Perfection vs. Completion
Operative definitions:
Perfection: the epitome of all that is; without any flaw; without anything superior in complexity or ability. God.
Completion: the most perfect form achievable inside of any certain category of existence; the most similar any thing or being can be to perfection without becoming something different in nature.
Explanation of Terms:
Everything in the universe which is not perfect strives to be so. This can be seen through nature in the process of evolution, in personal goals and desires, in every aspect of life. The natural trend in nature is a desire to be better than status quo. (This tension spurs progress. See Kierkegaard and other Existential philosophers on existential crisis.) Everything desires to be as God is, then, but nothing achieves it. If it were as perfect as God, it would be one with the being of God and we would have no way of distinguishing it from the God we know now. If something were theoretically more perfect than what is God, then THAT would be God; because one aspect of perfection is a constant nature, what is most perfect never changes. (I can say that a constant nature is necessary in achieving perfection because is better to remain in just one fashion- the best fashion- instead of changing. If there were more than one nature to God, then one would be better than the other, and the other could no longer be "the epitome of all that is." That God would then cease to exist and only the one which embodied the true definition of perfection would stand as the true God. Now, this scenario can only be used in a hypothetical sense as a part of explanation, because if it had actually happened, then God would have changed and would no longer be perfect, seizing to be God and becoming an oxymoron.) Hence, we may say that "more perfect" is a nonexistent concept.
Argument:
I. Relation between Jesus, perfection, and God.
Jesus is perfect.
All perfect things are God.
Therefore, Jesus is God.
This can also be turned on its head:
Jesus is God.
God is perfect.
Therefore, Jesus is perfect.
or,
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus is God.
Therefore, God is perfect.
II. Impossibility
There is an important difference between situations which are impossible, and situations which have not, do not, and will not ever occur. Simply because something does not happen and there is no likelihood that it will happen does not mean it is not achievable. This seems like a totally ridiculous thing to point out because it doesn't seem to have any connection to reality; it does, and I shall use it as an important premise for later arguments.
III. Completion
As I have already stated, not all things that are complete are perfect. There are mighty few things in this world that are complete. Most things have some little flaw or another. But just to demonstrate the gravity of my second syllogism, I provide an example in contrast:
A drop of regular water that has not been distorted in any way and perfectly abides by its regular function is the most perfect form of water achievable: it is complete water.
Water is not perfect. It does not have all the attributes a perfect thing would have, such as perfect complexity, perfect love, perfect understanding, perfect life/survival, etc.
Jesus is the most perfect form of humanity achievable: he is a complete human being.
No one else has achieved what he has. Hence:
Jesus is the most complete human being.
Jesus is God: he is the perfect human being.
Therefore, the most complete human being is perfect. In other words: to be a complete human being, one must be God.
IV. Nature of Justice
In order for any law or expectation to be just, it must be achievable. Eg. it would be unjust to require that a child put away toys on a shelf he cannot reach and has no method of reaching. It would be unjust to punish him for failing to do the impossible. Likewise, it would not be just for God to require perfection from us if it were utterly impossible. Humanity is bound to justice in a distinct way from the rest of nature: we have spirits. Though I might say the rest of nature tends towards perfection, it is not required to be perfect in a judicial sense because it has no ability to be perfect. Human beings, on the other hand, theoretically could be perfect. It never has been, is not, and never will be, but that doesn't make it impossible: in fact, it is shown to be possible because there actually HAS been one exception: Christ.
The reason justice, meaning heaven and hell, can be applied to us is because we COULD theoretically earn heaven. As I said, no one has and no one will, because everyone except Jesus DOES (but is not MADE to) sin before gaining the desire to live a perfect life and DOES (but is not MADE to) fall under the weight of this goal if they had the opportunity to make it. It is theoretically possible for human beings to achieve the goal: otherwise we could not be held accountable.
We can be held accountable for sin because Jesus provided precedence. If the most complete form of human existence were not perfect, we could not have been held to such a standard. If Jesus did not exist, humanity could not have been distinct from animals, could not have had morals, could not have had spirits. (No wonder many that reject his divinity accept the latter three claims.)
This is what it means to be made in the image of God: not only do we contain a reflection of him, but we operate on the same plane. Granted, we fail, but we're invited into the same space with him. Simultaneously, we are made morally accountable for actions and granted free passageway out of the consequences for misbehaving in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. That is what is spectacular about the Gospel.
V. Implication
This is a tricky point for me to bring up, but I hardly seem to be able to avoid it. It's an idea that very vaguely makes sense to me as of yet. For a long time I didn't really want to believe that the idea works, but it is one that has proven itself time and time again. The instance I remember most clearly is that of Christ's bride being the Church. If a man and a woman become one in marriage, they remain distinct subject matters but are no longer separate beings. Christ and his bride are no longer separate beings in marriage. Here is my reasoning:
Any creature has the possibility to be complete.
We as humans are creatures.
Therefore, we as humans have the possibility to be complete.
Human completion is perfection (see III).
Therefore, humans have the possibility to be complete.
Human completion is divinity.
Therefore, humans have the possibility to be divine.
If we are made complete, we are made perfect.
Therefore, if we are made complete, we are made divine.
In Christ, God makes us complete.
Therefore, in Christ, God makes us divine.
In Christ, God makes us one with himself.
Perfection: the epitome of all that is; without any flaw; without anything superior in complexity or ability. God.
Completion: the most perfect form achievable inside of any certain category of existence; the most similar any thing or being can be to perfection without becoming something different in nature.
