This week I was reading in Matthew, and something struck me. Matthew 5:48:
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
This instruction from Jesus is striking. He doesn’t say any of the following:
- It’s only human to error.
- You cannot achieve perfection, so why try?
- You’re only human.
- Everybody sins.
Jesus provides instructions in Matthew 5, then tells us to be perfect. He knows this isn’t achievable, but still provides the direction.
I suggest that our Lord provides an aspirational goal. We have no excuses. We are to be perfect. Sin against someone? Then confess and make it right. Thinking of sinning? No, “be perfect.” Manage to keep from the external sin, but still harbor the desire in our heart? Jesus tells us this is wrong.
Our goal is to be perfect, just as our father in heaven is, and just as our high priest is. No excuses.
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John Wesley called it “sanctification.” A lifelong process of becoming “perfected in love.” A most difficult quest, but one we should nonetheless undertake.