One of the idioms used today in “perfect.” I hear many times
a day this response as a thank you to someone having the answer to a request,
“perfect.” It sounds thoughtful and concise, however, I have been thinking
about this word. You know, there is only One who is perfect and that is
God: “Therefore you shall be perfect,
just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
Man is not perfect in any way except by the blood of the
Lamb who died for all. “For the law appoints as high priest men who
have weaknesses, but the word of the oath which came after the law, appoints
the Son who has been perfected forever” (Hebrews 7:48). Mankind is
flawed in every way, even if we have gifts of God that can be used for His
glory. It started in the “garden of Eden” when pride took over and ruined
paradise. We became full of fears and selfish emotions after the fall. But “God
is love. And perfect love castes out fear” (1 John 4:18). Yes, God’s
love is for us so nothing can be against us as Romans 8:31 tells us. Yet we are
not yet perfected or holy, we are being made holy and perfect, as we trust in
Him. Perfect will come when we see God face to face in heaven if we believe in
the Son of God as Savior and Lord. But in this world we will have troubles
Jesus tells us. He also said that we should take heart because He has overcome
the world. So can we have peace in this world?
“He will keep in perfect peace, him whose mind is steadfast on Him,
because he trust in Him” (Isaiah 26:3). God says to seek Him and pray
continually. This is how we can find His peace. Paul reminds us in 2
Corinthians 12:9-10, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My
strength is made perfect in weakness.
Yes for Christ’s sake, when I am weak then I am strong.” This is
one of the paradoxes of faith; we must be weak to be strong. Said in another
way, we must die to self to gain. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is
gain” (Philippians 1:21). The flesh or our worldly ways must die to
live as Christ would have us.
The perfect peace of God is the one we find when we are not
anxious, but keep praying with thanksgiving as Philippians 4:6-7 admonishes us.
We must continually think about and put into practice all things noble, right,
pure excellent and praiseworthy. This is when the God of peace is with us. This
is the perfecting power. “Every good and perfect gift comes from
above from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). This perfecting power is
from above. Paul knew about it and said, “Not that I have already attained, or am
already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ
Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have
apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and
pressing forward to those things which are ahead. I press forward to the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14). This is the
upward call of God to perfection.
“Jesus
answered, “If you want to be perfect,
go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). The rich young ruler could not do it. God is
saying to him and us today that we must put Him first and foremost above all
others. “As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (2
Samuel 22:31). Throughout the Old Testament and Psalms we are told of God’s
perfection and to take refuge in Him to be delivered and made whole. This is
the quest of mankind to be more like Jesus; many just don’t know it and how to
live.
“Be
perfect as I am perfect.”
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.