Explanation of Terms:
Everything in the universe which is not perfect strives to be so. This can be seen through nature in the process of evolution, in personal goals and desires, in every aspect of life. The natural trend in nature is a desire to be better than status quo. (This tension spurs progress. See Kierkegaard and other Existential philosophers on existential crisis.) Everything desires to be as God is, then, but nothing achieves it. If it were as perfect as God, it would be one with the being of God and we would have no way of distinguishing it from the God we know now. If something were theoretically more perfect than what is God, then THAT would be God; because one aspect of perfection is a constant nature, what is most perfect never changes. (I can say that a constant nature is necessary in achieving perfection because is better to remain in just one fashion- the best fashion- instead of changing. If there were more than one nature to God, then one would be better than the other, and the other could no longer be "the epitome of all that is." That God would then cease to exist and only the one which embodied the true definition of perfection would stand as the true God. Now, this scenario can only be used in a hypothetical sense as a part of explanation, because if it had actually happened, then God would have changed and would no longer be perfect, seizing to be God and becoming an oxymoron.) Hence, we may say that "more perfect" is a nonexistent concept.
Argument:
I. Relation between Jesus, perfection, and God.
Jesus is perfect.
All perfect things are God.
Therefore, Jesus is God.
This can also be turned on its head:
Jesus is God.
God is perfect.
Therefore, Jesus is perfect.
or,
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus is God.
Therefore, God is perfect.
II. Impossibility
There is an important difference between situations which are impossible, and situations which have not, do not, and will not ever occur. Simply because something does not happen and there is no likelihood that it will happen does not mean it is not achievable. This seems like a totally ridiculous thing to point out because it doesn't seem to have any connection to reality; it does, and I shall use it as an important premise for later arguments.
III. Completion
As I have already stated, not all things that are complete are perfect. There are mighty few things in this world that are complete. Most things have some little flaw or another. But just to demonstrate the gravity of my second syllogism, I provide an example in contrast:
A drop of regular water that has not been distorted in any way and perfectly abides by its regular function is the most perfect form of water achievable: it is complete water.
Water is not perfect. It does not have all the attributes a perfect thing would have, such as perfect complexity, perfect love, perfect understanding, perfect life/survival, etc.
Jesus is the most perfect form of humanity achievable: he is a complete human being.
No one else has achieved what he has. Hence:
Jesus is the most complete human being.
Jesus is God: he is the perfect human being.
Therefore, the most complete human being is perfect. In other words: to be a complete human being, one must be God.
IV. Nature of Justice
In order for any law or expectation to be just, it must be achievable. Eg. it would be unjust to require that a child put away toys on a shelf he cannot reach and has no method of reaching. It would be unjust to punish him for failing to do the impossible. Likewise, it would not be just for God to require perfection from us if it were utterly impossible. Humanity is bound to justice in a distinct way from the rest of nature: we have spirits. Though I might say the rest of nature tends towards perfection, it is not required to be perfect in a judicial sense because it has no ability to be perfect. Human beings, on the other hand, theoretically could be perfect. It never has been, is not, and never will be, but that doesn't make it impossible: in fact, it is shown to be possible because there actually HAS been one exception: Christ.
The reason justice, meaning heaven and hell, can be applied to us is because we COULD theoretically earn heaven. As I said, no one has and no one will, because everyone except Jesus DOES (but is not MADE to) sin before gaining the desire to live a perfect life and DOES (but is not MADE to) fall under the weight of this goal if they had the opportunity to make it. It is theoretically possible for human beings to achieve the goal: otherwise we could not be held accountable.
We can be held accountable for sin because Jesus provided precedence. If the most complete form of human existence were not perfect, we could not have been held to such a standard. If Jesus did not exist, humanity could not have been distinct from animals, could not have had morals, could not have had spirits. (No wonder many that reject his divinity accept the latter three claims.)
This is what it means to be made in the image of God: not only do we contain a reflection of him, but we operate on the same plane. Granted, we fail, but we're invited into the same space with him. Simultaneously, we are made morally accountable for actions and granted free passageway out of the consequences for misbehaving in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. That is what is spectacular about the Gospel.
V. Implication
This is a tricky point for me to bring up, but I hardly seem to be able to avoid it. It's an idea that very vaguely makes sense to me as of yet. For a long time I didn't really want to believe that the idea works, but it is one that has proven itself time and time again. The instance I remember most clearly is that of Christ's bride being the Church. If a man and a woman become one in marriage, they remain distinct subject matters but are no longer separate beings. Christ and his bride are no longer separate beings in marriage. Here is my reasoning:
Any creature has the possibility to be complete.
We as humans are creatures.
Therefore, we as humans have the possibility to be complete.
Human completion is perfection (see III).
Therefore, humans have the possibility to be complete.
Human completion is divinity.
Therefore, humans have the possibility to be divine.
If we are made complete, we are made perfect.
Therefore, if we are made complete, we are made divine.
In Christ, God makes us complete.
Therefore, in Christ, God makes us divine.
In Christ, God makes us one with himself.
Consider this: Perfection is a construct created and defined by man. It is constrained in the context and knowledge of the definer and invariably variable.
ReplyDeleteHow naïve of us is it to impose such a wretched thing on God?
Perfect: "excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement"
ReplyDeleteThis is man's definition, and in accordance with it, it is impossible to conceive of perfection because it is beyond our conception of possible improvement. Definitively, it is undefined. I do believe it is for a reason that God defines himself in such vacuous terms.