Every religion sets as its goal the attainment of perfection by means of concentrated effort. The Pharisee Saul, for example, spent years attaining to what he later called "blamelessness." Having arrived at this religious "summit," however, made him absolutely miserable. Why? Because his blamelessness was a mirage. This so-called perfection he had obtained made the man proud and hateful. What sort of perfection is THAT?

 

As members of Christ's body, we have already been pronounced perfect by God, via the faith of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine how much this irritates the religionists? When Saul the Pharisee learned firsthand what Jesus Christ had done on his behalf, his religious self instantly died. The man came to consider all his attainments in Judaism to be so much garbage. As the apostle Paul, he disowned all that he has striven for as a Pharisee.

 

If we, as members of Christ's body, start out at the point that Christians hope, someday, to attain, then what do we do with all our spare time? Here is the answer.