Completeness (Being Made Complete)
“made perfect. This phrase means “made complete.” (Foundation Study bible, Hebrew 11:40)
“The road to perfection is not through efforts of self-improvement, at least not in the way most people think. Perfection to Christians means being made complete, not achieving an exalted state of excellence. Self-improvement to Christians is achieved through sacrifice and self-denial. We strive to deny ourselves and our own ego based cravings to unite ourselves to Christ and love others. Because Christ is a wounded healer who assumed our sufferings in His humanity, we become refined and grow towards Him and in Him through our own sufferings and it is in this manner that we become perfected, that is, made complete.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“I fail. We fail. It’s just how things are. It is not a conspiracy or the judgment of God or a universe arrayed against us – we simply fall short. At times falling short is nothing less than embarrassing. This is especially so if we have raised our own expectations as well as the expectations of others. I do not measure up to my own expectations much less to those of others. Falling short, however, is not the definition of my life or the meaning of my existence – at least I have not so learned it in Christ. My failure is not the bottom line of the universe – surprisingly the universe does not turn on the success of my personal journey. I am important to God – but that is sheer grace and an undeserved gift. St. Paul said that he would “boast in his weakness” because in his weakness the strength of Christ was made complete.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and [b]infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons…(Luke 8:1-2). In the Scriptures, the number seven often symbolizes totality and completeness, indicating that Mary called Magdalene had been thoroughly given over to darkness before her healing…The number seven in the Scriptures usually emphasizes the completion of the old and the beginning of the new…Mary Magdalene became “equal to the apostles shows that even if we are completely given over to our vices, we can be healed completely thus in Christ we are never without hope.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Luke 8:2, 1 Chronicles 15:26, Sacramental Living Ministries)
“Even though our body deteriorates and dies, we will live forever because of Christ. In the promised resurrection, even death will be defeated, and Christ’s victory will be made complete.” (Life Application Study Bible, Hebrews 11:32-35)