THE PROBLEM OF PERFECTION

By: Ray Shelton

1. THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

   Jesus commanded in the Sermon on the Mount,

   "Be ye therefore perfect,
   even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt.5:48).

   This command of Jesus raises the problem of perfection:
   what is it to be perfect?
   Or more generally, what is perfection?
   In order to obey this command of Jesus, we must determine what is the meaning of word "perfect", of what he is commanding.

2. THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM.
   1. Linguistic Analysis.

   2. Historical Analysis.
      1. XENOPHANES

      2. PLATO

      3. ARISTOTLE

      4. NEOPLATONISM

      5. AUGUSTINE

      6. THE THREE LADDERS OF AUGUSTINE

      7. ANSELM

      8. THOMAS AQUINAS

      9. THE THREE LADDERS OF AQUINAS

      10. THE PROTESTANT REFORMERS

      11. MARTIN LUTHER

      12. PIETISM

      13. QUAKERS

      14. JOHN WESLEY

      15. WESLEY'S THEOLOGY

      16. HOLINESS MOVEMENT

      17. PENTECOSTALISM

      18. REVIVALISM
          1. THE FIRST GREAT AWAKENING
          2. THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING
          3. CHARLES GRANDISON FINNEY
          4. LATER REVIVALISM

      19. DEEPER LIFE MOVEMENT

3. THE CLUE TO THE SOLUTION.

4. THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM.

5. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SOLUTION.
   1. HOLINESS.
   2. THE HOLINESS OF GOD.
   3. SANCTIFICATION.
   4. THE CHRISTIAN AND SIN.
   5. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW.
      1. Deliverance from Legalism.
      2. The Flesh and the Sinful Nature.
      3. The Doctrine of the Sinful Nature.
      4. Why the Sinful Nature?.
      5. The Christian Life and the Sinful Nature.
   6. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
   7. THE BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT.
   8. THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT.