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Aw, come on, nobody's perfect!

3/28/2012

8 Comments

 
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Jesus tells us that we are to be perfect as He is perfect.   However, being human, it is impossible to be perfect.  What do you think Jesus meant by this statement?

Here is a good example of perfection.  Maybe it is close to what Jesus was meaning.  A piano student practices day and nite on a musical piece until he can execute it without error.  His piano teacher would say that he plays “perfectly.”  However, if he hasn't moved on and is still playing the same piece a year later, he is no longer perfect.  

Another example.  Let's say that you have a son with whom you are gardening in the hot sun.  He sees you sweating and obviously becoming overheated.  He thinks to himself, “I'll go get dad a glass of water.”  He goes into the house and gets a dirty cup out of the sink and fills it with lukewarm water out of the tap without any ice.  He carries it by the rim so that his grubby fingers get into the water.  He joyfully brings it to you, knowing that it will help your thirst.  When he gives it to you, you look inside the glass and notice that the water is not very clean.  What do you do at that point?  Do you chastise him for bringing you a glass of dirty water?  Nope.  A loving father would praise his son and gladly accept the water and drink it down.  You have a perfect son.  His intent was to please you.

The concept of intent is the key in both of these illustrations.  You know the intent of your heart (and so does God).  Let's say you do something that you think could be very helpful but someone misunderstands your intent and believes that you are not a very good Christian.  

For example, a Christian brother chastises you for going into a bar.  Your intent, when you went into that bar, was to talk to your friend that is drunk in there.  You went in there to take him home and prevent him from further harming himself.  Now the Christian chastising you does not know your intent.  However, you do and moreover, God knows.  Therefore, you are sinless (perfect) in regard to your going into a bar, a place where many people would say that a Christian should not be.  So, as God told Samuel of David, God looks on the heart.  God looks at our intent.

Sinlessness (perfection) is to be judged by God only.  That's why we have a hard time with this concept, we are looking through human eyes.  Some Christians have been taught  that “we sin every day in thought, word or deed.”  Nevertheless, it is possible to go for a while without sinning.  However, it is VERY RARE.  If a Christian looks in the mirror and says, “I didn't sin today!” then he just sinned.  If you go without sinning, you don't realize it.  You don't realize it because you don't focus on sin but on God's righteousness and God's ability to empower you to live a victorious Christian life. We are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness.  

You used to offer your body to impurity and wickedness.  However, now, you offer your body as a slave to righteousness which leads to holiness.  So, how do you offer yourself to righteousness?

Tomorrow, we will discover that together.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

8 Comments
Landon DeCrastos
3/28/2012 01:24:08

very well put!

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drwayman link
3/28/2012 03:41:11

Thanks, Landon. I hope this post is helpful for some people :-)

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Tyra Hixon
3/28/2012 07:58:35

I found this article very helpful & have posted the same on my FB page. :)

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drwayman link
3/28/2012 08:15:03

Tyra - Thanks for your support. My comment on your FB page came across kinda like a command. My apologies, I didn't mean it to be that way.

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Michael Frost link
12/27/2012 12:32:50

My understanding is that, given the context, Jesus is saying that the Father loves not only those who love Him, but also those who hate him, and that this is what Jesus refers to as "perfect", and what we are called to emulate.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

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drwayman link
12/27/2012 13:53:22

MF - Yes, thank you for adding another layer to this post. You are so correct.

John Wesley emphasized this teaching of Christ, with his belief in "perfect love". He saw this perfection as involving two things: 1) a believer's motives, rather than being self-centered, would be guided by the deep desire to please God, and 2) a Christian could live with a primary guiding regard for others and their well-being.

Maybe you could write a follow-up post for publication here?

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drwayman link
12/27/2012 13:56:49

Anyone interested in what Michael Frost and I are talking about can find this Biblical teaching outlined in the book: A PERFECT LOVE: UNDERSTANDING JOHN WESLEY'S "A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION". You can find it at: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Love-Understanding-Christian-Perfection/dp/088177426X

drwayman link
12/28/2012 01:02:40

“Entire sanctification, or Christian perfection, is neither more nor less than pure love — love expelling sin and governing both the heart and life of a child of God.” -- John Wesley, Letter to Walter Churchey

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