Is this something Jesus said in the Bible? If so, what does this imply about the laws given?
2007-11-02 07:09:12 · 14 answers · asked by River 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
primoa - that really doesn't make sense. Why would Jesus tell you to be perfect with the knowledge that it is impossible to do so? I believe the exact phrase is "be ye perfect as your father in heaven is perfect"?
2007-11-02 07:12:33 · update #1
primoa - I guess you don't realize just how much you are contradicting that verse. Especially when you offer no verses that say "you can't be perfect", spoken by Jesus himself.
2007-11-02 07:17:11 · update #2
*Gasp* Emporer Insania... lol You'll give these others a headache with that! ^_^
2007-11-02 07:35:37 · update #3
He asks us to strive to be as perfect as God.
Quite an expectation.
Love and blessings Don
2007-11-02 07:11:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
If we could all be perfect, what a boring world we would live in. Inperfection is what makes us individual, it enable us to learn from our mistakes and choose to be who we are. If Jesus was reported to say such a thing, maybe he was thinking out loud at a conversation he and his father had. Feel a little sorry for Jesus to have such High standards put upon him, and oh the fall from the pedistal everyone has put him on. He was human just like each and everyone of us, and the Ooopse I am going to say it, he was probably a pagan too.
2007-11-02 17:53:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Paul, the whole structure of law and commandment was meant to make people, at the last, throw up their hands in horror and admit that "it can't be done."
(Acts 15:10-11, Romans 3:19-20, just for examples)
A 2,000 year warm-up to the real message, it seems.
A hint earlier on might have been a kindness.
2007-11-02 07:25:22 · answer #3 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hello!
Perfect or Teleios in Greek:
brought to its end, finished
wanting nothing necessary to completeness
perfect
that which is perfect
consummate human integrity and virtue
of men
full grown, adult, of full age, mature
Need one more verse:
5:46
"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
5:47
"If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
5:48
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
It isn't saying to be perfect as in 'sinless' it is saying be whole, complete, mature, correct etc.
Be complete in that you are to show love for everyone, not just your own. Or that it is correct to love everyone not just your own.
Or your love is not complete when you love only your own.
That is, love everyone since God loves everyone...
You get the idea.
-- so when used with the proper meanings you gain clarity and it makes sense. --
Tyr's Own - I am to tease, err I mean please... hehehe ;-)
2007-11-02 07:24:09 · answer #4 · answered by Emperor Insania Says Bye! 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Perfection is relative. Therefore it is maliable and subject to opinion. Therefore the concept we have of perfection is automatically flawed and tainted by the human stain. So if you are doing so, quit living like it is achieveable and continue to learn from the only thing you have for certain -- imperfection.
Primoa, you really have that whole 'out of context' thing down! :D
2007-11-02 07:25:36 · answer #5 · answered by buckfutt 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the implication here is that we all have the ability to be perfect... that we should all strive for perfection. no judgment, no hatred, perfectly in our own peace, charity to others (I don't mean money here) and love for all of mankind... that was where Jesus was - and maybe he's saying that's the journey we are to take...
people like Mother Theresa come to mind as well as a number of others....
We have the ability to be perfect with Spirit - but we choose through our actions not to be...
just my thoughts...
2007-11-02 07:49:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Perfect God. Perfect man. Both can be perfect, each on his own category. Because of sin, we can't be perfect before God. But, becase of Jesus, we can be cleansed of our sins and thereby be made perfect before God. To be perfect is to be sinless. For a sinner to be sinless, he needs to be forgiven of all sins at that exact point where he has to face judgement.
2007-11-02 07:19:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jesus did say that....
We know that no one can ever be perfect. One can only be counted as righteous if they are in Christ
Matthew 5:47-48
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Edit:
Jesus Himself knew that no one is capable of perfection while in the flesh.
2007-11-02 07:11:30 · answer #8 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 4⤊ 3⤋
No one can be perfect in and of themselves as no one can keep commandments/laws in and of themselves. Because Christ dwells in the believer, the believer has already kept the law. Because He lives in me and I in Him, I'm considered perfect because He is perfect. The law is considered kept because he who dwells in me, kept the law perfectlly. I am responsible for the moral aspect of the law: killing, stealing, etc. It's not that one is perfect in their condition, but that their POSITION is one of perfection.
2007-11-02 07:14:30 · answer #9 · answered by Gail R 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yeah but I always wondered this "Who would WANT to be perfect?" How the hell would you learn anything if you never did anything wrong?
2007-11-02 16:20:33 · answer #10 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