Christian perfection is . . .

Wanting to do the best that I can has brought accusations of being a perfectionist. But, I’m not one of those people who, if they can’t do it perfectly won’t do it at all. Actually, I like the quote, “If something is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly” yet it just seems to me that giving a task my best effort is more like Jesus than being sloppy about it.

In a several places, the Bible speaks of the idea of being perfect. Jesus said it and so does the Apostle Paul. This can be perplexing for other passages tell us that we are in process and perfection will not happen in this life. This one from Philippians says both . . .

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:7–14)

Paul had an impressive list of credentials before his salvation. He counted these worthless compared to knowing Jesus Christ. Prior to that, his righteousness had been based on his good works and obedience to God’s law, but he knew all that was worthless in the eyes of God. Only imputed righteousness counts, that which comes to Christians by faith in the Savior.

Paul also knew that being like Jesus was God’s goal for Him, and this became his own goal. He knew he was not there yet, but pressed on toward that goal. He called it perfection. When Jesus used the term, He said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Oswald Chambers makes sense of what perfect means. He says this is not becoming perfect specimens of holiness that God can put on display (yuck), but about making us one with Himself. It is about relationship, not being a model Christian that never does anything wrong.

There is a difference between having my life set to serve God or set to manifest God. The former isn’t concerned about me, or about what happens to me. I means a total focus on hearing and obeying God, not being concerned about what people see in me, or that I am and do things others can admire (yuck)

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Christian perfection is not human perfection. Instead, Christian perfection is a relationship to God which shows itself amid all of human life to the point that most of what Jesus asks me to do will seem irrelevant and not particularly important. My theology class last week was about God’s providence and how much of it goes unseen. He works in ways that are hidden, even to His people. If I fit into that, then my obedience will not be showy.

Those words, “be perfect” tend to put in mind some of what I’ve already described, a saint with a halo that never slips over one ear or gets tarnished. It is about what I do, not what I am. But this is not what Jesus asks. He wants me to live in a perfect relationship with Him so my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thinking too much about me, myself, and I hinders my usefulness to God. He wants my mind in tune with His and on the lookout for the voice of the Spirit regarding the needs of others. He also wants me totally surrendered to Him so I am never anxious about what happens to me. Perfection is trusting Him and letting Him do whatever He likes without guessing or stressing over any of it.

Perfection has its pitfalls because it can be misunderstood. During this summer’s flood in the town where my sister lives (she lost some of her livelihood), she was at peace with God about those losses and the great turmoil in their lives. Someone who does not know the power of faith accused her with, “What’s the matter with you? You don’t care at all about what happened to you.”

The world does not understand this sort of perfection, the state of trusting God that produces a “peace that is beyond comprehension.” To some, it looks like hardness and not caring, but to others it looks like Jesus . . .

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:23)

Like Paul, I know that I’m not there yet. However, the Word of God and His Spirit keep pressing me on toward this goal.

The bane of perfectionism

Those of us who are perfectionists eventually realize that perfection is unattainable. No matter the field of endeavor, just when the standard is reached, the bar is raised higher.

The root of perfectionism is probably human pride. In my flesh, I want to be the best, but I also want to please my mother. She had the habit of praising people, but never to their face. I didn’t know how much she praised me until a sister-in-law told me. Mom praised that same relative to me, and as a result, both of us wondered if we measured up to her standards. Even though I discovered this as an adult, the pattern of trying to elicit praise from my mother had been established and has driven my behavior all my life.

This desire to please an authority figure is also at the root of religion. People do strange things or go to great lengths to please their god. The God of Israel added to that effort by giving a multitude of commandments to show His people what He expected from them. Yet the harder they tried, the more they failed.

Trying to please a parent who is no longer living is challenging enough, but trying to please a perfect and holy God is a greater challenge. To do it requires either rewriting His demands to make obedience possible, or going to Him on bended knee asking for mercy and grace, a hard option for a proud human. Most opt for the other choice.

As a senior, I find echos of my mother’s standards in my own life. Reflecting on what she did show pleasure in explains why I am pulled toward certain activities. Even though I really don’t want to paint pictures or train horses, those things pleased my mother and still tug at my heart now and then. One good thing from seeing this motivation in my life is that I realize the importance of telling my children how they are admired and appreciated rather than telling everyone else but them.

As a Christian, I find echos of the Law of God that pull me away from grace and mercy. In Christian circles, it is called legalism, trying to please a holy God by rules and performance. The Bible is clear; this is not how it works.

The Law of God was never given as the means to pleasing Him. It was given to show how far short we fall. Like that bar that is continually raised, the Law keeps lifting me above what I can do. From it, I realize that I need more than my own resources.

Today’s Scripture reading is this: “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).

These verses add meaning to a section in Galatians that explains that God added the Law to reveal our sinfulness. It says, “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:21-24).

Knowing that some of my behavior is an effort to please my mother is not enough to change me. In the same way, just telling me that I cannot keep the Law of God is not enough either. As today’s reading says, knowing these things must come from “the depths of a troubled heart, by God’s own teaching.”

I didn’t know the depth of my sin in a way that moved me to my knees until God Himself applied that truth to my heart. This is different from learning it through the words of a preacher or even from the Bible. When God put this one truth deeply into my heart, He also offered my soul the consolation in that grace and mercy is greater than my sin and shortcomings. God the Father sent His Son to die for my sin. By knowing Him, I am set free from the demands I could not meet. That is mercy and grace.

