possible addition.  What can be added to holiness? and what improvement

can there be upon a condition which is both unblameable and unreproveable in

God's sight?  That which is unreproveable there is surely unimproveable here;

and yet the fact remains that Paul does say, and in the near context, `that I

may present every man perfect', even though the ink that wrote verse 22 was

scarcely dry.

He does also use the expression `perfecting holiness' in 2 Corinthians

The difficulty lies in the word `perfect' and the meaning that it has

attached to it in modern speech.  The derivation of the English word,

however, takes us nearer to the meaning of the Greek original.  `Perfect' has

come into English through the old French parfait, which in its turn comes

from the Latin per `throughly' and facere `to make'.  Now the word `fact'

comes from the same verb facere, and if we can see in the word `perfect' the

idea of making that which is a `fact' in Christ, a `fact' also in our own

experience, we shall be near the truth contained in the two presentings of

Colossians 1, and perfecting of 2 Corinthians 7:1.  There is, however, only

one true method of arriving at the meaning of a word, and that is by a

canvass of its usage together with its etymology.  The word translated

`perfect' in Colossians 1:28 is teleios, and if we bring together the various

words that are derived from the same root or stem, we shall be in a position

to understand its essential meaning.

An end

`Then cometh the end'

(1 Cor. 15:24).

To end

`I have finished my course' (2 Tim. 4:7).

What has

reached its end

`Every man perfect' (Col. 1:28).

`Let us go on unto perfection' (Heb.

To finish

`That I might finish my course' (Acts

`Hope to the end' (1 Pet. 1:13).

`Author and Finisher' (Heb. 12:2).

There are other words used in the New Testament  derived from the same

source, and also quite a number of compounds, but we have sufficient for our

purpose in the list above.  The etymology of the word suggests that `perfect'

has something to do with the `end', with a `finish'.  The usage of the word

leaves us without any doubt.  It is found as an antithesis to `begin' and

`beginning', and is employed in association with the running of a race with a

prize in view.  It is used of Christ Himself in connection with the

`finishing' of His work, although the idea of His `being made perfect' as a

result of His sufferings cannot be tolerated, if by the word `perfect' we

mean moral or spiritual improvement.  Let us take a few occurrences of the

word `perfect' in order to establish its meaning by its usage.

`Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?'

(Gal. 3:3).

Here the word is used in its natural meaning.  Over against `begun' the

apostle places `made perfect' where the mind thinks of the idea of `ending'

or `finishing':