Desiring to be perfect

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Desiring to be perfect 

1 John 2:5 “But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him.” (See 1 John 4:12; Matthew 5:48).

Extra Reading: 1 John 2:1-14.

We really face a big challenge in our Christian growth and development. The Word of God admonishes us to be perfect, yet perfection is not of this world; it belongs only to God. But we should not be weary of striving to be perfect. The challenge of Jesus Christ has always been beyond the normal, ever exceeding the “just getting by” attitude. He urges us to strive to accomplish our best, nothing less. The word ‘perfect’ stated in today’s Scripture means full grown, mature, complete to the last finishing touch.

We all know that we are frail dust, not with freedom from temptation, but with freedom to choose, to make discriminating judgments. The perfection spoken of here gives us a standard to measure the magnitude of our failure. Our heavenly Father is the only one who is perfect (Matthew 5:48). God’s way is perfect (2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30). Christ as the author of salvation was made perfect through suffering (Hebrew 2:10). The Bible challenges us, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48).

We often use the word ‘perfect’ rather loosely. You hear people say, “That was a perfect day”, “The team had a perfect score” etc. The question is, “How does one in these cases know what is perfect?” Perfection is of God.  The Bible tells us, “If anyone does not stumble in speech he is perfect” (James 3:2).  In the Old Testament times, “no one with a defect could act as a priest” (Leviticus 21:17-20). King Nebuchadnezzar sought youths without a defect to serve in his government (Daniel 1:4). There is a limit to all perfection (Psalm 119:27). We also learn that the law cannot perfect those who draw near (Hebrew 10:1). Isaiah 26:3 states, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” God is in the process of perfecting us. The process will be completed in heaven one day. The struggle to reach the summit of moral maturity is reached only through arduous toil, until the end, praying and trust God.

Prayer: “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, be glory and honour” Jude 24.

Rev. Samuel N. Modise 

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