Just Perfect

Introduction

This morning we begin with an expression that we use a lot. Just perfect. Isn’t it interesting that we use that? And we often mean that it is not. It is anything but what we would desire or hope this circumstance would be. We’re saying facetiously, this isn’t anything close to perfect. Just perfect. And I thought this is a good title. This is a good title for this verse in Scripture that is particularly troubling to a lot of people in Christ. And it should be. And that verse is Matthew chapter 5 and verse 48. While it is the conclusion of the fifth chapter in the book of Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, it is not the conclusion of the sermon, but it certainly has reference to the entirety of the sermon and the things that Jesus is calling his would-be disciples to think and to do as they build upon the rock, these words and sayings of mine.

Therefore, you are to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Oh, perfect. God wants me to be perfect. I’m not perfect. I’ve never been perfect. And so I can’t live up to the standard. We might as well close our Bibles and go home. I’ve been a miserable failure. Let’s just skip over this verse. Maybe it doesn’t mean what it looks to be saying. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Just perfect. This is hopeless. Now, whatever meant, whatever Jesus meant by this statement, which we’re going to get to in a minute, there must be something in this that incorporates God’s fix for our failings. I mean, obviously we haven’t been perfect. We’re sinners. Even since we’ve become believers in him through Christ, we’ve experienced stumbling.

We all stumble in many ways, James says in James chapter 3 and verse 2. And in 1 John particularly, as he says, I write these things to you that you sin not. 1 John 2 and verse 1. But if any man sin, it’s not all over. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. And he said, I write these things that you might know that you have eternal life. 1 John chapter 5 and verse 13. And earlier in chapter 1 at the very beginning. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Now, I think there may be a lot more going on with that statement in chapter 1 than we commonly look at.

I think he’s dealing with Gnostic ideas and that the flesh is separate from the spirit, so we’re not tainted by sin at all. I don’t know that he’s talking so much about the Christian’s experience. However, he says in verse 7, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. And we have fellowship with the Father. So there is an aspect of that, at least in 1 John chapter 1 and verse 7, but we are those, because we know that we have eternal life, we are those who keep the commandments of God and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. That is our bent. That is our practice. We practice righteousness. We belong to God.

And really, that’s what Matthew chapter 5 and verse 48 is saying. Now, so there must be something here about this term. Perfect. And I’m not sure that we get it entirely. What does it mean in relationship to God’s character? Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Do we even know what perfect is supposed to look like in our lives yet? And I say that because of statements like Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5, where Paul is, and we were there last week, do nothing from selfishness and empty conceit, but consider one another more important than yourself. The whole sermon on selfishness was built from this context. Where he says a couple of verses later, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Back to Aaron’s comments about willing to do his will. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. And we talk about what flows from that, how that he was a servant, and he did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but because of the sacrifices he made, he became our Savior, and therefore he’s highly exalted. And we could talk about that whole context. But what I want you to notice there is that statement, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ, it’s first written to people who are already in Christ. And they’re not done developing the mind of Christ. So this verse may represent a process, a process unto maturity. Okay, more on that in a moment.

Ongoing instruction that we must receive and ponder and attempt to implement in our lives. And I want to suggest to you that Matthew chapter 5 and verse 8 is pointing us in the direction of imitation of the Father. If you look at the foregoing context, it says, Don’t be run of the mill, don’t be average. If you love those who love you’re like the people of the world. He said, I’m challenge you to love those who hate you. I’m telling you to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile, because that is the character of our Father. And so if you look at the preceding context, it’s all about striving above the norm and having as a purpose in your life the imitation of the Heavenly Father.

These are characteristics that he demonstrated. They are not run of the mill. They are not the norm. They are well above average, and they will make you sons of the Most High God, as Jesus would say in Luke 6.

