◄ Our Perfect God - Character and Attributes of God (7) ►

STUDY - Character and Attributes of GOD 

I am the Almighty God, walk before Me and be perfect.
Genesis 17:1

Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these things, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish – at His presence.
2Peter 3:14

Be Perfect

Be Perfect! What does this phrase "Be Perfect" bring to your mind? It is a word that can attract or repel. We can be repelled by the very distance between ourselves and God’s perfection. We can shrink and back, away from the impossibility of its achievement. We can gasp at how inconceivable this pure state is in our poor human frame.

God’s Perfection

To be perfect means to be whole, to be healthy, to be mature, to be complete. God is perfect, and fits the complete description of perfection. There is no lack in Him and there is no excess in Him either. There is no failure in Him due to ignorance or inexperience. There is nothing in Him that spoils His glorious nature. There is nothing in Him that impairs His gracious actions. God is indeed perfect and requires perfection of those who trust in Him.

Man’s Imperfection

But I am not perfect! I cannot be perfect! I have too many imperfections to countenance this demand! How can God make demands on man, that are so impossible to achieve? How can God require perfection from one that by nature is so imperfect?

Contrasting Beings

The more His perfection shines forth from Him – the greater I discover my flaws! The more goodness He displays – the deeper my inadequacies are exposed! The closer I move towards His pure light – the blacker my evil soul is painted.

Required Perfection

It is the perfect God Who has called His disciples to be perfect! It is the almighty Creator Who requires from His own a holy calling! It is the perfect One that commands us to be perfect, as He is perfect! He requires us to be perfect in our humanity – as He is perfect in His deity!!! His call for holiness and perfection is as true today as it ever was. His ideal for us is – no incompleteness; no lack in perfection; no excess! There can be no failure due to ignorance, inexperience, or circumstances.

Impossible Command

How can this be? This was the cry of the virgin – for it was impossible! How shall this be? Is not this your cry as you seek to follow His impossible command? How can God demand perfection from the permanently imperfect. How can He command: "be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect?"

Perfect Trinity

It is because He is holy and perfect. It is because He is perfect God and became perfect Man. It is because He has saved us by the blood of His perfect Son. It is because He dwells in us by His perfect Spirit. It is because He can do the perfect in our imperfect life. It is because He can do the impossible…. and so He demands the impossible of all His children – for things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Luke 18:27

Imputed Perfection

He calls us to this level of holiness because He provided the way. He requires us to be perfect because He supplies the means. He does not ask of us what cannot be supplied because His Word is truth. It is not YOU, which works in Yourself to be perfect as God is perfect. It is God Who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13