“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” ~ Psalm 37:37
After Jesus finished His time in the wilderness, He chose His disciples and began teaching the multitudes. After a lengthy discourse, He ended this teaching by stating this:
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” ~ Matthew 5:48
What did Jesus mean? Can a person be perfect in this life?
God Creates Perfection
When God created the world and everything in it, it was good. It was all very good! Even Adam was very good. In fact, Adam was perfect!
Yes, Adam was created to live forever. He was perfect in health and knowledge. Remember the Tree of Life was in the Garden and Adam could eat from it. God even let Adam name every creature He created.
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:” ~ Genesis 2:16
“… and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” ~ Genesis 2:19
Perfection After The Fall
After Adam fell, perfection was lost for a time. Then Enoch was born. I consider Enoch perfect because he never saw death. God took him while he lived.
“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” ~ Genesis 5:24
Enoch lived a sinless life. God would not have taken him otherwise.
Why Is Perfection Required?
Perfection is the original state of man. When Jesus returns, we must be perfect. Why? God gave all creation free will. He will never take that away. We will continue to have free will throughout eternity.
The rebellion that took place in Heaven will never happen again. So we are given the chance to perfect our walk before God in this life. Our change to immortality or incorruption will not alter our behavior when Jesus returns. He is returning for perfection.
“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ~ Ephesians 5:27
Here are some examples of people who walked perfectly before God. They are the patterns.
Noah Was Perfect
Noah was the great-grandson of Enoch. He was born 4 years after God took Enoch. Yet God said Noah was perfect in his generations. And like his great-grandfather, Noah walked with God.
“These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” ~ Genesis 6:9
Father Of The Faithful
Before God changed Abram's name to Abraham, He called him to be perfect. Abram proved himself righteous by faith. He obeyed God and God rewarded him.
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” ~ Genesis 17:1
Job Was Perfect
When God wanted someone to boast about, He chose Job. He wanted to show Satan that a man can still walk before God in perfection in this fallen world.
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” ~ Job 1:1
What Is Perfection
Can you see the pattern of perfection? God mapped it out for us to follow. If these men were perfect before God without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, what excuse do we have? These men:
This is the pattern of perfection. Jesus told the multitude to do all these things. He even told the young rich man to consider others and walk with Him, then he would be perfect!
Perfection In The Early Church
Perfection is taught throughout the New Testament.
“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” ~ 2 Corinthians 13:11
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” Ephesians 4:13
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” ~ Colossians 1:28
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” ~ Colossians 4:12
Perfection Through God's Word
So how does a man obtain perfection? By striving to live according to God's Word!
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Will Be Perfect
God plans a glorious future for humanity! There will be a new heaven and earth. It will be perfect and full of love, peace, and joy forever. God will have restored us back to our eternal state and will live with us forever.
For this reason, he wants us to know how to live righteously. He made it easy. We just need to be serious about it, mindful of it and strive toward it daily. God will help us if we ask Him to help us walk perfectly before Him.
And if we do, we make our calling and election sure!
“Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” ~ 2 Peter 1:10-11 (ASV)
I pray this post is helpful to you. Thank you for visiting!