Be Ye Therefore Perfect (Matthew 5:48)

2024-08-13

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

If you were to read this verse without the reference, you might think this would be in the Old Testament. You would not be totally wrong. “Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 18:13).

But, seriously, how can we be perfect? How can we obey the commands of Jesus as found in the Sermon in the Mount or elsewhere? Does anybody get a sinking feeling when they read these commands or a sense of hopelessness? Surely, we rely on His grace when we fail and turn back to Him. But is this all there is?

The ability to obey necessitates our union with Christ in His death and resurrection life. His life in us must accomplish these things.

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that He could make the children of men the children of God. This is the great exchange. He descended to the depths to bring us up with Him. We must effortlessly rest in this gift so we can walk in the newness of His life.