Not only that, by grace He also offers me His perfection. In Christ, I learn to live by His power and not my own, and as I do, He assures me that pleasing Him is not my job at all. This is done for me by my Lord and Savior.

Perfectionism

More than one person has told me that I am a perfectionist. My response is usually something like, “If I can do it well, why do it halfway?”

Perfectionism can be very harmful. “Reg” admits that if he cannot do something very well, he won’t do it at all. For him, accomplishment is a pride thing and halfway is not in his vocabulary. Sadly, this choice limits his activities and narrows his enjoyment of life.

After years of trying to do my best, I realize that others often don’t care if they make that effort. Doing well is not a priority. Also some try, but halfway is the best that they can do.

Sometimes that is also true of me. In fact, the saying, “If it is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly” is often motivation to just do it and let perfection go by the wayside.

Jesus talked about being perfect. He said in Matthew 5 that we are to love our enemies just as “God makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Then in verse 48, He says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Jesus sets an impossible and unattainable standard. God’s glory is beyond us. As Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Yet God cannot lower His standard any more than He can lower His own perfection. The good news is that Christ met this standard on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Jesus is my righteousness and my perfection. He came into my life to do and be what I cannot do and be. Being a Christian involves the process of learning how to get out of His way and let Him live it for me. He teaches me through the experiences of life and through His Word.

Today’s devotional reading is from 1 Timothy 3:16-17. It says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

That word complete is the same idea as perfect. It is not so much about quality or excellence in human or worldly terms, but about being mature, like Jesus. The more I am like Jesus the more I can measure up to what God wants from me, and I become more like Jesus by letting the Word of God permeate my life. When I do, my responses come from it rather than my sinful nature.

Knowing God’s will is vital. When Paul wrote, “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect . . . ” (Philippians 3:15), he meant “We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine . . . “ (Ephesians 4:14). That is, by immersing myself in the Word of God, I know His will. His book gives me a measure of wisdom and spiritual strength that protects me from being pulled astray. This Christian maturity is part of what it means to be perfect.

My devotional reading today says such perfection is only obtained by suffering. I wanted to argue, but I know this is usually true. I’m a tough case. I can read truth and know truth, but when it comes to living it out, it takes a few hard knocks to get that truth from my head and into my muscles.

However, one thing is certain; this perfection is all about living my life in His power instead of my own. I cannot be mature, complete or spiritually perfect without Jesus Christ. While the results He makes in me may or may not be what others consider perfect, when I obey God, then in the mind of God I am doing exactly what pleases Him.

Why Trials?

Last week my color printer was acting up. After changing the cartridges and updating the software, I put it through a series of tests to make sure it would perform the way it was supposed to and print perfect copies.

This morning I think about other things we test and want perfection from. Every new car we’ve ever bought was first taken for a test drive. We didn’t want any surprises after we brought it home. We test mattresses and sofas by sitting or stretching out on them. I’ve bought a few things without testing them and been disappointed in their performance.

I’m not surprised that God tests me. Even though I don’t like it, it makes sense that He wants to make sure I’m going to perform the way He expects. He has blessed me in so many ways and from those blessings, I should respond by honoring Him. The Bible describes it in 1 Peter 1:3-7.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. . . .

In Christ I have the assurance of eternal life and the promise of God to keep me in His care until that day that I leave this earth to spend forever with Him. Yet while I am here and as God sees necessary, life is somewhat less than heaven on earth! Life is one big test that should prove my faith will result in praise and honor when Jesus Christ shows up.

What would be the alternative? I suppose I could be totally unprepared for the return of Christ, not wanting that to happen because He will interfere with my plans. I suppose if God didn’t test me, I could settle into a complacency in His perfect care for me and the delights of providential blessing. If life were like heaven, why would I even think of going there? If I had no trials at all, my faith would be in a God who pampered me, indulged me, paid heed to my fleshy I-wants. God is not like that!

My devotional reading for today gives a good description of what God is doing when He brings trials into my life. It says that “manifold trials and temptations bring us out of those things which are opposed to the grace of God, and conform us to the image of His dear Son.”

He is right. I need trials and temptations “to cure” me of my worldly spirit, carnality and carelessness, light, vague or empty profession, and any form of godliness that is just that—only a form and not the real thing. Trials tend to erase all pride and self-righteousness. Only trials can keep me from “resting short of divine teachings and heavenly blessings.” Trials keep me seeking the face of God.

Otherwise I settle for being at ease and missing out on the secrets of a powerful relationship with the One who can carry me through the worst that life could deal me. Otherwise I would settle for a false, or deceptive, or hypocritical, or presumptuous faith, maybe even unsound in doctrine and without substance. Trials teach me to be “simple and sincere, honest and upright, tender and teachable” and to know by experience what a broken and contrite spirit is all about.

Oh, I will yelp and moan and feel sorry for myself, but deep in my heart, I know the value of trials. James writes that we should rejoice when they come because God is using them, not only to test my faith, but build perfection in me.

Actually, there is something almost humorous here. I’ve occasionally been criticized for being a perfectionist, as if trying to do something to the best of my ability is some sort of negative goal. But perfection is God’s goal! I might resist the trials that God uses as tools in the process, even pick the wrong things to make perfect, yet perfection is His idea and His promise. He wants me to be like Jesus, who is perfect. It seems like a good idea to make that my goal too.