Nobody's Perfect?

(photo credit: bigpondmusic.com)

"But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, New Living Translation)

How's that for some Saturday morning encouragement? Really, Jesus? Be PERFECT? Who could possibly do that?

There are two answers to that question: Nobody and Everybody.

If by "perfect" we mean "sinless perfection" (never being or doing wrong, always making the right decision, never yielding to temptation), then we should just give up and tell Jesus, "Thanks, but no thanks. You are being completely unreasonable and there is no point in even trying."

But, what if that's not what the word "perfect" means? Actually, the word that Jesus used means "complete, mature, having reached a goal." The Amplified Bible translates Matthew 5:48 this way: "You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect."

With that understanding in mind, who could do that? Actually the answer is still, "nobody." Here's the kicker: God is complete (perfect) in and of Himself. We are not called to be perfect that way, and that's a good thing, since we can't.

But, if we find our maturity and completeness IN God, through Jesus, then to whom is that available? Everybody. This "perfection" is not achieved by what we do. It is revealed by what we do as we surrender ourselves more and more to Jesus, so that we are moving more and more toward fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

Question: Which idea of "perfection" stimulates your walk with Jesus?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

(photo credit: kickstarter.com)

Have you subscribed to my blog on my new WordPress site?  We launch on July 7, but you can subscribe and get your free eBook, "30 Days of Wisdom," right now.

Click here to get started.

Making the Unreachable God Reachable

(Photo credit: www.nonprofithub.org)

"For if a person could keep all of the laws and yet break just one; it would be like breaking them all ... So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin— plain and simple." (James 2:10; 4:17, The Voice)

"Do not think that I have come to overturn or do away with the law or the words of our prophets. To the contrary: I have not come to overturn them but to fulfill them ... But you are called to something higher: Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:17; 5:48, The Voice)

Wait a minute! I thought this was Dr. G's cup of ENCOURAGEMENT! This seems more like a cup of hopelessness. Are you saying I can never be good enough?

Absolutely! And that is precisely what is so encouraging. What we could never, ever do for ourselves--no matter how hard we try--God did for us.

"He orchestrated this: the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, Voice)

Jesus did not come to give us a standard to live up to. He came to show us an impossible standard, to take our punishment for not living up to it, and to make us right with God if we will trust Him. He came to make an unreachable God reachable.

Now, that is encouraging! I hope you will make your way to a worship gathering of His people today.