I got started late because of a snow storm, no school, a new baby in the house...the list goes on and on, but I did finally get started reading the Bible as I had posted in December. Now at least once a week I want to comment on something in the readings for the week that jumped out at me. I started in the New Testament with the Gospel of Matthew and here is what jumped out at me in chapters 1-7...
"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 ESV
I have no problems proclaiming God is perfect. In fact, I would argue against anyone who would say God is less than perfect, however, I have never before noticed that I too am to be perfect. I know all about sanctification and how we are on a journey to being sanctified or complete or perfect as different versions interpret the text. And I buy into that...I am to be more Christ like...more perfect even daily as I follow after Jesus. It takes work, it is a discipline, it is my spiritual maturity I am speaking of. Just as any normal person matures physically as they grow older, we ought also mature spiritually as we age. What really jumped out at me in the text was that I MUST be perfect as God is perfect. That's the requirement to get to heaven...talk about setting the bar high! If we were to attain that we would never lie, slander, speak or think evil, lust and we would easily love both friends and enemies.
In context Jesus is not telling us we must work harder to achieve perfection in this life...he is telling us we cannot reach it in conjunction with the Law. What we really need is a righteousness that is apart from the Law. We need Jesus!
"The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." Romans 3:22-25
Now as I re-read Matthew 5:48, in God's eyes I AM perfect. Thank you, Lord!