1. What Perfect Means: Seek His Standard Always

In the parallel passage to some of the stuff he’s teaching here in the Sermon on the Mount. So this statement, well, just perfect. Well, yes. This statement goes to the very heart of what a true disciple is all about. Don’t run from this verse. Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t think that you cannot attain it in some sense. We need it. We need to understand it. We need to pursue it in our lives. Three points. What perfect means. And I got this from Bible Hub, which I’ve never used before, but short definition. Perfect. Full grown. A lot of people think it could say mature here, but I don’t really think that captures the concept. God is more than mature. Yes, this would reflect spiritual maturity, but the translators chose perfect for a reason.

Further, it can mean complete in all its parts, full grown, a full age. And perhaps even in our maturity, there is more room for growth. And so it’s more than just maturity, especially of the completeness of Christian character. So we’re talking about the completeness of Christian character. It is the Greek word telios from telos, which means consummated goal. Mature, consummated, from going through the necessary stages to reach the end goal, develop into a consummating completion by fulfilling the necessary process and in parentheses, spiritual journey. Interesting, this word teleos or telos. That sort of sounds like something, doesn’t it? Telescope. And if you really want to get far away or to the goal, what do you do with a telescope? You extend it, and that’s really what we do in the pursuit of the goal.

We extend ourselves, not just in the pursuit of the goal, but in our seeing of it. In our perceptions of what it means. I got to tell you, folks, the ideal of the perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, looks a lot different to me now than it did 30 years ago. Because I’ve learned more of the instruction. I’ve grasped more of what God has said to me about the imitation of his holiness. C. H. Spurgeon said, as he exhorted all blood bought and heaven-bound sons. I like that. That’s who we are. Blood bought and heaven-bound children of our God. He said, Stretch towards the highest conceivable standard, and be not satisfied until you reach it. The word is found in 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 20.

I thought about a lot of passages that speak about maturity. Go on to maturity. Let us press on to maturity. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 1. Till we attain the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, as we head toward maturity, Paul says in Ephesians 4 and verse 13, so many others we could look at. 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 6. I speak wisdom among the mature. But I like this. 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 20, brethren, and we’re going to come back to this chapter in a moment. Brethren, do not be children in your thinking. Yet in evil be babes, be innocent in regard to evil. Be naive about evil. Don’t involve yourself with it. In evil be babes, but in your thinking be teleas.

In your thinking be mature. But there’s something going on here with this statement in Matthew chapter 5 that I think is very important to see. That may be the main idea of the whole thing. Oh, yes, it’s saying, strive to be like our Father in every way. But I think, perhaps more than anything else. Jesus is saying, seek his standard. Always.

Get this. This is maybe the most important point. Jesus here in this statement eliminates all human standards of morality and conduct. And that’s important when you consider some in his audience. The Pharisees, who saw themselves as the standard of goodness and righteousness. They saw themselves as righteous, but they treated others with contempt, Luke says in Luke 18 and verse 9. And then he goes on to tell the story of the Pharisee and the publican, and a lot of you know that story well. Illustrating that truth about the Pharisees. Many in his audience saw themselves as the religious gold standard. And Jesus is saying, no, sir. As was quoted in our Bible class by Bobby, I believe. Listen to what they say, but don’t do as they do.

They are not the standard. They have not achieved it. Don’t settle for less than the ultimate. Seek his standard. Always. And I think this idea of perfect in Matthew 5.48 is very similar to how the word blameless is used in regard to the qualification of elders in regard to the presentation Jesus will make of his church holy and without blame. In Ephesians 5 and verse 27, I think the word blameless is used very similarly to the word perfect. Perfect holiness has always been the standard for God’s people. It’s always been the standard. Consecrate yourselves unto a holy God. Leviticus 11 and verse 44. That was the challenge. As obedient children do not be conformed to the obedient to the former lusts. Don’t be obedient to those lusts.

Let me get that right. Those obedient children. Do not be conformed to the former lusts, which were yours and your ignorance. I love 1 Peter 1 14. That just says it all. That’s the challenge. That’s what we grapple with. Do not be conform to the former lusts, and you weren’t smart when you were pursuing those things. And if you go back to pursuing those things, as he’s talking to people, warning them not to do, if you go back to those things, you’re not being smart. Do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but what? Quoting the Old Testament. Be holy in all your behavior. How much is that, kids? Be holy in all your behavior. That’s all your waking moments.

