Be Perfect!

 You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matt.5:48

Be perfect? Yes, be perfect! This is what the Lord Jesus said to all the disciples and the believers. If the Lord said it so and is written in the Bible, it must be possible! Otherwise, He would not have said it. It was really hard for me to believe that I can ever be perfect in this lifetime on earth. Though I read this verse many times, I simply accept mentally what the Lord said and I really did not take to heart that this verse is meant for me, meaning that this is what the Lord said. 

To be honest, I really do not believe that I can be perfect knowing myself truly well. Far from perfection, I have been groaning for myself and longing for growth in life so that one day I can gradually be perfect indeed. My most optimistic view on this verse is that "Yes, one day when I meet the Lord I will be perfect." It is purely a futuristic view for I did not have the faith that I will be perfect so soon. But this time, my view begin to change as I hear the Lord's speaking  again and again on "Be Perfect!" 

Through the help of the ministry, my eyes have been gradually opened to see what the Lord said about perfection is truly possible because He has also given all the provisions to make me perfect. The verse says, "You, therefore, shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Note the phrase, "as your heavenly Father is perfect." It did not say, "as your God is perfect." The term "heavenly Father" is relational and organic in nature. As your Father is so shall you be. Because the life and nature of the Father are in the son. Man begets man, sheep begets sheep, so God begets God in life and nature, not in the Godhead.  Therefore, as children of the heavenly Father, I can be perfect as He is, it is just a matter of time.

Besides, the Bible also says that His divine power has granted to us all things which relate to life and godliness. His divine power is in His divine life that I received when I was born of God. Therefore, I have all that I need to live an overcoming life and godly life. Then, there is the divine nature along with the divine power and divine life which can qualify me further to be the same as He is.

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and virtue, through which He has granted to us precious and exceedingly great promises that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature… 2 Pet. 1:3-4

In the Old Testament, Jehovah God  told Abram, "I am the All-sufficient God; walk before Me, and be perfect." Abram's responsibility was to simply walk before God, live in His presence, enjoy His all-sufficient supply,  and trust in Him and not in the strength of his flesh.  

…When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Jehovah appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the All-sufficient God; walk before Me, and be perfect. Gen. 17:1

In the New Testament, the Lord's grace is sufficient for all of us.

…My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ might tabernacle over me. 2 Cor. 12:9

Our only responsibility is to keep His word, love Him, and abide in Him.  

But whoever keeps His word, truly in this one the love of God has been perfected… 

1 John 2:5

Therefore, I can be perfect even as the heavenly Father is perfect. 

Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfected, be comforted, think the same thing, be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.  2 Cor. 13:11

To such a revelation what else can I say except, "Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!" Now, I am fully confident that I can be perfect as a child of my heavenly Father whose life and nature I now possess and partake of. What a grace, what a blessing! Now I do not doubt God's word anymore. When He says, "Be Perfect," I simply say, "Amen, Lord, perfect me."

Lord, what a prophecy, what a blessing that I can be perfect like my heavenly Father God! Perfect me, Lord!