Does God Require Perfection 2.0

Many people think that you have to be perfect to be a Christian. Even worse, some people who profess Christianity, think that they are perfect; an attitude that is contrary to what our Lord taught. The truth is, perfection is not what most people think it is. In biblical terms, perfection does not mean sinless. If it did, no one would reach perfection. But are we actually called to be perfect. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus says, “Therefore, you are to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. Put that alongside Romans 3:23 that says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, and we can start to define perfection. A definition of perfection reads, “having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics”. The Greek word that is rendered ‘perfect’ is also rendered as mature or complete. Putting all this together, biblical perfection means you have put everything together and developed all the qualities that God requires of you in order to be pleasing to Him. That is as much as we can do, but there is one last thing needed to truly reach perfection:Jesus. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified”. You might say that we can only truly be perfected in Christ.