When you’re asleep, you get a little time off. But when you are awake, be holy in all your behavior, be holy as God is holy. That’s the standard. And all human standards are thus eliminated. The disciple of Jesus is constantly learning, refining, changing, molding, and confessing when he fails. Striving towards the goal. And I think that’s the point of Philippians 3, where Paul says, He counts all things to be lost for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus, his Lord. And being conformed to his death, he would go on to say, and he’s talked then about the resurrection, and he says, Not that I have already obtained it. Surely he may be talking about the ultimate resurrection of the body and the spirit, but I think there may even be more here in regard to spiritual maturity, as he says.

2. Imitate the Father: Direction Is the Test

And I press toward the mark of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That’s Philippians 3 14. The upward call of God in Christ Jesus. It is the standard of the Father’s character demonstrated by the Son. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. It is having that standard as your goal and pursuing it with all your strength, soul, and might. Well, we could go right into the imitation right now, but I’m not there yet. We looked at 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 14. But secondly, all this passage is saying, you got to work with this. You know, somebody slaps you, turning the other cheek and saying, Oh, I want you to hit this one too. I don’t think Jesus means that.

Cart blanche, everything that ever happens. Just go with the flow. You know, I can talk about that passage for a while. But I think he’s saying, your father isn’t the norm, and you’re not either. Give to him who asks you. I don’t think that’s a blanket statement. Every circumstance. Oh, you asked me for $100 here. Everybody that’s think about it. Everybody comes out this morning. Tony, could you give me $100? This isn’t going to last very long. First person, we’re done. Let me go empty out my bank accounts and give everybody $100. You know, think about it. That’s not what he’s saying. He’s saying imitate the Father’s kindness. Imitate his generosity with others. Sacrifice for the welfare and benefit of others. Pursue spiritual growth. And then this quote from John MacArthur.

I like this. As he talked about this verse.

Perfection is the standard. Direction is the test.

It was the 1932 World Series between who would become the beleaguered Chicago Cubs until this year. The 1932 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs versus the New York Yankees. And we know how all that turned out, right? But there was a famous moment in the 1932 World Series. The Yankees were facing the ace of the Chicago Cubs, Charlie Root. And the crowds were wild. It was the World Series. And early in the game, Babe Ruth had hit a home run. And he comes up in the fifth inning, and the crowd booze him when he comes to the plate. And Charlie gets up two quick strikes. And then Babe did what will go down in historic baseball lore. After the two strikes, he stepped out of the box with his foot and took his bat and he pointed to center field.

And Babe stepped back in the box and blasted a home run over the center field thing. Lesson.

If your intention is to settle for a single or an extra base hit, don’t point. If on the other hand you intend to hit the ball out of the park, don’t ever settle for less. Jesus pointed the finger at Satan. And he didn’t hit it over the wall, he smashed down the wall. In what direction are you going? Are you making a sincere, diligent attempt at imitation, at the holiness of God for your life? Seriously. Are you digressing? Or are you progressing?

And I know this is right because that’s what Peter says. We who have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust by the divine nature on the basis of all that God is, and have been granted exceeding precious and magnificent promises. He said, Look at all the motivation you have to serve your God. You have become partakers of the divine nature. That’s what Matthew 5.48 is saying. The very likeness of God. You’re partakers in it. You are imitators of it. You have become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You have magnificent and precious promises that we lose sight of. But he says, these are all the things you’ve got going for you. These are the motivations.

And then he said, What? With all diligence. All diligence. Be perfect. With all diligence, add to your faith. Virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, love, all those things. And then he says, if these qualities are yours and are increasing, you see, we’re moving in the direction. They’ll render you neither useless, barren, nor fruitless, in the true knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Is this the direction you’re going? And you need to make an honest assessment of that. Are you headed that way? Are you progressing or are you digressing? Direction is the test. And if we are going that way, if we are determined in that way, then any entrance into the eternal kingdom of our God will be abundantly supplied to us. I love that.

