Throughout our everyday course of life, in conversation with others, media, and even in songs, we have constantly heard words that reassure us that we are not perfect, never will be, and trying to be is a waste of time. This way of thinking has no restriction of age, religious believes or values. It is just a commonality of an accepted mindset throughout the world. The scripture, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20ESV), have seem to become the widely accepted reason of why “no one is perfect or righteous” and it has also become the excuse of many to not even try their best or to not go above and beyond, because of the misconception that it is never good enough.
In the new testament, the bible says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”(Matthew 5:48NIV). While some may look at the scripture as a contradition to the prior or even as a never attainable or reachable goal, others may simply ignore it and stick to what understandably makes sense.
The big question is…
How can we be perfect if there is no righteous man on earth?
The answer to this question lies in the true definition of what Perfection and Righteousness actually mean and knowing who is Perfect and who is Righteous and how Christ’s one sacrifice changed our eligibility.
Righteousness is pretty simple. “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” Psalms 145:17KJV “The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life-in private as well as in publc-and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous”1 John 3:7AMP
Regarding Perfection…
The bible says “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2KJV
What the bible is practically saying in Romans 12:2 is that when we don’t just go with what is generally acceptable in this world, but actually change our way of thinking thereby viewing things from a totally different perspective, we can prove what is good acceptable and perfect. How do we prove something? By testing. An effective test requires us to sit under pressure, under the silent supervision of the proctor, faced with questions and many possible choices and try to patiently recall everything we learned, compare the information, and properly calculate and make decisions. Once we have completed the test, our test results dictates the coarse of our future. The outcome of our testing is our customized, personalized roadmap that proves the will of God (the future that God has for us) which reveals what is good for us, what is acceptable for us based on how we receive, process and retain information, and ultimately what is perfect for us based on our strength, tolerance, endurance, growth and maturity. This scripture is what defines Perfection.
It is further justified in Hebrews 10:12-18NIV,
[But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.]
God is an eternal God which means everything he does follows the same pattern in a continuous cycle that never ends unless he ends it. This means that we will go through test after test (whether large or small), day after day for as long as he gives us life. However, Christ being our High Priest has offered a forever sacrifice that also goes through a daily cycle of washing away and forgetting the sins of those who are not conformed to this world but transformed through the renewing of their minds through Christ Jesus and who are living in the will of God for their lives; Those are who he has made perfect forever.
No matter how many tests we go through, “… this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23ESV
This is what the songs means when it says Morning by Morning new mercies I see. That mercy is the renewed perfectness of Christ in us, because of his faithfullness to forgive and forget.
Where will we be without it?
Overtime our reality of perfection and righteousness have been skewed by the world blurring the line between Godly and ungodly, thereby seemingly diminishing the distinction of the two, assuming to disqualify our perfection and righteousness through Christ by binding us to our sinful Nature. We must remember that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9KJV”.
“Dear children do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just at he is righteous.” 1 John 3:7NIV
Perfectness is therefore the active functioning of righteousness (doing right) through the acceptance of Christ’s sarifice and the transformation of our mind which proves the will of God.
Be Blessed,
G.M.
G.M. Sunshine 