This passage has intrigued me for a
long time. Who can be perfect? What did Jesus mean when He said it? Did He mean
it literally?
The Greek meaning of “perfect” is a
man of full age - mature.
Do we
understand maturity? The average, balanced person starts off young, full of
energy and ambition. While he is young and immature, life revolves around him.
He enjoys achieving one accomplishment after the other. Even after marriage and
having children, this is still his nature, but now he includes his spouse’s and
children’s successes as part of his own. As he grows older, however, material
things and performance become less and less important, and his spouse,
children, and other people take higher priority. When the grandchildren appear,
everything revolves around them. In old age, nothing but his interdependence on
other people has any value.
Age does not always play a role in maturity. A person can be “of age” or mature at any age beyond the teenage years. Even a teenager can be mature within his group or in comparison with his peers. Someone can be in her fifties or even older and be completely immature. The point is that in this passage, the word “perfect” seems to mean “mature.” This perfection God looks for is all about His character, one of mercy and forgiveness.
Age does not always play a role in maturity. A person can be “of age” or mature at any age beyond the teenage years. Even a teenager can be mature within his group or in comparison with his peers. Someone can be in her fifties or even older and be completely immature. The point is that in this passage, the word “perfect” seems to mean “mature.” This perfection God looks for is all about His character, one of mercy and forgiveness.
A mature believer demonstrates
self-control—control over the tongue, actions, and emotions. Such a person is
not influenced by what is said of him or to him. He is not controlled by
circumstances or outside forces but only by the Holy Spirit. He allows the Holy
Spirit’s control to be superior to his circumstances. If, for instance, one insults a child, she might cry. A mature person just laughs at an insult,
because he knows who he is in Christ.
Maturity consists of forgetting about
oneself and focusing instead on the needs of others. A mature person has no
personal or self-centered desires left to fulfill or bring to completeness. She
is content with who she is and can focus her attention on others, displaying
integrity and virtue.
God the Father is perfect (mature), and so are
Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God has nothing to prove. He is not fazed by our emotional outbursts, anger tantrums, and insults through our disobedience. He remains calm and continue to accomplish His purposes with our lives.
He is the perfect example of unselfishness in that He gave his only son to die for our iniquities. Ever since then, he has proved his maturity in taking personal responsibility for each of His millions of children twenty-four hours a day. Have you ever thought about the Lord’s personal interest in your life? If you are sensitive, you will hear the Holy Spirit’s continual guidance and warnings. My wife and I can give countless testimonies of times when we, for example, were warned and thus prevented a traffic accident. Once I took some change from a wall safe. Because of the size of the safe, the moneybox had to stand on its side. I got the warning that it was open, but I didn’t think that was possible. Guess what, the next moment all the money was on the floor. Who warned me? The Holy Spirit did. Many of us know how the Holy Spirit has helped us to find lost items.
He is the perfect example of unselfishness in that He gave his only son to die for our iniquities. Ever since then, he has proved his maturity in taking personal responsibility for each of His millions of children twenty-four hours a day. Have you ever thought about the Lord’s personal interest in your life? If you are sensitive, you will hear the Holy Spirit’s continual guidance and warnings. My wife and I can give countless testimonies of times when we, for example, were warned and thus prevented a traffic accident. Once I took some change from a wall safe. Because of the size of the safe, the moneybox had to stand on its side. I got the warning that it was open, but I didn’t think that was possible. Guess what, the next moment all the money was on the floor. Who warned me? The Holy Spirit did. Many of us know how the Holy Spirit has helped us to find lost items.
If God, who holds the universe in the
palm of His hand, takes such personal interest in the smallest aspect of each
of His millions of children, and if Jesus could take such intense interest in
His peers of the day, how much more should we take interest in the few people
we see every day?
Why did Jesus say we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? Maturity and perfection are not natural for
us. We naturally focus inward. Therefore, perfection and maturity are
conscious, daily choices—resistance to introversion on a momentary basis.
Since Jesus included the word
“therefore,” we know He meant for us to refer back to the previous paragraph.
This means that without being perfect (mature), we can’t do what Jesus commanded in the
previous verses: turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, lend without
expecting back, etc.
The focus is on caring for the
extreme, those who are rejected by society. To forgive and care for those
around you is easy. It takes no sacrifice, no humiliation, and no
embarrassment; in fact, it gives you a good name in your community. But
consider the consequences if you get intimately involved with "scoundrels":
street children, prostitutes, thieves—society’s “enemies.” Your friends will
ridicule you, the "scoundrels" will take advantage of you, and your life might be
endangered. You might even have to be uncomfortable at times and embarrass your
family.
Wasn’t this what the King of Glory
experienced on earth, having left eternal glory for an ordinary existence among
the common people? Isn’t this what the glorious Holy Spirit experiences every
moment He gets involved in our filthy lifestyle (compared to God’s glory) to
help us out of trouble time and time again? In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul tells us
that we will be persecuted, but how will this happen if we never leave our
comfort zones and live radically different in a sick world?
The Holy Spirit showed me that the
majority of Christians have a wrong idea of what church is all about, and then
they wonder why God is not prospering their church. Church seems to be a place
where God must meet my needs—the same needs time and again as I go up for
prayer over and over. Often, the sermon’s main focus is on how we can overcome
our personal troubles. Furthermore, the tendency of the church is only to wait
on the Lord, to experience His presence in their services and be blessed for
that hour and enjoy supernatural sensations.
In some churches, the pastor preaches
about what we are supposed to do and what the Lord wants, but the congregation
doesn’t follow up with obedience. Only a handful of Christians become actively
involved while the majority warms the seats. Many churches support
missionaries, focus on prayer for the world, and are involved in some
small-scale action.
But what is it the Lord Jesus wanted? How about a church where members organise action teams for street outreach, missions, caring for the elderly, etc. Everybody is invited. These teams do their work during the week, and at the Sunday morning service, they give their reports. Upon hearing how wonderful the Lord has moved during the week, more Christians are challenged to get involved in ministry. Don't we then have reason to celebrate, to worship this powerful God who changes people through us?
But what is it the Lord Jesus wanted? How about a church where members organise action teams for street outreach, missions, caring for the elderly, etc. Everybody is invited. These teams do their work during the week, and at the Sunday morning service, they give their reports. Upon hearing how wonderful the Lord has moved during the week, more Christians are challenged to get involved in ministry. Don't we then have reason to celebrate, to worship this powerful God who changes people through us?
I have written this article some years ago, but recently discovered a movement that does exactly what I just promoted in this article. Have a look at the video below, visit their website www.thelastreformation.com, and watch the Pioneer School videos.
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