“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
This is an intimidating verse, I must admit. But it’s necessary for us to understand it. Our society has become one that not only accepts imperfection, but almost worships it. We all know that we’re imperfect people. None of us would deny that we’re sinners in need of saving. Very few people in the world claim to be perfect. But the world has begun to tell us that not only is perfection unattainable, but it’s not worth trying for. As Christians, we must reject that.
No, we’re not perfect, but through Christ we can be made perfect. Christ gives us the only hope we have of being perfect, but he doesn’t call us to mediocrity. He doesn’t call us to be content with our imperfection. He calls us to holiness and perfection, just as he lived. We can’t do it on our own. But we know that God always gives us a way out of temptation. When we’ve believed in Jesus and have received his Spirit in our lives, we are given the chance to become perfect. Of course, we don’t have to fret if we fail. Christ has died for all of our sins, and his mercy never runs out.
The point is that we will always face temptation, and we will probably fail often, but we’re not destined to. We are not doomed to a life of imperfection. We’re invited to a life of perfection. However, we have no chance at it without Christ. Our sin must first be forgiven, removed, and we must be made clean by his sacrifice. From there, he empowers us to strive for perfection. And it is attainable. Without him, we have no chance. With him, we are made eternally perfect.
Prayer:
Father,
I know that I’ve not lived perfectly. I know that it’s unlikely that I’ll ever be perfect. I know that you’ve given me that ability through your Spirit though, and I know that you will never condone my sin. Help me to strive for nothing less than perfection.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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