October 2, 2023
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:45 KJV, emphasis added.
This might be the most contentious of all theological issues. Can you name even one Christian who is genuinely open to a discussion about what Jesus meant when He said, “Be ye perfect even as your Father is perfect?”
The very idea that anyone might claim perfection or try to achieve perfection is an abomination to most evangelical Christians. Many of these Christians have no problem at all believing that Christians sin in thought, word, and deed every day. Suggesting that it isn’t true is almost unthinkable to them. And if Christian’s can live without the daily commission of sin, what does that say about their walk with God? That thought makes this a most challenging subject. Having a candid conversation about this subject is like trying to have a conversation with a progressive about gender, climate change, or vaccines. If you strike that match, it might blow up in your face.
I have been avoiding this article for that very reason. Let us look at a few passages in which the word ‘perfect’ is used and determine the meaning from the context. Like most other Biblical words, the context determines the meaning. You and I do not determine the meaning based on our experience and our feelings about the matter.
Many people use the word ‘perfect’ to describe something absolute. For instance, Jesus lived a perfect life and never sinned, not even a minor sin. Jesus was and is ideal in an absolute sense. He was sinless. In contrast, sinners can never be perfect in an absolute sense because sinners have sinned. They can never claim sinless perfection. From the start, let us understand that Jesus is not demanding absolute perfection or sinlessness. If we were absolutely perfect, none of us would need a savior. In this passage, Jesus is telling His imperfect disciples, who are not sinless, that they must become perfect, but not in an absolute sense.
Matthew 5:43-48
What is Jesus talking about in Matthew 5? If you read this section from verse 43 through verse 48, you will notice that Jesus is telling His followers to be perfect as their Father in Heaven is perfect, and to love our enemies. If we love our enemies, as our heavenly Father does, we are perfect. We are not absolutely perfect, but we are perfect in God’s eyes when we love our enemies. Perfection in this passage is about loving our enemies. It speaks of a complete love, a mature love, and a love that is fully developed.
Can we love those who have hurt us and persecuted those we love? Yes, of course we can, because love is a choice. It is a choice to seek the well-being of those who have used and abused us. Initially, love is not a feeling of affection, but it may turn into feelings of affection after we pray for our enemies and do what we can to bless them. Loving our enemies involves forgiving them just like God has forgiven us. Forgiveness is not optional.
Matthew 19:21
“And Jesus said unto him, if thou will be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.”
In this passage, about the rich young ruler, Jesus told him to do the very thing that separated him from God and eternal life. That sin was his love of money. The rich ruler asked Jesus, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus told him to keep the commandments if he wanted to enter eternal life. The rich ruler asked Jesus, which ones must he keep. Jesus mentioned some of them. The young ruler responded that he had kept all these commandments from his youth. Yet, he still was aware that he lacked something. Jesus then put His finger on the commandments that he was breaking, which separated him from God and eternal life. He was covetous. He loved his money and riches more than He loved God or his neighbor. A few verses later, Jesus told His disciples that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. What is impossible to man is possible with God.
The rich young ruler kept many of the commandments, but not the one about “thou shalt not covet” and not the commandment about having any God before the one true God. His God was money. Jesus pointed that out to him, and he went away unwilling to sell his possessions and cease from his love of money. Jesus told him that if he wanted to be perfect, he must sell his possessions and then follow Him.
Jesus was not saying that the rich young ruler was absolutely perfect or that if he did sell his possessions and cease being a covetous person, he would become absolutely perfect. Jesus was telling him that he could become perfect and complete in the sight of God if he would cease from his sins of covetousness and idolatry. Everyone who stops sinning and starts to obey God becomes perfect in this sense. Perfection is to stop sinning habitually and to obey God habitually.
Colossians 1:28
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” KJV, emphasis added.
Earlier in this passage, Paul is telling them that they are now reconciled to God because they “were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled….to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” verses 21-23.
Again, perfection is not absolute because these people’s “wicked works” require that they be reconciled to God. Only sinners need reconciliation with God. Paul aims to present them as “holy and unblameable and unreprovable” in God’s sight. To achieve this, they must stop living in sin. No imaginary or imputed claim of holiness is even suggested.
Colossians 4:12
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” KJV, emphasis added.
Epaphras was praying that they would stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. He was praying that their repentance from sin would stand the test of time. That is the perfection he was praying for. He was not praying about their absolute perfection because these were sinners who could never be absolutely perfect or sinless.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul says the unrighteous (imperfect) will not inherit the kingdom of God. He then says, “such were some of you”. He did not say, Such are some of you. These Corinthians went from living in imperfection or sin to living in righteousness, perfection, or holiness.
