The concept of imperfection is woven throughout the biblical narrative, reflecting the human condition and the need for divine grace. In the Bible, imperfection is often associated with human frailty, sin, and the fallen state of the world. Despite this, the Scriptures also reveal God's redemptive plan to restore and perfect His creation.

Human Imperfection

The Bible acknowledges the imperfection of humanity from the very beginning. In Genesis, the fall of Adam and Eve introduces sin into the world, marking the start of human imperfection. Genesis 3:6-7 describes how Adam and Eve's disobedience led to a loss of innocence and the awareness of their flawed state: "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."

Throughout the Old Testament, the imperfection of humanity is evident in the repeated failures of individuals and nations to uphold God's commandments. The Israelites, despite being chosen by God, frequently fall into idolatry and disobedience, highlighting their imperfect nature.

Imperfect Sacrifices and the Law

The sacrificial system established in the Old Testament underscores the imperfection of human efforts to atone for sin. Hebrews 10:1-4 explains, "The law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

The law and sacrifices were imperfect in that they could not fully cleanse or perfect the worshiper, pointing instead to the need for a perfect sacrifice.

Christ's Perfection and Redemption

The New Testament reveals Jesus Christ as the perfect solution to human imperfection. Unlike the sacrifices of the Old Testament, Christ's sacrifice is sufficient to atone for sin once and for all. Hebrews 10:14 states, "For by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified."

Through Christ, believers are made perfect in their standing before God, though they continue to struggle with sin in their earthly lives. The Apostle Paul acknowledges this tension in Romans 7:18-19 : "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do."

Sanctification and the Journey Toward Perfection

The process of sanctification is the means by which believers are gradually conformed to the image of Christ, moving toward spiritual maturity and perfection. Philippians 1:6 assures believers of God's ongoing work: "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

While believers are positionally perfect in Christ, they are called to pursue holiness and strive for perfection in their daily lives. Jesus Himself commands in Matthew 5:48 , "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

The Future Perfection

The Bible promises a future where imperfection will be eradicated. In the new heavens and new earth, believers will experience complete perfection, free from sin and its effects. Revelation 21:4 offers a glimpse of this future: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away."

In summary, the theme of imperfection in the Bible highlights the human need for redemption and the transformative power of God's grace through Jesus Christ. The journey from imperfection to perfection is central to the Christian faith, culminating in the ultimate restoration of all things.1. (a.) Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; defective; deficient.

2. (a.) Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity.

3. (a.) Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective.

4. (n.) The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.

5. (v. t.) To make imperfect.

1510. eimi -- I exist, I am
... 1510 ("is, am") -- in the tense, indicative mood -- can be time-inclusive
("omnitemporal," like the Hebrew imperfect tense). Only ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1510.htm - 9k

5335. phasko -- to affirm, assert
... assert, affirm, profess. Cognate: 5335 (used as the imperfect tense of 5346 ,
see there) -- to (assert), () . See 5346 (). Word Origin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5335.htm - 6k

2064. erchomai -- to come, go
... Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the
others being supplied by a kindred (middle voice) eleuthomai el-yoo'-thom ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2064.htm - 12k

3801. ho on kai ho en kai ho erchomenos -- to come
... to come Ho erchomenos (ho own kahee) ho ane kahee (ho er-khom'-en-os) a phrase
combining ho with the present participle and imperfect of eimi and the present ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3801.htm - 6k

3876. parakoe -- a hearing amiss, by impl. disobedience
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: parakoe Phonetic Spelling: (par-ak-o-
ay') Short Definition: disobedience Definition: disobedience, imperfect hearing ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3876.htm - 7k

2258. en -- agree, be, have charge of, hold, use.
... agree, be, have charge of, hold, use. Imperfect of eimi; I (thou, etc.) Was (wast
or were) -- + agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was(-t), were. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2258.htm - 6k

433. aneko -- to be fit, be proper
... (Col 3:18) (433 ) -- Note the imperfect tense ("was fitting"). [JB Lightfoot, "The
tense involved perhaps implies an essential () obligation" of what was "."]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/433.htm - 7k

2147. heurisko -- to find
... heuro (hyoo'-ro), which (together with another cognate form) heureo (hyoo-reh'-o)
is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2147.htm - 10k

1564. golem -- an embryo
... substance yet being imperfect. From galam; a wrapped (and unformed mass, ie As the
embryo) -- substance yet being unperfect. see HEBREW galam. 1563, 1564. ...
/hebrew/1564.htm - 6k

