Jesus said to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is?

Question

In Matthew 5:48; Jesus says "So be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect." Jesus told us to be perfect but I think it's humanly impossible. We can try our best but there are days when we aren't because of selfishness, egos, pride, jealously, anger, etc. Why would Jesus put such a high demand on us if He knew what it was to be human and how often we are tempted? Did He give us an unreachable goal? If we were to be perfect like God is, then wouldn't we be God?

Can anyone clarify this verse for me? Explain to me what 'perfect' means here? I'd appreciate real, faithful answers but if you are not a believer, just please don't be rude. Thanks!

Answer 1

Jesus did deliberately give us an unreachable goal. The whole idea of the 'sermon on the mount'(which is where this passage is taken from) was to show us that living a good life doesn't get you to heaven. You can not be saved by being a good person or by doing good works. What Jesus was trying to show was that a person with sin in his(or her) life (any sin, even a little white lie or a lustful thought or envy or jealousy) can never enter into the presence of a perfectly Holy and Righteous and Just God. Therefore you could never enter heaven unless you are perfect throughout your life. Of course, that is an unreachable goal. None of us will ever live that way. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". That caused a problem for God. God can never violate His own Nature. His Nature has different attributes. One attribute is Justice. Another attribute is Love. Those 2 attributes came into conflict over mankind. Gods Love wanted to bring mankind into His presence forever in paradise but Gods Justice said that sinful beings could never enter into his presence without a penalty being paid for their sin. God solved this dilemma by sending His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of mankind. That made mankind potentially sinless and thus perfect(from a legal standpoint). Look at it from the standpoint of a judge in a court. If I had murdered someone and the judge gave me the electric chair and my father stood up and said "I will go to the electric chair in place of my son", technically I would be free and they could not even put the murder on my record since the penalty for that murder was being paid for. The only question is........would I accept the parden or not? If I chose not to accept the parden, then I would still have to pay for my own sins(or in this case, the murder). Romans 3:26 says "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be JUST and the JUSTIFIER of the one who has faith in Jesus". In other words, the crucifiction of Christ solved the dilemma of God. His Justice was satisfied because all sin had been paid for, so God could allow imperfect beings to enter His presence and still be Just. But His Love was now satisfied too because the way was now wide open for God to shed His Love upon anyone who accepted the parden that Christ paid for. Ephesians 2:8,9 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no-one can boast". In other words, Christianity is not a works religion like all the rest of the religions. It's not a bunch of rules and regulations and do's and don'ts and if you do more of the good deeds than the bad deeds then you go to heaven and if you're heavy on the bad deeds then you go to hell and God just sort of grades on a curve. Good deeds(according to the bible) can never get anyone to heaven. Only sinless perfection gets a person to heaven. But that is no longer impossible since Christ has paid for our sins. The only real question is will you accept what He has done for you on the cross. Christianity, unlike all the other religions is a supernatural religion. It says that if you acknowledge that you are a sinner and need a savior and you accept what Jesus did for you on the cross as your savior and ask Him to come into your heart, He will come into your heart. Also, He sends the Holy Spirit to live inside you. He gives you spiritual life so that you can have a personal relationship with God. In Christianity, God is not unknowable and distant and infinitely unapproachable. God wants to have a personal relationship with you. It is a dialogue. You speak to Him in prayer. He speaks back to you through His Word(The Bible) and also through your daily experiences. You come to know Him and trust Him in your daily walk. There also is assurance of eternal life, which is also unknown in other religions. 1John 5:13 says " I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life". Notice that it says KNOW. It doesn't say think, hope or wish. What Christ did on the cross was to open the way to God to anyone who really wants it enough to turn their life over to Christ. 1Peter 3:18 says "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might BRING US TO GOD, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit";
It is open to anyone. John3:16 says"For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life". Mathew 11:28-30 says "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
"For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
The only question is "What do you think of Christ"(Mathew 22:42).

http://www.intouch.org/index_76034.html

http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/home.php

http://www.ankerberg.com/

http://www.tektonics.org/

http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/theological-dictionary/TD4W1003.pdf

http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch.shtml

http://www.connectiononline.org/teachinglibrary.htm

Answer 2

I think He means perfect in the sense of being developed, spiritually and mentally. You can be a tradesman and perfect your trade while occasionally making mistakes in unexplored territories. God knows no man on earth but Jesus has even a shot at being righteously perfect, but its the effort and dedication you put into it. God will never test you over something you are not capable of overcoming, but you must always know this and overcome all obstacles. Only then will you be gaining perfection.

