In Christ, Claim His Perfection, Not Your Progress

"We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection." (AA, pg 60)

So goes the oft-repeated mantra in AA meetings.

The Bible offers us something better through Jesus Christ:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew 57: 17)

Jesus fulfilled every requirement against us in the Law of Moses when He died on the Cross:

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19: 30)

Paul then explains the fullness of what Jesus did for us:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

To the Colossians, Paul writes:

"And ye are complete in him [Jesus], which is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2: 10)

Then Paul explains how Jesus removed from us any condemnation which we would have received because of the law:

"13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)

Yet the most affirming message which everyone of us can find, the writer of Hebrews delivers to us:

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10: 14)

Because every believer is now in Christ, God does not judge us or look at in ourselves, but when God the Father sees us, He sees His Son:

"Herein is our love made perfect [lit. love made perfect among us], that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

No longer should we spend our time trying to improve our flesh, for to be justified by our own efforts will only lead us to fall from grace (Galatians 5: 4)

Instead, Paul invites us to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5: 16), identifying with who we are in Christ, not who we are in dead Adam.

There is no spiritual process in the Kingdom of Heaven, because in Christ we receive the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21), and there is no greater righteousness than that.

This life is not about behaving better, but growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord, allowing Him to live and move and have His being in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Forget progress. Claim the perfection that you have in your spirit because of what Jesus has done!