I'm Perfect

Hebrews 10:11-14

The author contrasts the repetitive daily religious duties of the priests in the temple with the one time sacrifice of Christ. The author uses an almost comic image: the image is of priests scurrying around, performing the same tasks day in and day out. Then Jesus steps us, performs one superior sacrifice and sits down in his easy chair, waiting for his footstool to be brought to him. It's a picture of royal relaxation. I don't want to down play the significance of Christ's sacrifice for it is vital and bigger than I can fully fathom but the image of Jesus relaxing while the priests scurry is humorous to me.
The author also contrasts the results of Christ's sacrifice to the results of the daily sacrifices of the priests: the priests' sacrifices can never take away sin but Christ's sacrifice made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Two things I see in that phrase: one, that I have been made perfect forever by the sacrifice of Christ. This means that there is nothing I can do to make myself more perfect. Everything has already been accomplished in Christ so my perfection is no credit to myself. There is no ability or characteristic in myself that makes me perfect. I needed an outside force to achieve perfection. Secondly, I am still in the process of being made holy. I think holy and perfect are synonyms with slightly different meanings. So the author is basically saying that Christ's sacrifice has achieved perfection for those who are in the process of being made perfect. It sounds like an oxymoron but there is truth to it. In regards to the justice of God, I am wholly justified through the sacrifice of Christ - I am already perfect. When it comes to fully realizing and living out that justification, I still have a long way to go - I am being made perfect.
Both are a result of Christ's sacrifice. Yes, I believe that I have a minor role to play in working out my salvation but even my ability to live out my perfection is completely dependent on the grace of God in Christ. I will never be able to boast (which 'nucks because I like boasting) because I have done nothing except believe.