God the Father is perfect because He has control over all things and maintains this control. You, likewise, must control yourself and maintain this control. Overpower your urges to do thinks you know you shouldn't do.

Jesus put a high demand on us so that we will always be reaching to achieve this "demand", always striving to be better, stronger, smarter.

Don't see this as unreachable, see it as "the skys the limit". Are we capable of doing the things Christ did? If we pray faithfully enough and live life always seeking information about God, can we accept abilities such as healing, preaching and speaking the language of tongues?

Technically speaking, we are part of God in that God is all things and in all things. We can get strength and guidance through Him because He is embedded inside of us. Focus on this potential.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Few of us can imagine, much less experience, that kind of perfection. Not one of us comes close to the spiritual and moral perfection that God personifies. To me this verse simple tells us to be righteous. To act with a pure heart and with the best intentions.
In the verses that are before Matt 5:48, it talks about how we as christians need to set oursleves apart from others. 45) If you love those who love you what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47) And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ---This basically is asking how are you as a believer of God different from the unbelievers around you, in thought, motive and actions.

The only way for humans to take God's righteousness upon themselves is by accepting by faith that Christ died on the cross in order to purchase rightousness for us (the believers). Through the blood of Christ we are made "perfect" and righteous.

Jesus is only demanding that we believe that He is the Chosen One. We have already reached the goal by accepting Christ as our Savior and being washed by the blood of the Lamb. However, our main goals as Followers of Christ is to become more Christ-like each day...as long as we continue to grow in Christ we are growing toward perfection, just as your Heavenly Father is pefect.

As for being like God and wouldn't we be God. No. Because God is perfect and will always be perfect. We were born in sin and are only made perfect by the Blood of Christ.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which art in Heaven is perfect seems pretty simple to me. Don't you think you have days when you could maybe come close? Just almost there sort of? Perfect means perfect and that is the goal. We could all do more if we put our effort into it, but unless we try, we will never learn how to start the progression toward that goal.

Answer 5

Do you remember an incident (in the Gospel) when Jesus asked His disciples "what were you all arguing about?"?Jesus knew exactly what they were arguing .They had an ego problem.Jesus probably knew that they would never change but He was going to accept them the way they were.Because,that's what good friends are for .
The Bible says that we are made in the image of God so we should striving to be close as "with God nothing is impossible"

Answer 6

Jesus told his followers: “You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48) Here his reference was to the matter of love and generosity. He showed that merely to “love those loving you” constituted an incomplete, defective love; hence his followers should perfect their love or bring it to full measure by loving their enemies also, thereby following God’s example. (Mt 5:43-47) Similarly, the young man who questioned Jesus on the way to gain everlasting life was shown that his worship, which already included obedience to the Law’s commandments, was still lacking in vital points. If he ‘wanted to be perfect’ he must bring his worship to full development (compare Lu 8:14; Isa 18:5) by fulfilling these aspects.—Mt 19:21; compare Ro 12:2.

Answer 7

I suppose he believed in what he said, he also strives all his life to reach his own ideal of perfection.
but as in the story of Jesus, trying to be perfect can lead you to a horrible and degrading death.
maybe we should try to be reasonably good, and try to control our aggressive and antisocial drives is good enough, and try to survive and enjoy our short period among the living.

Answer 8

Jesus said to strive to be perfect

Answer 9

It means be 'christlike'. Even though you'll never be perfect, try your best. That's where the WWJD thing came from.

Answer 10

because of our sins we are imperfect. but through the blood of Christ, our saviour. we are cleansed and made perfect in the eyes of God. we have to trust Him as our saviour and confess him to others. that is how He makes us perfect. we cannot achieve perfection on our own merits. i hope i have helped you to understand. God bless. BM