STUFF ABOUT GOD AND CHRISTIANITY | by Dr. Ron Braley
What is perfection? Can we be perfect? Our modern English dictionary defines perfection as flawlessness, blemish-free. However, the original language and context teach us that godly perfection is completeness.
Remember the Jerry McGuire movie? In it, Tom Cruise utters the infamous phrase, “You complete me!” This is similar to the perfection God desires and is what the ancient language teaches us. And 1 Chronicles 29:19 relates completeness (perfection) to God’s commandments: “And give to my son Solomon a ‘perfect’ heart to keep your commandments.”
Here, the end goal resulting in completion is achieved by honoring God through obeying his commandments.
To my point, check out 1 John 2:3-5: “The one who says, ‘I have come to know him,’ and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.”
The New Testament word for perfection means to be complete, full, whole.
In 1 Corinthians 13:10, perfection completes the incomplete: “But when the perfect comes, the incomplete will be done away.” The unfinished things of today, even in our worship or knowledge, will be completed when God moves creation to the perfection (completion with him) it once enjoyed.
An example of the unifying property of perfection can be seen in Colossians 3:14: “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”
The point is that perfection is meant to be completion in a relationship with God through Christ, not flawlessness. Trying to be flawless is futile, especially today when so much immorality rules the day (and night).
Here are a few biblical references by Jesus, Paul and Jesus’ half-brother James that support the point God seeks partners who “complete him” and whom he completes in a relationship:
• Jesus (Matthew 5:48) says, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
• Paul (Colossians 4:12): “Epaphras . . . sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.”
• James (1:4): “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Run the race; achieve the end goal.
Summary. Perfection is achieved through completion. We are to be perfect (complete) as God is by entering into a marriage-like relationship with him. You can do this. On the other hand, if you’re hoping to be blemish-free, good luck — it’s impossible and not what your heavenly Father desires. Be complete with God by honoring your part of the covenant with him and staying there.
Blessings and peace.
Braley, an Air Force veteran, husband and father, earned a master of divinity degree from Regent University in 2018 and a doctor of ministry from the same school in 2021.
