the variants of this word, teleios, teleioo, teleiotes, teleiosis, to say nothing of compounds made with apo, ana, en,

epi, dia and sun, is that of taking whatever is in hand or in view to a finish or conclusion. This feature can be

demonstrated in several ways:

(1) `Perfecting holiness' (2 Cor. 7:1).

Of all subjects, the one that cannot conceivably be `improved' must be holiness, and without the context such an

expression as `to perfect holiness' seems to be more senseless and impossible than it would be `to gild the

lily or to paint the rose'. If however we observe the context of this exhortation, we shall see that practical

sanctification is in view. Not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers is to `perfect holiness'; to remember

that, if we are looked upon as the temple of the living God, there can be no possible agreement with idols and

with the promise attached to the separation from any unclean thing, the apostle says `Having therefore these

promises, dearly beloved, let us CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, PERFECTING

HOLINESS in the fear of God' (2 Cor. 7:1). Perfecting, making what is yours by gift, grace and reckoning `a

fact', perfect. In other words taking sanctification to its logical conclusion.

(2) Perfection is sometimes placed over against `the beginning'. Hebrews 6:1 urges the believer to leave the

arche `the word of the BEGINNING of Christ, and to go on unto the goal, the end, the conclusion, `perfection'.

So, in Hebrews 12:2 the `Author', the Greek archegos, is placed over against the `Finisher' or `Perfecter',

teleiotes. This emphasizes the presence in all words dealing with perfection of the root telos `the end'.

(3) `The perfect' is sometimes used to indicate an adult, as over against the immature or the babe:

that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of

strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But

strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (teleios)'. (Heb. 5:12-14). The connection between this

passage and the opening exhortation of Hebrews 6 is plain. In Ephesians 4:13,14 we have the perfect man

placed over against children, and 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 with its use of `perfect' and its `babes', its `milk' and

its `meat', is another evidence that the writer of Corinthians wrote the epistle to the Hebrews.

(4) The figure of a race or contest uses these words. Hebrews 12:2 just quoted associates the `finisher' with

`running the race', and Paul, who in Philippians was running with the prize of the high calling in view and

confessed that he was not at that time `perfect', is permitted in his last epistle to realize that he had touched

the tape, saying:

`I have fought a good fight (agona "race" Heb. 12:1),

I have finished (teleo) my course,

I have kept the faith; henceforth ... a crown'. (2 Tim. 4:7,8).

It is utterly impossible to believe that the Saviour could be `improved' morally or spiritually, and where it says

`He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and being made perfect' (Heb. 5:8,9) it indicates that He

went through `to the end', and as a consequence He became `the author' of eternal salvation; in Hebrews 2:10 `The

Captain of our salvation' was made `perfect' through sufferings, and in Hebrews 12:1,2 He became `the author' and

`the finisher', and for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

We shall meet with these words, these derivatives of telos `the finish' or `the end' in about thirty passages in

Hebrews, and when we meet with them in the ordinary course of exposition, we can deal with their immediate

bearing on the passage in hand, our comprehension being already enriched and illumined by the present survey.

Turning from Perfection, we face the dread alternative, Perdition. In view of the many statements of Scripture

that the redeemed shall `never perish', `shall not come into condemnation' and the like assurances, the idea of any

child of God drawing back unto perdition sounds untrue. If we mean by `perdition' the orthodox theological view

given by the Oxford Dictionary, for example `the condition of final damnation; the fate of those in hell, eternal

death', then our objections are valid, but if we are resting our arguments upon the usage of the English term, we are

unwise. We must be guided by the usage of the original word. Apoleia and apollumi are both compounds of luo `to

loose' and in the majority of cases the meaning of the word apollumi is expressed by the words `perish' or `be

destroyed'. In some places, this `perishing' is modified as in the expression `the lost sheep of the house of Israel',

and a further suggestive aspect of the term is seen in the translation `lose his ward' or `lose his life for My sake'

(Matt. 10:39,42). In Luke 15 apollumi is used of the `lost' piece of money, the `lost sheep' and the `lost' son, who