Be Perfect as God is Perfect

In the “Sermon on the Mount” the Beatitudes serve as an introduction or preview to the over-all sermon.

For example, “Blessed are you when men shall reproach you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for me sake. Rejoice… great is your reward in Heaven” (5:11) Fast forward to 5:43-48, “You have heard it said… love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say…. Love enemies and bless those who persecute you…that you may be sons of your Father…” See the connection? In the introduction they are blessed when persecuted but in the extended teaching (5:43-48) they are to “love” their persecutors and “pray” for them. They cannot just be persecuted for righteousness sake and expect to receive a blessing from God they have to “love” their persecutors and that love is made evident by bowing the knee and praying for them.

If they don’t behave in this fashion they are just like the “publicans” and Gentiles” whom they would ordinarily despise and not like…God. To God they look like Publicans and Gentiles. In my opinion this may be the hardest thing God asks us to do.

But let’s look at one more thing (verse 48) “you shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Most people look at this verse and say, “that’s impossible no one can be perfect like God is perfect all we can do is try and fall short” and that would be incorrect. God doesn’t give us an instruction that is impossible to keep… hard but not impossible.

Let’s look at a few examples. Jesus while hanging on the cross prayed to God to forgive his persecutors because they didn’t really know what they were doing.

Stephen as he was being stoned by his persecutors prayed to God to not lay their sin against them.

Paul in Phil. 3:8-15 identifies himself as being “perfect” and advises the others who are “perfect” among his readers to be similarly minded.

We are instructed to be “perfect”. We have instructions on how to be “perfect” and we have examples of individuals who are “perfect” so that we can become perfect.

No one said it would be easy but it can be done.

The bigger question is why does God want us to be like him? Think about that.