I saw this bumper sticker last week: Next time you think you're perfect, try walking on water! First of all: Oooooooooooooooooooooh. Nailed me! Second of all: WHAT? What does "perfect" even mean? In Christian circles we talk about "perfect" quite a bit. We say that, if Adam and Eve didn't eat that darn apple, we would still be perfect. But here's a question, if Adam and Eve were so perfect, why did they eat the darn apple? In Matthew 5:48, Jesus challenges the Jews to "be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." How could Jesus ask for us to be perfect? Didn't he know that "nobody's perfect"? Didn't He know that we, having been born in sin, can never be perfect. At least in this life. Only pre-fall Adam and Eve, and God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are perfect. The rest of us have to deal with things like boogers, poop, sinking in water, and saying "um" all the time. It's part of the curse. A Bible Gateway search of the word "perfect" in the NASV reveals enough instances and context to provide a reasonable definition. It basically means complete, whole, mature, lacking nothing and unblemished. That would make sense with Matthew 5:48 which is just another way of confirming "Be holy, for I am holy," from Leviticus 11:44. Whole. Holy. Perfect. So perfection does not having anything to do with special powers. It doesn't have anything to do with boogers, or stuttering, or tripping. I'm sure Jesus sneezed once or twice. It has everything to do with wholeness, and it is relative to the creature or object being described. Things are imperfect when they are missing something. A functional pen with no pen cap is imperfect, but when the cap is returned, it is perfect again. Complete. God can be nothing but perfect. He doesn't change. His people should function as they were created to function. But that doesn't mean that our wholeness will match his wholeness. We are two different species. So what does perfection look like for a human?
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- John Barnts
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4 comments:
The church often translates perfect to mean what we do, where we go, and who we associate with. The church spends its existance trying to "do" things and "avoid" things in order to live a godly or "as close to perfect" perfect life as we can. Jesus was tempted in every way, but did not sin. I doubt he could have done this by avoiding "those people" and "those places". Our perfection is only in Christ and we can obtain in only in death. In the mean time, let's continue to keep our eyes on Christ, ears open to the spirits voice, and love both God and people the way Jesus commanded us to. And maybe sometimes we can do that in a bar!
I'm really not sure to be honest - but I do know that our perception of perfection in the western world is jaded and often upside down. After spending time in Africa this year and seeing 3rd world reality - I think I now understand why when Jesus asked the man to "sell everything you have and follow me" - the man was sad and went away. If we were perfect we would have no need of a Savior. Jesus set a standard that's dramatically different for us than what we strive for daily in our own society. If we really understood what he wanted of us - we wouldn't be chasing our own tails...or minivans, as it were.
“If you want to be perfect (5046), go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:23) “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected (5048) in us. (1John 4:12) “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect (5048) in one…” (John 17:23) “And having been perfected (5048), He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him…” (Hebrews 5:9) “for the law made nothing perfect (5048)…” (Hebrews 7:19) “But let patience have its perfect (5046) work, that you may be perfect (5046) and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4)
As a Christian, human perfection is something we strive for, but will never experience here on earth. The word "perfect" is a loose term associated with behaviour and rules that our parents have taught us. Rules we have learned in our churches, schools and youth groups and finally the rules we have made up in our own minds to achieve the impossible, perfection.
As a Christian, I have at times become consumed with what my non-Christian friends are thinking about in regard to my faith. Am I being good enough? Am I "perfect" enough? The constant awareness that their eyes and ears are watching and listening.
I have made up rules for myself, to avoid behaviors that would cause my Christian walk to be questioned. After making many mistakes and continuing to make them, I know that attempting to be perfect is secondary to letting go of the search for that "golden ticket", human perfection.
As a true Christian, the love of God that shines through to others is a result of a forgiving spirit, a trusting attitude, a Christ-like faith and foremost an acceptance of Jesus in one's heart.
We will never be perfect, so why do we continually strive for this unattainable goal? As Christians we want to be like Christ, so we attempt the impossible.
Perhaps the term "perfect" should be kept high on the shelf and only be used in reference to God himself. Striving to be "perfect" only sets one up for failure, disappointment, loss of interest and the ultimate, worst case scenario, distraction. The term "perfect" has become cliche, over-used and is a word that I really like to stay away from.
Perfection looks like distraction for the Christian human.
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