Perfected Because Perfectly Forgiven

No matter what a man may do, his conscience cannot be satisfied.

Such is the scam on which AA is based:

This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. (AA. pg 84)

"These things" exist in our bodies, in our fallen flesh, and will never be removed.

The works of the flesh also play out like this:

"19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5: 19-21)

The works of the flesh -- any of our own efforts will produce sin and death.

Jesus invites us to receive Himself, His life, and His Spirit, and when He lives in us, we receive all things with Him (Ephesians 1: 3; Romans 8: 31-32)

Yet we will not believe as long as we continue to think and do, or as long as we are convinced that Jesus Christ has not done everything for us.

We are perfected forever in Christ (Hebrews 10: 14) because Jesus Christ completed a perfect work at the Cross (John 19: 30)

Either we believe on Him, or we do not.

Most Christians, including those who mix AA and Jesus Christ, are convinced, falsely, that they have to bring something to the party, so to speak, in order to enact every good thing from God.

James did not write about what we do, by the way:

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1: 17)

This light from God the Father is ever-cleansing us from all sin:

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)

It's the blood of Jesus which keeps us cleansed, which keeps us perfected forever before God the Father.

We are perfected because we have been perfectly forgiven. Any program, any regimen, any cult which tells us that we have to keep taking our inventory in order to be forgiven is a ravenous, evil lie.

For this reason, Jesus said:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)

We are perfected in Christ, for He has forgiven us perfectly, and so we can receive from Him perfectly, too!