When I met the woman who was to become my wife, I was convinced she was “the one.” I called my parents telling them I had found the woman to share the rest of my life with, and she was “perfect.” I went on to extol her beauty, charm, love for the Lord, and more. She would have never described herself as perfect, but in my eyes, she certainly was.
As the Apostle Paul opens I Corinthians Chapter 1, he reminds believers they will be “blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:8). It is important for us to realize there are two aspects of a Christian’s perfection. The first is our position before God the Father. Because, through faith, we have been “made the righteousness of God in Him [the Lord Jesus Christ]” (II Corinthians 5:21). Our position before the Father is now one of perfection in the identity of the Savior. The Father now sees us as holy and perfect. This position will never change. Our daily practice after salvation is also to be “perfect.” We have been “called to be saints” (I Corinthians 1:2), and the Lord expects us to seek to live up to a standard of holiness. What does that mean? In Philippians 2:14-15 we are told this includes doing “… all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke….” A standard of perfection then includes a proper attitude free of argument. The Apostle Paul told the saints at Thessalonica: “…I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:23). The emphasis here is purity in mind, emotion, and body. All three are important. If we are to stand before the Savior and “not…be ashamed” (II Timothy 2:15), we must consistently be “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” However, be certain to digest all the above verses that show how we live is as important as how we understand God’s Word. We should also be motivated by the truth of II Corinthians 5:8-11. In eternity, all our life after salvation will be judged, “whether it be good or bad,” and we will all “give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
While perfection in lifestyle doesn’t mean sinlessness, we should daily be striving to practice genuine holiness in all areas. Raise your personal standard high. You bear the name of Christ!