February the Fourteenth Imperfect Consecration
... FEBRUARY The Fourteenth IMPERFECT CONSECRATION. MATTHEW xix.16-22. The rich young
ruler consecrated a part, but was unwilling to consecrate the whole. ...
/.../february the fourteenth imperfect consecration.htm

That Without Imperfect Meekness Coming Before, it is Impossible ...
... HERE BEGINNETH THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER That without imperfect meekness coming before,
it is impossible for a sinner to come to the perfect Virtue of meekness in ...
/.../anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/here beginneth the fourteenth chapter.htm

Naaman's Imperfect Faith
... THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS NAAMAN'S IMPERFECT FAITH. 'And he returned to the
man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/naamans imperfect faith.htm

Perfect in Parts, Imperfect in Degrees.
... First Chapter. SANCTIFICATION. X. Perfect in Parts, Imperfect in Degrees. ... But
sanctification is imperfect in the degree of its development. ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/x perfect in parts imperfect.htm

I am Imperfect in Many Things, Nevertheless I Want My Brethren and ...
... Section 6. I am imperfect in many things, nevertheless I want my brethren and
kinsfolk to? 6. I am imperfect in many things, nevertheless ...
/.../patrick/the confession of st patrick/section 6 i am imperfect.htm

Imperfect Conviction.
... Book IX. Chapter XVI."Imperfect Conviction. Then said the old man: "My
son Clement has wisely framed his argument, so that he ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xvi imperfect conviction.htm

Of those who While Still Imperfect Retire into the Desert.
... The Conferences of John Cassian. Chapter X. Of those who while still imperfect
retire into the desert. But some are sometimes so ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter x of those who.htm

Perfect Human Righteousness is Imperfect.
... Book II. Chapter 18 [XIII.]"Perfect Human Righteousness is Imperfect. There
are then on earth righteous men, there are great men ...
/.../anti-pelagian writings/chapter 18 xiii perfect human righteousness.htm

How Dangerous this Imperfect Love Is.
... CHAPTER X. HOW DANGEROUS THIS IMPERFECT LOVE IS. Alas! ... These were effects of imperfect
love, which former charity, now past, had left in his heart. ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter x how dangerous this.htm

A Means to Discern this Imperfect Love.
... BOOK IV. OF THE DECAY AND RUIN OF CHARITY. CHAPTER XI. A MEANS TO DISCERN
THIS IMPERFECT LOVE. But, you will ask me, what means ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xi a means to.htm

Imperfect (6 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) The imperfect tense; or the form of a verb denoting the imperfect tense.
5. (vt) To make imperfect. Multi-Version Concordance Imperfect (6 Occurrences). ...
/i/imperfect.htm - 8k

Proper (62 Occurrences)
... as Jonathan, "Yahweh hath given," Jehoshaphat, "Yahweh hath judged," Eleazar, "God
hath helped," Elkanah, "God hath formed"; or before an imperfect, as Eliahba ...
/p/proper.htm - 57k

Lame (35 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) To some degree disabled by reason of the imperfect action of a
limb; crippled; as, a lame man. 3. (superl.) Hence, hobbling ...
/l/lame.htm - 21k

Were (28152 Occurrences)
... See Weir. 3. (vt) To guard; to protect. 4. (n.) The imperfect indicative plural,
and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See Be. ...
/w/were.htm - 7k

Imperfection (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality or condition of being imperfect; want
of perfection; incompleteness; deficiency; fault or blemish. ...
/i/imperfection.htm - 7k

Estimate (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To judge and form an opinion of the value of, from imperfect data, -- either
the extrinsic (money), or intrinsic (moral), value; to fix the worth of ...
/e/estimate.htm - 9k

Element (1 Occurrence)
... British and American) has "rudiments," as in the King James Version margin, and
in Colossians 2:8, 20, where the reference is to imperfect Jewish ordinances. ...
/e/element.htm - 10k

Names (133 Occurrences)
... as Jonathan, "Yahweh hath given," Jehoshaphat, "Yahweh hath judged," Eleazar, "God
hath helped," Elkanah, "God hath formed"; or before an imperfect, as Eliahba ...
/n/names.htm - 101k

Languages (36 Occurrences)
... two cases. The dual and 2nd and 3rd person plural and 2nd person singular
feminine of the imperfect of the verb ended in nun. In ...
/l/languages.htm - 49k

Nehelamite (4 Occurrences)
... two cases. The dual and 2nd and 3rd person plural and 2nd person singular
feminine of the imperfect of the verb ended in nun. In ...
/n/nehelamite.htm - 89k

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Imperfect: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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