ANB 53, be perfect part 1

“Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

When I first read this verse I thought to myself, “Does Jesus really command us to be perfect?” This
doesn’t look like a suggestion here, He simply says, “Be perfect.” He gives us in this chapter and the next
(the Sermon on the Mount) many rules that if we abided perfectly we might be close to perfect, but how
could we ever be truly perfect as God is perfect.

Now, as a preliminary matter, the word Jesus uses for “perfect” is “teleios” which means mature, finished,
perfect, full age. So in some sense people might argue that Jesus isn’t telling us to be truly perfect, He’s
only telling us to strive for a Christian maturity and full growth. However, Jesus told us to be perfect as
God is perfect. If God is mature then He is perfectly mature, if He is grown up He is fully grown. God is
perfect, no sensible person disputes this. So Jesus, while using a word that could refer to maturity or
growth, still commands us to mature and grow into a full or perfect stature, as God is. The commandment
remains, be perfect.

This sentiment reappears elsewhere in the Bible. In both Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:15 we see the
commandment to be holy, even as the Lord our God is holy. Now Jesus was, in His commandment,
arguably hearkening back to scripture He had read in the Old Testament. Jesus often quoted scripture.
(This is truly fascinating, and if you read an Amplified Bible these references are provided for you.) Jesus
was probably thinking of the verse in Leviticus. The word “holy” in the original Hebrew means sacred,
consecrated, set apart as dedicated to God, pure, innocent, free from impurity.

We know that God is perfect. We also know that God can have nothing to do with imperfection (See
Genesis 3 and 2 Corinthians 2:15-18). Think again how the word holy means free from impurity. God is
obviously free from impurity, we also should be free from impurity. Think on the following verse.

“What concord hath Christ with Belial? Or even what part has he that believes [in God] with an infidel
[one who doesn’t believe]? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the
temple of the living God; as God has said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.” Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And I will be a Father unto you, and you
shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 6:15-18)

In this passage God commands us to come away from two things here: unbelievers and idols. Idols are
essentially anything that could get in the way of our relationship with God. Why unbelievers, because
unbelievers sin and do things that will hurt your faith. Your hanging around unbelievers, whether you
realize it or not, does damage your walk with God. The only reason to hang around unbelievers is to
minister to them or to work with them. And at work you should only work with them, you should not allow
their unbelief or sinfulness to touch you. When God tells us not to touch the unclean thing, He refers to
both the people and the idols. Unfortunately, the thing that hinders your Christian walk the most may be
other people, old friends, or old relationships. These must be eliminated just like your sinful acts such as
gambling, smoking, drinking, fornicating. (As for whether smoking, drinking (excessively) and fornicating
are sins (please read 1 Corinthians 6).

The point is that God commands us to be separate and holy before Him. We are to be perfect, in the
sense that we both don’t do everything He says not to do and that we do everything He says to do.

Now we know that God has forgiven our past transgressions. But this instruction to be perfect is given to
us as believers. Despite the fact that God has forgiven us, we are still commanded to come out from the
world and touch not the unclean (or evil) thing. Let’s look at another passage that speaks about
perfection before God.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not appear what we shall be (later): but we know that,
when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that has this
hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure. Whosoever commits sins transgresses the law; for sin
is the transgression of the law. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him
is no sin. Whosoever abides in Him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen Him, neither knows Him.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God does not
commit sin; for God’s seed remains in Him: and he cannot sin, because He is born of God. In this the
children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosever doeth not righteousness is not of
God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:2-10).

I know that was a long passage, perhaps you should read it again. Does the author truly mean what He
says, that those who are born of God don’t sin. In John 3:3 we learn that born of God is the same thing
as born again. Jesus Christ was born of God, and after we accept Him we are likewise born of God. Part
of God’s nature comes into us. We become in an instant the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, even
though He remains our God. (Romans 8:29).

“For [those who are born again] are predestinated to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, that
Jesus might be the first born among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29, see also Romans 8:17)

God is perfect. Jesus Christ was born of God, God’s son. Jesus came to this earth and did not sin. Now
when we accepted Jesus Christ we were also born of God. Now do we sin?

Let me leave you with this today. God wants us to be holy. He wants us to live without sin. He wants us
to abstain from sinful things and sinful people. If you remain in sin, God says you don’t even know Him. I
do not say this to convict, although doubtless the scriptures themselves convict you. The point is that
those of us who want to serve God must obey His commandments. Would God ever tell you to be perfect
if this were not possible? Of course not! In the weeks to come we will discuss how God has put Himself
within every born again believer. The truth is that by the power of God we, the sons and daughters of
God, are empowered to be holy as He is holy. If we are the sons of God now, we should strive to be like
Him now, as Jesus commanded.

I know we could look at things that could perhaps stimulate you more: divine health, mountain moving
faith, prophesy, speaking in tongues, etc. But I am convinced that we must understand how to be Holy as
God is holy. I am convinced that when we truly are seeking after God’s heart and His righteousness, His
perfection, our lives will be established in ways we could never dream. (See also Matthew 6:33)