God is without sin, without darkness and evil. Morally perfect, good, just and upright, kind and abounding in loving-kindness. Devotion to God develops from and depends greatly on this one thing: our possessing a revelation of God Himself.
Deut 32:6
“The Rock, his work is perfect, (Tamim)
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
Tamim: the moral power to do what is right in God's eyes, a work of God
From the above verse it is apparent that this wholehearted, entire devotion is a supernatural work of grace. Not something man can work and become out of his own effort, but something so perfect, a devotion so complete that only God can work it out in a person's life. It takes great courage and moral strength to do the right thing in the eyes of God, not merely what is acceptable in the sight of men. To repeat: it is the moral power of integrity, unchanging conviction to do what God desires. It is a moral power that we do not possess, but must possess us through the Holy Spirit.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
Tamim: the moral power to do what is right in God's eyes, a work of God
Psalms 18:30
31 This God— his way is perfect; (Tamim)
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
32 the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way perfect (Tamim).
From the above verse it is apparent that this wholehearted, entire devotion is a supernatural work of grace. Not something man can work and become out of his own effort, but something so perfect, a devotion so complete that only God can work it out in a person's life. It takes great courage and moral strength to do the right thing in the eyes of God, not merely what is acceptable in the sight of men. To repeat: it is the moral power of integrity, unchanging conviction to do what God desires. It is a moral power that we do not possess, but must possess us through the Holy Spirit.
The bible is full of people who have been described as "blameless" - both in the old and new testament - Noah, Abraham have both been described as such. The hebrew word there is Tamim. Meaning, wholehearted, incontestably devoted in their thoughts intents and actions.
Trust fully that our God who is perfect, who does "perfect work"is able to complete this wholehearted devotion to God within us.
Tamim - William Vine's exposition on the word
Tamim (Strong’s Hebrew word number : H8549), means "perfect; blameless; sincerity; entire; whole; complete; full." The 91 occurrences of this word are scattered throughout biblical literature.
Tamim means "complete," in the sense of the entire or whole thing: "And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole (Tamim) rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone..." (Lev 3:9).
The sun stood still for the "whole" day while Joshua fought the Gibeonites (Jos 10:13). In Lev 23:15 God commands that there be seven "complete, Tamim" sabbaths after the first fruit feast plus fifty days and then that the new grain offering be presented.
It refers to the completion of time in a prophetic season of a person's life.
Many times we surrender ourselves to God because we are in a desperate state, having fallen and failed many many times, we give the broken bits to God and say "God take it all", as I have done many many times. Think about a sacrifice that is given to God when we are walking right, doing all we can to keep His way, to believe in Him, to walk in His grace. That is the way Jesus walked, giving God a life of full devotion.
Nothing displeasing to God
In Genesis 17:1 God promises Abraham that He will multiply him, but on condition that Abraham walks blameless (tamim) with him. How did Abraham do the works of God in a complete manner in his life? Paul provides the secret in Romans 4: Abraham believed whatever God said to him with a whole heart. James says Abraham's works were completed through faith. Simply put, put all your faith muscles, every fibre of your trust and belief in Jesus Christ's person and promises for your life. Trust him to clothe you with strength as He did with all these other saints to be morally upright in heart and action. The only way thus is a life of dependance on God, through a life attitude of prayerful dependance.
God removes the stumbling in our life and keeps us from stumbling.
The promise made to us is clear God is able and desiring to make us such. Are we willing? To forsake self-effort and pride, to humble ourself before God and say: "I am weak, complete this in me in Your power", at the same time not giving in to the voice of licence-to-sin who says, why even try? It is impossible. Also avoiding the pharisee's method of doing everything depending and trusting our own strength and moral goodness. Can we lean hard on God to do this?
The bible clearly shows that this whole heartedness is possible (though entirely supernatural). It is a requriement that God asks of us "Be thou holy, for I am holy". A work God himself does in us, to which work we must seek, desire and pray it be fulfilled in us. Imagine not knowing anything in your own actions or inner thoughts that are accusing to yourself. That is the way Paul walked. Then imagine God approving of your life and saying "He is a perfect man, a blameless man." God wants to remove all the stumbling within us so that we may have utmost joy in His presence. To develop a spirit and heart that is one with God's love. We must develop this looking to God with the eyes of our heart, a habit of daily prayer and a heart that leans entirely for God to work mightily within us.
Reference
*The word study on Tamim is adapted from material from Vines’s expository dictionary of Biblical Words, by William Edwy Vine
This word may mean "intact," or not cut up into pieces.
Tamim may mean incontestable or free from objection. God’s work is perfect - it cannot be disputed.
The people of God are to avoid the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites. "You shall be perfect with the Lord thy God." (Deu 18:13) Used in such contexts the word means the one so described externally meets all the requirements of God's law.
This word modifies the victim to be offered to God (51 times). It means that the sacrificial animal has no blemish (Lev 22:18-21).
Many times we surrender ourselves to God because we are in a desperate state, having fallen and failed many many times, we give the broken bits to God and say "God take it all", as I have done many many times. Think about a sacrifice that is given to God when we are walking right, doing all we can to keep His way, to believe in Him, to walk in His grace. That is the way Jesus walked, giving God a life of full devotion.
Nothing displeasing to God
In several contexts the word has a wider background. When one is described by it, there is nothing in his outward activities or internal disposition that is odious (displeasing) to God; "...Noah was a just man and perfect (Tamim) in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Gen 6:9)Honest and sincere with men
In Judges 9:16, tamim describes a relationship between men, it is clear that more than mere external activity is meant: "Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely Tamim [literally, "in a sincere manner"]."How to become tamim? Only through faith
In Genesis 17:1 God promises Abraham that He will multiply him, but on condition that Abraham walks blameless (tamim) with him. How did Abraham do the works of God in a complete manner in his life? Paul provides the secret in Romans 4: Abraham believed whatever God said to him with a whole heart. James says Abraham's works were completed through faith. Simply put, put all your faith muscles, every fibre of your trust and belief in Jesus Christ's person and promises for your life. Trust him to clothe you with strength as He did with all these other saints to be morally upright in heart and action. The only way thus is a life of dependance on God, through a life attitude of prayerful dependance.
God removes the stumbling in our life and keeps us from stumbling.
1 John 2:10
10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Jude 1:24
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
The promise made to us is clear God is able and desiring to make us such. Are we willing? To forsake self-effort and pride, to humble ourself before God and say: "I am weak, complete this in me in Your power", at the same time not giving in to the voice of licence-to-sin who says, why even try? It is impossible. Also avoiding the pharisee's method of doing everything depending and trusting our own strength and moral goodness. Can we lean hard on God to do this?
Ps 101:2
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect (Tamim) way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."
1 Cor 4:4
4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
The bible clearly shows that this whole heartedness is possible (though entirely supernatural). It is a requriement that God asks of us "Be thou holy, for I am holy". A work God himself does in us, to which work we must seek, desire and pray it be fulfilled in us. Imagine not knowing anything in your own actions or inner thoughts that are accusing to yourself. That is the way Paul walked. Then imagine God approving of your life and saying "He is a perfect man, a blameless man." God wants to remove all the stumbling within us so that we may have utmost joy in His presence. To develop a spirit and heart that is one with God's love. We must develop this looking to God with the eyes of our heart, a habit of daily prayer and a heart that leans entirely for God to work mightily within us.
Reference
*The word study on Tamim is adapted from material from Vines’s expository dictionary of Biblical Words, by William Edwy Vine
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