God is going to throw open the doors of heaven for us. 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 11. Now here’s the here’s the great thing about it, too. Well, now Tony, you’re talking about some hard stuff. That brotherly kindness business.

Love in every circumstance, that’s not easy. No, it’s not. But you don’t do it alone.

The spiritual realm is involved in the process. And that’s what I was saying this morning in Bible class about the Holy Spirit indwelling us. You know, I strongly don’t believe that. That God is somehow literally inside my body, but I strongly also believe that the Holy Spirit and that the living God and his angels and that the spiritual realm are involved in the growth in this direction. And they’re assisting me in ways that I can’t even describe and enumerate for you. God is assisting in these efforts. If we just point ourselves toward the goal, not a single, not a double, but be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, then heaven is going to help. In significant ways that probably cannot be measured with human eyes and the human mind.

3. We Are Not There Yet

And so I come to the final point. And I say, we are not there yet. I wish I could tell you I was.

Without watering it down. And let us never forget that we have fallen short of that standard and are in desperate need of forgiveness. And that’s why I posted it to my wall. I have been saying this to you. It’s going on eight years now, for those of you that have been here the whole time. I’ve been saying to you for eight years that I am not perfect in the sense of having reached this goal. The elders are not perfect in the sense of having reached this goal. But isn’t it interesting in Galatians 6 and verse 1 when it says, if a brother is overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual. Restore such one. It doesn’t use the word teleos or perfect. It’s pneumaticos. You who are spiritual.

They’re not perfect, but they’re striving toward it. Those who are spiritual regard the things that I’m saying, Paul says, as the commandments of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 37. And so if I’m in the position of the one who’s trying to restore a brother, what do I come to him with? Not look at me, I’m great. That’s how sometimes it gets perceived. Who do you think you are, Mr. Greatness in the kingdom? That’s not why I’ve gone to them. I’ve gone to them because somebody needs to plead with them in regard to the instruction of the Lord, that they are the commandments of the Lord, and they’re going to be judged by that, and I’m trying to bring them back.

But it is not me saying, hey, everybody, look at me. I’m the great soldier in the kingdom. In fact, I’m the best one that’s ever lived. I think I might give Paul that one. And yet he’s still called himself chief of sinners. The bottom line is, I don’t care what you attain in the kingdom. Well, I care about it, but I’m just using that colloquially, I guess. What I mean is, whatever you are in the kingdom, whatever excellence you achieve, whatever heights of spiritual productivity that you attain, you are only there because of him. It will always and forever be so. Did you catch me on that? It will always and forever be so. We are his products.

Conclusion

And so let’s not present to others our wonderfulness as Christians. Three aspects of the Christian’s perfection. I like this. Positional, we have found ourselves in Christ. That’s where it starts. Justified by his blood. Positional, practical, empowered and equipped by Christ, that’s sanctification being set apart for his purposes, and then finally prospective, seeking his eternal presence. Glorification, the ultimate prize. And so, unless you have just exceeded way beyond me, and that’s entirely possible, but if you have exceeded, unless you have exceeded way beyond me, we are all just a collection of not there yet. And so I want to conclude with this. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. We are not here to diminish anyone, but to help everyone that we possibly can.

That’s the whole point of this fellowship. We are not here to stamp out, but to lift up. In this pursuit, this great pursuit, be perfect. As your heavenly Father is perfect. When a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Verse 3. Then I get to verse 5. But each man must bear his own load. Ultimately, it’s between you and God. And you have to bear your own load. And the greatest load you’ll ever bear is the burden of your sin. And you can ignore it, you can wish it away, you can act like it’s not there. But if there is a burden of sin upon your account, you need it lifted. You need positionally to get in Christ so that you can pursue practically and that you can have perspectively, prospectively, eternal life with him.

I put sin in really big letters and read, you need that fixed. If it has not been fixed in the blood of Christ, and we’re here to help you this morning. Let’s stand and sing.