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IMPERFECTLY PERFECT

by linzy bruno
5/27/2021 / Bible Studies

When it comes to perfection, the truth of the matter is that no one, except for our Lord Jesus, can be perfect. Believers who have been walking with the Lord for some time will begin to grow in Christ and gradually overcome a great deal of habitual sin and other personal struggles, but will still fail to reach perfection, but what matters most is the unfeigned pursuit.

Moreover, believers who repeatedly fall back into sin, but repent and are heartsick over their shortcomings and transgressions, are as justified as those who are strong enough to avoid old patterns of sinfulness. Being a new creature in Christ is about overcoming sin, especially habitual sin, but even more valuable to God is receiving and maintaining the new desire He imputes in our hearts to not sin again. Although our striving to get there is of ultimate importance in order to keep pushing forward; God does not expect perfection, only pureness of intention and a pure heart before Him. Thus, we need not abide in the pressure of unattainable perfection, but cooperation with His Spirit to do that gradual, spiritual work within us.

Therefore, our saved friends/family that struggle with sin need our prayers and counsel, when appropriate, not our nagging that they aren't saved and don't know or want to know God; providing they are saved of course. Instead, we ought to encourage them in their struggles, and reassure them of their salvation. Furthermore, only God truly knows what is in someone's heart and it's what's in the heart that matters most to God. And when we love Him with all our hearts, He sees us as perfect because we are in Christ.

PERTINENT VERSES

Waiting on the LORD takes many forms, like when feel like reacting out of anger:

"Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him."
(Isaiah 30:18)

Without an unfeigned heart of devotion, we will severely lack the strength in love that only the Holy Spirit provides, nor will we abide in the desire for godly living:

"Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’" (Matthew 22:37)

Here, Paul is teaching his church God's principle of perfection:

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily." (Colossians 1:28-29)

And as Jesus taught, those with a desire to follow Him will come to react to difficult people in an entirely different way than the world promotes, like revenge and standing up for oneself through violence or aggression:

"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." (Matthew 5:43-48)

Through this passage, Jesus is telling us what perfection looks like; a tender, gentle and forgiving spirit, for that is the Spirit of the Lord, in which resides within our renewed, born again spirits. For, if we are born again of Him, then the ways of the world are no longer our ways, or at least they are not supposed to be for those in Christ Jesus. Notwithstanding, we cannot reach perfection, we are perfect in God's Eyes, if we strive for His Ways over our own, and the ways of this world. The world emulates, teaches and promotes the spirit of revenge, but Jesus has taught us a far better way to live and abide on earth. However, in modern times, the adults in children's lives instill how great it is to 'stand up for themselves;' which withholds from them the whole Truth of the matter.

It's not that standing up for oneself is wrong, when done in a calm and respectable manner, but when taught alone, this idea leaves out the godly principles that Jesus refers to in Matthew 5:38-42, such as love, joy, (when we have joy residing within us we are far more patient and understanding when it comes to dealing with others, even difficult people) peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, which He alluded to through this teaching.

Moreover, Paul taught the Galatians to abide in all of these qualities, as he highlighted through the verse below. Therefore, these two passages are parallels:

"For you have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matthew 5:38-42)

Clearly, it is not possible to 'turn the other cheek' if we are not abiding in the practices that the 'fruit of the Spirit' enables:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Furthermore, we cannot, nor would we even want to: crucify our flesh or go against what we are taught in the world, let alone grow in the Spirit, if we lack a deep and abiding love for the Lord above all else:

"Jesus said to him, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)

MORE VERSES

"Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
(Matthew 18:21-22)

"Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Matthew 19:21-22)

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

NKJV

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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