That Christian Next Door

“No-one is perfect.”

We have all heard that phrase uttered countless times. Oftentimes, it comes with an apology. Other times, it accompanies forgiveness. The odd time it is an excuse for our shortcomings subtly or not-so-subtly disguised as pride. Whichever way, the word perfect is overused and misused.

The idea of perfection in Christianity has multiple layers. The most important layer is that God alone is perfect. This means God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and Holy Spirit. Numerous accounts in the Bible detail this including: Psalms 145 vs 17, Deuteronomy 32 vs 4, Psalm 18 vs 30, 2 Corinthians 5 vs 21, James 1 vs 17, etc. Just to note: a word that can often be used in the Bible to convey perfection is being righteous, or being holy, or the act of righteousness or holiness. In the English language, to a non-Christian, these are frightening words. These are words almost inextricably associated with long-winded, aimless church sermons in cold cathedrals, unsavory past experiences with church leaders, an inability to express one’s ‘true’ self, repressed emotions which may have led to harm, countless examples of people living a lie and all other sorts of things which elude my imagination.

However, these are not words to be afraid of because the next most important layer in the Christian understanding of perfection is that no human being is perfect. So, when a person chooses to become a Christian, which can only occur through the process of Salvation which involves confession and repentance by the person and acceptance from God, they are basically accepting that they could have done things better in the past and are entering an agreement with God to lead a more perfect life (than before.)

Just to clarify, no one who has newly become a Christian is expected to be perfect and a growing Christian may also struggle with their Christianity from time to time. Even established Christians can sin. Under immense pressure, it is possible to be compromised. Of course, some may fare better than others under pressure, but one massive difference among many between God and Christians is His incapacity to sin compared to our capacity to. Therefore, one narrow definition of perfection is being incapable of sin. In fact, you could go as far as saying that the goal for Christians on Earth is not perfection because it is quite clearly unachievable.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

2 Corinthians 5 vs 21

To a human observer, it may come across that God adapts to situations. The great example of this is in promising Jesus Christ would come right after the sin of Adam and Eve occurred. Some people might say, given God’s knowledge of the past, present and future, why did He not send Jesus to die ahead of creating them. Observed in time, God’s actions can look like reactions. However, if they are seen from our knowledge of Him as an all-knowing God, God’s actions should come across as part of a plan. People were always going to sin. Jesus was always going to have to come. When the Trinity agreed to make man in their image and likeness, all knew a sacrifice would be made and all agreed to it.

Don’t get this wrong. God wants godly offspring (Malachi 2 vs 15). He also wants that on the day we appear before Him we are blameless and faultless (Jude 1 vs 24). He told Abraham to be perfect (Genesis 17:1). God expects perfection and that expectation has not changed but crucially for Christians today He doesn’t expect it from us. He expects it through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross which He should see whenever He looks at us. To simplify that statement, He wants everything that Jesus lived and died for to be what our lives are all about.

By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.

Hebrews 10 vs 14

So, if we choose to make Jesus Christ Lord and Savior of our lives, we are taking on the responsibility to continually deny sin and to be made more perfect (more like Him). So when God looks at a Christian, what He should see is their continuing denial of sin and their acceptance of the perfect life of His Son in place of their own. When God looks at a Christian, He should see a person capable of sin choosing everyday to not sin but also covered by the sacrifice of Jesus for any sin they have committed or will commit (i.e. salvation). That’s the goal for a Christian.

To be a Christian means to be Christ-like but Jesus Christ is also God in His own right. He is a member of the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, who yields just like the Spirit does to the Father. So, Christianity is about being like God but yielding to God at the same time.

Perfection is not a criteria in becoming or in being a Christian. More often than not, it is an obstacle. As Christians and as those aspiring to become a Christian, God has taken care of the perfection part of the deal through Jesus Christ His Son. Now, we just have to turn our back on sin and live free from it by His grace.