2 Timothy 3:17
“That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” KJV, emphasis added.
Paul told Timothy that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” (Verse 12). Living godly, in Christ Jesus, is living in perfection. Moreover, Paul told him to watch out for evil men and seducers and to stay steadfast in what he had learned from Paul. More importantly, Timothy must love scripture, “For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect……” verses 16 and 17.
“That the man of God may be perfect”, was the goal of the Apostle Paul. It is also the objective of scripture. Sinners can change. They can cease from a life of sin and begin a walk in holiness and the fear of the LORD. Imperfection can become perfection. They will suffer persecution, but the pleasure and favor of God rest on them.
Hebrews 13:20,21
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” KJV, emphasis added.
The writer of Hebrews states that the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ makes “you perfect in every good work to do his will.” Did Jesus come to save us in our sin or from our sin? Was the atonement limited to salvation from the penalty of sin, which is hell? Or was it to cover both the commission of sin and the penalty of sin? (See article titled: either-or…both-and)
Most Christians today believe that the atonement of Jesus Christ is entirely about the setting aside of the penalty of sin (hell). They do not think Christians, in this earthly life, ever cease from a lifestyle of sin. How did that happen? Christians have been told repeatedly that salvation from sinning is not to be expected until we die. Then we will stop sinning. May I suggest to you that this is a lie out of the pit of hell. I pray you do not believe it. Jesus came to save us from our sins, not in our sins. See Matthew 1:21.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. KJV, emphasis added.
You will find something similar in Ephesians 4:12. God has given us precious and magnificent promises (2 Peter 1), whereby we may become partakers of the divine nature. We can and must be cleansed “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” We can and must “perfect holiness in the fear of God” by believing and walking in the promises of God. Once again, this perfection is not sinlessness for “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” This perfection is a walk of holiness. Sinners cease from the practice of sin and are “perfecting holiness in the fear of God”. What a beautiful passage of scripture. But how few Christians believe what is written.
John 8:11
“She said, No, my Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” KJV, emphasis added.
A woman, who was caught in the very act of adultery, was brought before Jesus to see what He would do. Jesus told the crowd that the one without sin should cast the first stone. Death by stoning was the punishment according to the law of Moses. No one threw the first stone, and they all left. Jesus saved her. Then Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Jesus was telling her she was to cease from sin, from that moment on, so that nothing worse would happen to her. She was most definitely imperfect, and Jesus told her to become perfect and stop sinning. What else can it mean?
I could go on and on, citing scripture where the word perfect is used. None of us sinners is absolutely perfect. Perfection in scripture, when it relates to humanity, has nothing to do with absolute perfection but with becoming a new creation. When we repent and believe in Jesus Christ, we cease from a life of sin and put on a life of holiness (perfection) in the fear of God. If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new. Old things are sinful things. New things are righteous things. Righteous things are perfect in God’s sight.
Theology of perfection?
There are Christians who preach perfection. One group believes that God the Father must find in us absolute perfection before He can forgive and justify us. How do imperfect people become this perfection? They say that the perfect and absolute obedience of Jesus Christ is imputed to us sinners. When God the Father sees us, He sees the absolute perfect obedience of Jesus Christ and not our sins. In this way, we are justified before God and declared not guilty. Jesus gives us His perfect obedience, His absolute perfection.
There are two problems with this view. The first problem is that sinners, like me and maybe you, can never be pronounced not guilty, for we are guilty and worthy of eternal death. Sinners can be pardoned and treated as if they were innocent. But sinners are not innocent by definition. The second problem is that God never lies, and to declare us not guilty is a lie. God came to save sinners, not the righteous. He does not need to pretend that we are something we are not. God knows what we are and is still willing to save us. Marvelous grace, incredible love.
There is another group of Christians who claim to be totally sanctified or perfect (entire sanctification) by the grace of God. In this state, they say that they no longer sin. There can be no doubt that the promises of God are sufficient to accomplish this in theory. In actual practice, I have some doubts about how many people have attained this state. Finding anything but a lukewarm evangelical Christian is rare indeed.
I wish I could say that this is true of me. I want it to be true of me, but it isn’t yet true as these folks believe. That said, I think that sin is the exception, not the rule, in my life. God will correct and rebuke me if I am mistaken. To the praise and glory of God, I can also look at my life and see that the truth has set me free from many besetting sins.
When we limit the promises of God, we shortchange ourselves and others. If Jesus says that we can be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, then we must believe Him. I believe Him. He would not command us to be something we can’t be. To write off His commandment as impractical or impossible is to declare our unbelief, which is a sin.
We serve a great God, who can save us to the uttermost. If we seek Him, we will find Him. LORD God, help us to become all that you intend for us. You deserve our all.
