If I want to be perfect…

 

Enemies and persecution are not part of my life, but there are a few people I do not want to spend time with, people who are so full of themselves that a normal conversation is painful. Yet God keeps putting one of them on my mind. This morning, He speaks to me again about this person:

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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 do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:44–48)

God’s goodness is His perfection and I am to do good to all, even those at the bottom of my opinion. Holiness is a resemblance of God’s purity, so doing good to even enemies is a resemblance of God’s goodness. I cannot be a perfect Christian if I refuse to let His goodness shine through me.

Charnock outlines two ways. One is by relieving and assisting others in distress. I’m not supposed to think anyone is so far below me to be unworthy of my care, since God thinks none that are distant from Him are beneath His care. He may punish sin, but He also gives support to those who are in distress. 

Needy people fit in here. I often say if I have something that I am not using, then someone else needs it. What about the treasures God has blessed me with? Are they for me only? Or to give me the honor of imitating Him? After all, I am a mere steward of all that I have. It is entrusted me to use it wisely and in kindness, and in the same way that He has given it to me. The goodness of God stripped his Son of the glory of heaven to enrich my life. How can I  shrug when asked to part with my small pleasures and offer them back to Him? Or to others? If I hoard up the goodness of God and use it to feed only me, could this provoke Him to harden His heart against me? His persistence in showing me kindness is such a blessing that I’m not surprised that He should reward His children — even if we give a mere cup of cold water to someone — even when there is much more that could be done.

The second way to imitate God’s goodness is in kindness to my enemies. There are people in the world that hate Christians. I’ve no personal relationship with any (that I know of) yet as Charnock says, even good people are no more worthy to receive anything from God than the worst can be to receive anything from me. God is kind to those that blaspheme Him with the same sunshine and rain as He gives to the best of His saints. Besides, it is to His glory when people can do good to those who hate them, and no glory when I do the worldly thing:

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19–21)

When I was lost in sin, God did not strike me dead as I deserved, but in His goodness He redeemed me. He didn’t send forth wrath, but selfless goodness. Because I am His child, I am to be like Him and be open to those who seem closed to me or closed to Him.

PRAY: God, Your goodness changed and still changes my life. I cannot hoard it. Enable me and give ways to share the wonder of Your sacrificial love to those around me, even those who are against me, even those against You. They need to know that You are not their enemy but the One whose heart is so full of goodness that You love Your enemies and making Yourself available to them.  

God is not mocked

We joke in our family that “normal” is only a setting on the dryer. “Perfect” has to fall into the same category. As my mother would quip, “There ain’t no such thing.”

Even so, these verses describing the church sound really good: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:19–21)

They give me an image of a solid structure that is unified and set apart to serve God. But if anyone is looking for a perfect church, they will be disappointed. Even in the beginning, the church was not the ideal. 

One of the first problems was a prideful couple who wanted to impress others with their generosity. They sold some property and gave some of the profit to the church. A partial donation was not a problem. What was a problem is that they told everyone that they had given ALL of the money.

Peter confronted the husband first. This man was so shocked that he died on the spot. Then his wife came in and Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

She also immediately fell and died. The result was that “great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.” (Acts 5:9–11)

This story is horrifying. At first I thought Peter was much too harsh, but that reveals how my understanding of holiness is not even close to how Peter and the early church understood it. For them, lying to God and each other was dire sin. It was a lie to God and also broke the bond of unity that He had given them in Christ. This couple thought more about themselves than they did about that unity and holiness, and about the close fellowship of this body of believers.

This story also shows what God thinks about hypocrisy in His people, and even about any who claim to be His children but try to impress others by being loose with the truth. He had warned them for years about the importance of truth and the relationship of truth to knowing Him as their God: “Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:5–6)

God knows the root of such sin. It comes from a heart that is bent on doing its own thing, a heart that may be able to fool others, but He is not fooled or mocked. He says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord . . . The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:5–9)

This couple paid a high price for their deception. If they were genuine in their faith, this sin was covered by the blood of Christ, but it still had consequences; they both died because of it. Their story may have been on Paul’s mind when he wrote, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Purity in the church and in individual Christian lives is far more important than most Christians realize. As I read this, I’m thinking that I can never allow the abundance of God’s grace to be an excuse to let my pride and sinful old self be deceitful and mock God or His family, particularly in a silly effort to look better than I am.

Be perfect as God is perfect?

It has been said that true discipleship means I should always be involved in life in such a way that what I do cannot be explained by any other reason except that it happens by the power of God.

Elihu said to Job, “How great is God—beyond our understanding….” (Job 36:26) The average person doesn’t understand His power. To them, prayer is a puzzle. To them, successfully rebuking rising flood waters in the name of Jesus (as some did in the High River flood) is a puzzle, never mind that the name of Jesus has such power.

