Exactly. Let us GO ON to perfection. How are just men made perfect? Who are the clay made pots? How are they justified? "Whoever is dead is freed from sin." Let us therefore have a renewing of the mind daily.
Phillipians 3:8-21
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect (teleioō - matured/complete): but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (teleios- mature/complete) , be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto (whatever) we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
If you understand the difference in the two manifestations of the promise, the downpayment/earnest, and the redemption of the purchased possession, you will understand that verse perfectly.
We are made complete, yet NOT yet already complete.
We have attained the resurrection of the dead, yet NOT attained the resurrection of the dead and whatever we have attained we walk by the same rule.
And those of Paul's likeness, "as many as have been made perfect" be THUS minded. How minded? Those who are complete, must understand that they are not yet complete, and must press forward.
