thread in a tapestry can never see its purpose, in the pattern of the grand design". It's true, isn't it? One day, we will be finished, completed, pots of clay made beautiful by the Potter's loving hand.
So if you're down and out, like I was, let's look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. We're works in progress, but we will be completed eventually, and it'll all be beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful
Jesus is beautiful
Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life
Carefully touching me,
Causing my eyes to see
That Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life.
posted by leb at 9:46 PM
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