To them, a changed life is also a puzzle for they cannot imagine people being transformed. Without faith in Jesus Christ, the human mind cannot see that He is God the Son, God appearing in human flesh that we might know Him personally and in that knowing, begin to understand the greatness of God. Such knowledge is beyond mere human comprehension.

However, Christians can also be stopped in their tracks by the ideals of the Christian life, ideals that appear beyond us. When Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), the disciples may have shook their heads and stroked their beards in total bewilderment. How can this be? How can I be perfect like God is perfect? This command makes me shake my head.

Yet in context, Jesus was talking about being generous to all. As Oswald Chambers puts it, my natural life has affinities; some people I like and others not so much. However, I must never let those likes and dislikes rule my Christian life. If I walk in the light as God is in the light, then He will give me communion with people for whom I have no natural affinity. That is a puzzle but in Christ, also a possibility.

Notice Jesus does not lift up other people as an example of this, but God Himself. I am to live in such a way that my attitude toward others is the attitude God has shown toward me.

Oh my, I have been forgiven much! He has given me grace beyond all expectations, generous love that makes me weep for joy. When Chambers says I am to be “therefore perfect” then this is the perfection he means.

He also says that God will give me ample opportunities in actual life to prove whether I am perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect. That is, to be a disciple means that I deliberately identify myself with God’s interests in other people, that I love others as He has loved me, and I will get many opportunities to do so.

It is only because the Holy Spirit has transformed my life that I can display His characteristics in my life, not merely good human qualities, nor merely my own efforts to try to be godly. This means the supernatural can make godlikeness happen in me through His grace and power. This works out in daily life and cannot be explained by anything else except that God is doing it.

Today’s regular devotional reading adds to this call to perfection with a call to courage and sacrifice. Loving others requires both. As I bow in humility before the Lord, He offers me a new capacity for life. Like the saints of old, this capacity makes possible the conquering of kingdoms, the application of justice. They gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of flames. Their weakness was turned to strength, they became powerful in battle, and they loved the unlovely in the great courage God gave them.

What is true of this courage is true also of sacrifice. For them, it was not a showy and fanatical sacrifice, but spiritual discipline, self-renunciation, the esteeming of others better than one’s self. Such suppression of self is practical stuff, not barren sentiment, and it is wholly unexplainable.

Besides making a true disciple of Christ into someone who lives like God in love and courage, His power can make a Christian like God in another way; we can be a puzzle like He is, unknown and unknowable. If I live in utter obedience, then those around me will not be able to figure out what makes me tick.

An unreachable goal, yet God will get me there

At my age, most people tend to slack off and set few goals. I understand why, but today I’m thinking about that saying: It is better to aim for the stars and hit the woodpile than to aim for the woodpile and hit your foot. God is challenging me to keep setting goals.
 

Yesterday’s thoughts from the Lord pointed to the goal of perfection, making it clear that this is a process. God commands it, but I cannot reach it without Jesus Christ helping me. The verse yesterday (2 Corinthians 13:11) used katartizō, a Greek word sometimes translated as perfect. In my Bible version, it was translated “restoration.” Instead of asking for instant perfection, God wants me to aim toward restoration. The ideal is His full intention for me. He wants me to be like Jesus. 

Today’s verses offer a different word that is also translated “perfect.” In context, it is about the amazing and perfect love of God and how His people are to emulate it.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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 do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43–48)

“Perfect” in this passage is translated from a different word that means to set out for a definite point or goal. It can also refer to the conclusion or results of that action. The idea is that I become complete and fully mature. In other words, “grow up” in my faith so that I am as God is in my actions. 

If people retire without goals, they tend to fade quickly because life loses its meaning. Without a sense of purpose, the desire to live decreases. As a Christian, I have good reason to keep on aiming for this “be perfect” goal that God commands. Not only does it give purpose to life, if I set anything else for a goal, I might reach it. However, this one will be reached only when I step into eternity because I will never run out of things to change or improve!

My spiritual gift and ministry has been teaching. This idea of pressing on to maturity and perfection increases my understanding of the psalmist’s words. They are also a goal…

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:18)  

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Father God, the idea of being like You is an incredible thought. It seems unreachable. Yet You command that I “be perfect” and give many examples of what that perfection looks like. I need to grow up in my love for others, and in all other aspects of Christian living. No matter what limitations may dictate, physical or otherwise, I trust You to keep this impossible yet possible goal before me for the rest of my life.

Love your enemies

The measure of my Christian commitment is how I treat my enemies. I have to think about that. Who are my enemies? I’ve no one shooting at me, or trying to rob me. I suppose people out there might try to do me harm, but I don’t know their names.

Canadians are noted for being polite and keeping their thoughts to themselves (in general) so those who really dislike me are not apt to tell me, at least to my face. Dislike isn’t quite as harsh as hatred, but I still have no names.

