“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Perfection. When I say the word, another quickly comes to mind: impossible. While I may be blind to some of my faults, I recognize enough of my shortcomings to realize that I am a long way from achieving perfection. That realization causes me to wonder if God is commanding me to be something that may be impossible to achieve.
THE KEY TO PERFECTION
Perfection does not come from our own efforts. It is not within our power to attain this alone. Job said, “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse” (Job 9:20).
Nor did Old Testament law bring perfection. Hebrews 7:19 says, “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
From this we find that the key to perfection is “the better hope.” God’s Spirit operating in our lives gives us the power to grow into His likeness, to take on His flawless character.
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (II Corinthians 5:21)
When God’s Spirit fills our lives, a growth process begins. All infants pass through stages of development to reach maturity. To maintain healthy growth, proper nourishment is essential. The same is true in the spiritual realm.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (I Peter 2:2)
God’s Word guides us on the way to perfection by revealing how to become like Him.
THE STANDARD WE USE
A set standard establishes the criterion of perfection. If our goal is “to be as good as I can be,” we are not aiming for excellence. We have lowered our standard and put the emphasis on what we can accomplish. If we judge ourselves by the standard of how others live, we are using the wrong measure. For us, the standard or pattern must only be Jesus Christ. Our desire must be to seek His holiness and His righteousness.
While the apostle Paul was undoubtedly a tremendous Christian, he still confessed, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect . . . I count not myself to have apprehended . . . and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14). Paul knew that he must continually strive toward that desired perfection in Christ.
There never comes a point when any of us can smugly declare, “I’ve arrived. I am completely mature in Christ. I am perfect.” Hebrews 6:1 lets us know that it is a journey toward a destination. “Let us go on unto perfection.”
God has not asked us to do the impossible. His Spirit working in our lives gives us the power to become like Him.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
Devotion by Mary Loudermilk
