By the time you read this issue of the United News–Philippines, we will have already entered the year of 2005. It is hard to believe that 2004 is already history. As you will see from the articles contained in this issue, we have a lot for which to be thankful. God has continued to bless the Work in the Philippines. From all reports that I have seen, God has blessed us with good numerical growth this past year. But numbers only give us part of the picture. How much have we grown spiritually this past year? Our spiritual growth is a bit more difficult to quantify. I think we would all agree that God is much more interested in our spiritual growth than our numerical growth. Nevertheless we are also thankful for the numerical growth that He has granted us.

The apostle Peter encouraged members of God’s Church by writing, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18, NKJV). Our goal as a Christian is to grow spiritually in order to become a mature Christian—to become like our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-15, NKJV). We are very thankful for the ministry that God has provided here in the Philippines for the edifying and the equipping of His people. As we strive for growth, perhaps each of us should ask the question, “Am I more accurately reflecting Jesus Christ today than I was one year ago?”

We become perfect as we become more like Christ. Christ said, “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect (mature) shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40, KJV). We become perfect by being mature students. As we become mature students, we will begin to reflect our Teacher, Jesus Christ, more clearly! Christ also instructed His disciples or students, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, KJV). We realize that it is impossible for us to be perfect in the sense of being flawless or sinless. But we can be perfect in the sense of being a mature student. A perfect man has obtained a stature which can be measured by the fullness of Christ. A perfect man or mature Christian must be a true or clear reflection of Christ. In order to be a true reflection of Christ, we must act and react the way Christ would.

Christ made the statement “be perfect even as God is perfect” in the middle of His most famous discourse to His disciples—known as the Sermon on the Mount. In this passage, Christ was giving His disciples guidelines in becoming mature or perfect Christians. By applying Christ’s teaching contained in this section of scripture, we are developing the stature of the fullness of Christ. As we begin the year of 2005, let’s endeavor to re-study and more fully apply this section of scripture as we strive to grow spiritually. I look forward to seeing many of you during my visit in January.