Perhaps the idea of enemies is not from their perspective but mine. Who are the people that I consider opponents? Anyone who mocks what I believe? People who think God does not exist? Those who use the name of Jesus in profanity? Those who abuse children? Or women? Or each other? People who have no concern for the earth, their belongings, or the rights of others? People who do not love You?

Jesus says none of this negativity comes from Him, not their sinful and selfish traits nor my response of hatred or mere dislike. 

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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 do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43–48)

God’s standard is high. He wants me to be perfect as He is perfect. While this encompasses much more, this passage alone shows that His perfection means that He loves His enemies. He prays for those who dismiss Him or ignore Him or disobey Him and treat Him as if He does not matter. He is as good to them as He is to the people who love and worship Him.

The enemies of God are greeted each morning by the sunrise, just as I am. They are given rain for their crops and the marvel of growth for their harvest. They are given children and laughter, means to earn a living and possessions for their comfort. They know love and kindness. They can smile because God is good to everyone.

Yes, there are disasters and trials in life, but God does not withhold blessings unless He has a better blessing in mind. Because of His perfection, He is able to do this. Because of my imperfections, I have no idea how to follow Him in this; so for me, I am to simply love everyone as He loves them, and not try to figure out what God is doing with trials and trouble in their lives.

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Lord, the world is huge and its population in the billions. That You know and love each individual staggers me. Hundreds of babies are born each day; hundreds of people die each hour, and You love each of them. I am amazed at Your intimate knowledge. You know the number of hairs on each head.

Even more amazing is the size of Your heart. Your love is as great for the most evil terrorist as it is for the most godly saint. Yes, You see one wrapped in darkness and sin and the other covered by the blood of Christ, yet it is the same Christ that died for both. And He died for them and for me because You love us. No one is denied the opportunity of trusting Jesus and receiving eternal life.

I know that I’ve a long way to go to love like You do. Allow me to see Your love, to know more of what it is like, to grasp the length and breadth and depth of it, and to express it to others, even my enemies.

Which ‘father’ is the metaphor?

Some things we get backwards. I’ve heard people gripe about God not being fair, or God not caring about people. It seems as if their idea of ‘fair’ or their ‘caring’ is better than His. In putting Him down, the undergirding assumption seems to be that God should be like us because we see things more clearly. Since His ways don’t match ours, then He must be the failure.

That is backwards. God wants us to be like Him and He is perfect. Jesus said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Our problem is that many people don’t know what He is actually like or how He measures perfection. They are evaluating Him with a limited perspective.

The past few days in my devotional guide, the author discusses God in terms of father and mother, a perfect parent. Today I’m reminded that when Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began by saying, “your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” then followed with, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

The author goes on to say, “It is inconceivable that a good father could forget or neglect or be unfair to his children. A savage or wicked father might, but a good father never! In calling our God by the blessed name of Father, we ought to know that if He is a father at all, He must be the very best of fathers, and His fatherhood must be the highest ideal of fatherhood we can conceive.”

It strikes me that this asks readers to compare God to the goodness of the very best earthly father, but isn’t that backwards? Shouldn’t we compare our fathering, our mothering, to Him? Isn’t He the standard? By thinking that way, would we not conclude that “all far short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) because even a good father at times makes mistakes in his parenting? But God never does, regardless of our opinions.

I know this devotional writer is trying to elevate her readers’ concept of God, yet no matter how much I try, I cannot form my thoughts of Him by looking at my parents. Even though they were great parents, by doing this I pull God down to human standards rather than see Him as high and lifted up.

The more God shows me what He is like, the more I see my own shortcomings. He is holy, a word that means “other than” and conveys the idea that He is totally different from me, and far above all my imagination. Of course I am made in His image, but sin warps not only that image but my perception of it. To see Him as He is, I must look at God’s revelations of Himself, not at another person who suffers from the same warping.

I don’t want to be misinterpreted, but have to say this: no matter how wonderful my parents were, even their love and care for me did not satisfy my longings for a perfect love, for total care. That hole in my heart could not be filled by them, only by my Creator. I see how His incredible ‘other-than-ness’ allows Himself to be compared with things I do understand, such as fire, mountains, rocks, fathers, mothers, even mother hens, and so on, but He makes it clear that none of these come close to a perfect description. I cannot look at a rock and say that rock is what God is like. I can only say God says He is something like that rock, but much more.

I don’t know if this makes sense to anyone else, but I noticed in these readings about my loving parents being like God that my thoughts went to my parents. However, as I consider God revealing Himself as Father means He is just a little like they were to me, I began thinking that God is incredibly above and beyond all the love and care I can imagine. If my parents, who were sinners too, could sacrificially give their time and energy to care for me, then the God who created them will do and does do so much more for me.

Am I hairsplitting? Maybe so, yet I do it because many people want God to be more like themselves (as if they are wiser, more loving, fairer, etc.) than He. They don’t know that God is so far above them that they cannot even see what He is like. They have it backwards.