I believe that we are to strive to be perfect as Christ was but I also believe that this is an ongoing goal. One day I may achieve perfection but on that day I shall go home. I believe that the journey to perfection is a lifetime journey. I am not able to look for perfectiion in another as I am too busy attempting to overcome my own imperfections. These are my thoughts what are yours?
2006-10-20 13:57:34 · 29 answers · asked by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Somany wise answers. Thanks for all insight.
2006-10-20 14:09:17 · update #1
Yes, we are to reach for perfection even though we realize we will never attain it. Remember, even the Apostles were imperfect and fell short. All men fall short. That is why we needed the atonement sacrifice of our Lord.
If each of us were to examine the 10 Commandments, we would realize that we have fallen short so many times, that we ourselves, have probably lost count of the number of times we have sinned against God. On Judgment Day, if God were to judge us and hold us accountable for our sins, none of us could stand and we would all be subject to pay for our own sin. But God has provided a payment for our sin, through Jesus our Lord.
Yes, Jesus was the atonement for our sin. He was also the perfect example for us to follow. He taught us how to love perfectly. He taught us how to live, not for ourselves but for others.I do not think Jesus expects perfection from us. However, we are to be doing the best we can to be Christians, who are imitators of Christ. I also think that what Jesus said about us forgiving others can be applied to learning how to forgive ourselves as well. Jesus taught that the greatest law was love. If we follow this guide in our lives, I think we are on the right path.
2006-10-20 14:42:49 · answer #1 · answered by Marie 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was the only one who said "Be thou perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect." and yet all the righteous men in the Old Testament has nothing of that sort but they were blessed by God. To be perfect therefore is a tall order to people like me who know exactly the limits of his capacity to achieve such goal. People who strive to be perfect are the ones I keep seeing always tested around the tempting world of materialism, power and greed. Perfection for me is not to be stiff or always conscious of a clean sorrounding like an obssessive compulsion to cleanliness. A perfect world is like a jigzaw-puzzle that each piece have an imperfect shape that has to fit to the same imperfect slot. It is not that you are destined to that slot but rather you are to find where you believe your heart is. You have to be what you are and what you are is the one that should shine on you. Do not attempt to be what you cannot be but always try to find if where you stand is the place you really should be. Your fate is not what God has made for you. Your fate is in what God has prepared for whatever you choose or did not choose to do. Where you are at the moment can be caused by your circumstances and your Free Will has given you to make a choice or not to make a choice. If you fail do not blame God by saying it is his will, it could only be that your judgement was wrong so keep on moving and dont' give up until you find your perfect slot.
2006-10-20 14:25:41 · answer #2 · answered by Rallie Florencio C 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He did say follow me!
Through his example of living in love. He gave very clear instructions throughout his life on how to live. Most miss these. They are so simple and profound. If followed as intended it brings a person to a new life and understanding of all things. Your point of view would change, more than once, till you would be seeing things from God's point of view. At the least very close to it. This is when people in the world would consider you insane as they cannot even consider things from anywhere near the perspective you would now have. Those of the world could no longer understand or relate to you.
To get more simple and to the point here the biggest thing that gets overlooked in his example is keep talking to God. That is the out come of all of his life that was the main message. God wants to speak to us ALL THE TIME. If a person stays in that HOLY place and is the good child and listens & obeys you walk into perfection! You walk right into heaven. There is no striving for it, it just happens. What is perfection in the eyes of God for us? To be as he created us. How do we attain that? Listen & obey. If you love him you surrender your life to him & he gives it right back to you in an eternal form! If you love him you surrender your free will to his will & he gives it right back to you in power & glory.
This is the way to go home to God! This is what Jesus did.
This is the path I have chosen I take steps everday. I do not strive for perfection. You could drive yourself crazy doing that. I just know it's there, it is a reality and it can be done. But I do not beat myself up over it......oh I should have done this oh why didn't I do it that way! No thanks! I look at it, question God about it, see the truth that is revealed to me, log the lesson and go on!
God is quite the conversationalist he loves to talk, try to get him to shutup, it dosen't work. It's why one part of him is called The Word!
Larry T
2006-10-20 23:23:31 · answer #3 · answered by Larry T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Striving for perfection is an amicable goal but we have to remember that sometimes it's the mistakes, the errors, the poor judgement and just the stupid stuff that we do as humans that truly bring wisdom and compassion. Imperfection allows us to learn and to grow. Maybe that was the plan all along.
2006-10-20 14:04:15 · answer #4 · answered by Olivia 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To try to be perfect is not only ambitious, but it's an egotistical attempt to be godlike. Only God is perfect and striving to be Him is not what we need to do--we need to strive to be loving and good, decent and kind, understanding and caring. We achieve a state of self-knowledge by doing these things and that brings us closer to perfection, but only closer in the sense that when we jump up in the air, we are closer to the moon. God is like the moon in this example, in terms of perfection.
2006-10-20 15:49:47 · answer #5 · answered by heyrobo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that the Bible does say to be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect. But if you've been Sanctified, (born again by the spirit) you are set apart and when God looks at you he doesn't see your screw ups (nor is he surprised by them because he knows what you're made of and what you are born into) but he see's Christ. White and blameless. Should you continue to sin and take advantage of this? NO, Doing so brings into question the validity of the salvation in the first place. When we really get, truly get what Christ did for us, we then trust him for who he says we are. IT's not about pleasing God, it's about trusting God. Who does God say you are? Figure that out and live in that, believe that what God says about you is true and it will be truth.
He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
2006-10-20 14:08:26 · answer #6 · answered by mamatoshreksboys 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are we talking about "perfection" or "the best, most self-actualized version of me"? Chasing perfection is, for a human, always going to end in imbalance and, possibly, mental illness. Look at all of the priests and other "holy" religious leaders who emerge in financial or sex scandals, etc. We simply can't be good all the time. Balance and becoming one's best self are more attainable goals.
2006-10-20 14:18:38 · answer #7 · answered by Sinner & Saint 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We don't need perfection since Jesus-God done the main Job, that's the reason God came to earth as Jesus, the job required perfection. Now we have perfection through Jesus, but God knows we try, and that perfection is not required, but to strive for it.... for Jesus Christ
If God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done, because none of us is flawless. That God uses imperfect people is encouraging news for all of us.
2006-10-20 14:13:37 · answer #8 · answered by inteleyes 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I once heard that 'perfection is the essence of a direction,not actually a goal to be achieved.....perfection implies a state of completion beyond which no further growth is possible',in those terms,perfection can never be realized.I believe this.Does this answer your question?
2006-10-20 14:06:58 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Paul said "I die daily."
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
2006-10-20 14:03:05 · answer #10 · answered by Noble Angel 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