We are taught to count to Pentecost.  How are we to interpret the biblical types and patterns that are so elusive to the world?  What we are looking at is an instruction that tells Church brethren to measure their spiritual development as they mature toward perfection and completeness.

“You shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the Wave Sheaf offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete:  Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days.  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves…”  (Leviticus 23:15-17)

This forty-nine/fifty day period is the part of God’s Plan that has to do with the time period of the Church of God.  From the time of the Wave Sheaf to the time of the wave loaves we see the development and perfecting of the Church brethren.

Are we as spiritually complete and perfected as we can possibly be for the resurrection?  Anyone who assumes that they have attained to the perfect measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, underestimates the supreme perfection of Jesus Christ.

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [‘teleios’] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:13)

The Greek word teleios corresponds to the Hebrew word tamiym which means entire, perfect, complete, whole, upright, sound, integrity, full age, or without spot or blemish.

What degree of excellence must the Church brethren achieve in order to be ready?  The lack of concern and respect for all of our brothers and sisters in the scattered church groups shows that we have a good way to go before our Christian journey is complete.  For the most part, the Church of God is not yet prepared.  After years of Christian living sermons explaining how we must let our light shine, the fruit of our lives is hardly distinguishable from those in the world.  We are not living according to the rules of the Kingdom as we should be.  If we were, we would be, “A light to the world,” which we certainly are not.

“Ye are the light of the world…  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)

What does God expect of us when He says for us to go on to perfection?  Isn't it impossible for humans to become perfect in the flesh?  What then does God mean?  In Luke 8:14 God tells us to bring forth fruit unto perfection.  The problem occurs when people decide not to work toward being perfect, because after all, it is an unobtainable goal.  The answer is that true Christians are striving to attain unto perfection — the mature and complete spiritual character that we see only in Jesus Christ.

Christians who are persevering to be in the resurrection possess a sense of resolve, determination, and persistence for becoming Godlike.

“Let patience / perseverance have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  (James 1:4)

The word patience has a connotation of passive waiting.  But God expects us to be more proactive than that.  We are to go on to perfection and completion with an active, dogged determination and firm resolve to do God's Will in our lives.  We are to endure and persevere!

“Strong meat [spiritual food] belongs to them that are of full age [‘teleios’], even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”  (Hebrews 5:14)

Paul is speaking here of the deeper spiritual aspects of maturity and completeness of a Christian’s life.  Just before this in Hebrews 5:9, Paul had been speaking of Jesus Christ.  "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."  Then, Paul spoke of the Church brethren going on to perfection.  "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God…"  (Hebrews 6:1)

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Sermon:

"Without Spot or Blemish"