God’s desire is that His people would grow into unity. The “perfect man” will experience this unity. The word perfect does not suggest a person without sin; but, rather, an individual who has matured in the Lord and been “furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17). A perfect man is not without error, but is mature enough in the Lord to exercise the lowliness, meekness, and forbearance discussed in the previous devotions. The Bible says, “Mark the perfect man . . . for the end of that man is peace” (Psalm 37:37). The will of God is that “we all” would come to this “unity of the faith.” It will only happen as believers grow “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Fear and discouragement are effective weapons in Satan’s arsenal which he uses to discourage the people of God from fulfilling the will of God for their lives. Fear is not all bad. The fear of God is good and holy, but the fear of the world withstands faith and brings the believer into bondage (Proverbs 29:25). Fear and faith are foes as are fear and courage. In 2 Timothy 1:6-8, the Bible points out that the Lord is not the instigator of fear in the life of the believer. In the place of fear, God gives men power, love, and a sound mind. God wants men to be courageous and full of faith. Yet, the fear of man exhibits a lack of courage. It frequently hinders believers from doing the Lord’s work and gives the impression that believers are ashamed of the Lord and His people.
