Ever have one of those days when you just don't want to get out of bed? The covers are warm, the house quiet and you can't image a more wonderful place? Then your alarm explodes, the baby starts crying and the whirlpool of life begans to suck you in. There are 86,400 seconds in a day and sometimes you wonder why you can't have just a few for yourself. Some time to take off the pressure of life, and be free of all expectations. To not worry about performance or obligation, but to just be? What ever happened to living the perfect life, and why does everyone need me to be perfect for them?
We get so caught up in these obligations to our fellow man that we fail to meet God's own expectation. Are you ready for this because I'm going to lay it on pretty thick.
"Be Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect."
But....He said what????....He can't mean....there must be another explanation.
Check it out for yourself, Matthew 5:48, red words, Jesus speaking.
Ok, lets get right to it because you won't believe how this is possible.
The word perfect (translated from teleios) relates to the words goal, purpose or completion. While God's perfection is absolute; man's is relative reaching the goal set for him by God with each individual different according to one's God given ability. Now read Romans 12:1-3
Simply said to be perfect is to complete the purpose or goal.
There is another word (anamartetos) which is without sin or sinless. If that is what you think being perfect is, that's nice but that is not what is being referred to in Matt 5:48 or Romans 12:2
Do you think you have a purpose in life? Does God care that you have a goal in mind? Absolutely.
The perfect man is one who has attained his moral end, the goal for which he has intended, namely, to be a man Obedient in Christ.
So if perfection is living for God, Loving Jesus and being a disciple, obeying the Words of Christ then is it to far out of reach? Isn't that the best part about being a Christian, Loving God? Having a purpose?
It's nothing to brag about, being perfect, because its relying purely on His Grace to use the talents He gave you. So be happy that something in your life is perfect. Then you can rest with perfect peace in His perfect will.
2 comments:
Brian,
My hubby just taught on this verse and corresponding passage in our class at church. Another possible take on it is if you look at the full context, it is building up with all these examples of how high God's standard is. It sets up the beautitudes (the character qualities and traits a beleiver should have) and then gives 6 examples of the HIGHER standard than even what the Scribes and the Pharisees set and then if for some weird reason you could nod and say, "I did all those" through those six, he then adds, "Be perfect like my Father in heaven is perfect." I think Jesus is setting this up to show that NONE of us can be perfect in our own strength, the standard is much too high. It highlights man's depravity and absolute NEED for Christ's saving power.
I agree with you that we are still be obedient and walk the path, run the race well as we are called to do so in many other passages, I am just not so sure that we ever CAN be perfect like it is indicating here. I would have to do more research on your translation of the word though and will be sure and do that as well.
Just wanted to add that tidbit. :) Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Heather
It's great to read the Truth, share the Truth and live the Truth in our daily lives.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts in this post.
Lynn
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