Perfect : 1a: being entirely without fault or defect ...b: satisfying all requirements...
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Please allow me to state the obvious...we are imperfect people living in a imperfect world. Yet, it seems, we are under pressure to be perfect. But is this idea of being perfect something we impose on ourselves or does it come from outside of us? I think both. We see all around us imperfection; baseball players striking out, baseball pitchers throwing balls, basketball players missing free-throws, politicians mis-speaking, etc. We see corruption and harshness in governments and selfishness abounds in all of us. If we make to many mistakes...not enough hits, strikes, free-throw, etc we may find ourselves without employment.
To realize that we are not perfect is helpful but not an excuse to willfully be disobedient to God's word or the law of the land. Mistakes will be made, we will sin but in Christ, God has called us to perfection, which is completeness. Jesus said in Matthew 5:48 "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect". (ESV) This comes at the end of Jesus speaking about loving our enemies in the Sermon on the Mount and is a command. God the Father is our true example of perfection and therefore we are commanded to follow His example. While Jesus was on the earth, He was perfect, without sin, fault or defect and satisfied all requirements; was obedient to the Father.
Is being perfect even a possibility? Not in the sense of sinless perfection but in the sense of completeness; in a progressive way. We ought to be progressing in our holiness, godliness, righteousness and faithfulness. This is not accomplished on our own. It is completed in us when we are totally and completely in Christ. Paul states in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (ESV)
Again, Paul says in Ephesians 4:11-ff "And he gave the Apostles, the Prophets, the Evangelist, the Shepherds and Teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unit of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood (italics mine) or a perfect man (KJV) ...to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (ESV)
The point is not striving to be "perfect" by our standards but rather to die to self and let Jesus Christ live His life through you and be diligent to know His word, to pray, to give, to serve, to completely surrender everyday and live for His glory and honor.
I in no way have come to completeness in Christ. I struggle with my flesh like all of mankind but the words of Scripture are true. Therefore may we seek to be perfect/complete in Christ and not give up or give in to our misconception of perfection but rather rest in Christ and keep our eyes on Him.
