Be Perfect

Be Perfect (Grow Up!)

Matthew 5:48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The statement “Be perfect as I am perfect” is a command from Jesus from the beatitudes urging people to strive for spiritual growth and maturity, not flawless perfection. The Greek word for “perfect” in this context means complete, whole, or fully developed. This word “perfect” denotes those who have attained to full development, in contrast to those who are still in the undeveloped state – adults in contrast to children. The idea that Jesus is telling us is that you shall attain to, no lower state than that of maturity.

Think agriculturally, a fully ripened fruit. You cannot eat an avocado until it matures to perfection. The avocado is not flawless, but in a perfect state to be eaten and get the most flavor out of it. Perfect doesn’t mean achieving a state of flawlessness, but like the avocado, a place of development where we are flavorful to the Master. We follow Christ’s example and strive for a maturity where we bring forth fruit. 

John 15:16 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as [a]presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you.

 

We are growing in Christ in order to bring forth lasting fruit for Christ’s kingdom.

Maturing, achieving this perfection, means I have to put away things that I did as a child. Paul tells us in the “love chapter” of Scripture that when he became of a mature age, he was no longer a child and therefore put away childish things. 

1 Corinthians 13:11NKJV

 “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.”

 

This isn’t about being childish in a literal sense, but rather about abandoning immature behaviors, ways of thinking, and childish motivations. 

Now, I’m not quite sure what age maturity would be.  I suppose it’s a different age for a man than a woman, and even varies from person to person. Some children were just born as old souls, and they mature a lot faster than others. Still at some point in time, you are expected to stop wearing diapers and use the big girl toilet. If you still need a bottle at age 10, there’s a huge problem with your ability to grow and mature.‬‬‬‬

What I see in the Body is a lot of immaturity. Many that should be mature, should be living in righteousness and holiness, but are still drinking from a bottle. They are still vacillating between the world and the Word. They are still being ruled by their flesh instead of crucifying it and walking in holiness. 

Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV

 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [a]oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are [b]of full age, that is, those who by reason of [c]use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.‬‬‬‬

 

When I became mature, I put away childish things. If you have been with Christ for a few years, you should be growing in maturity and not still living like a child. Hebrews tells us that we can become lazy in our walk, apathetic about crucifying the flesh and applying the word of God and therefore our growth becomes stunted and we cannot discern between what is good and what is evil. 

Have a plan to mature – youthful lusts will determine your future.

2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV  Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Ex: one of the reasons I love Disneyland is that it reminds me of my childhood with my grandmother and I can act like a child when I am there and nobody cares. I cried the first time I went as an adult. But I cannot live in Disneyland. I spend too much money, Do not get enough sleep. Run myself ragged. Eat too much junk food. Ride too many rides and make myself sick. IN short, feed my flesh and live off my high emotions.

Some of you live every day like you are in Disneyland.

Here are some things that a saint should be perfecting, if we are walking a diligent and faithful walk with Him: 

Put on the mind of Christ. 

Philippians 3:15 NKJV  Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

What mind is Paul telling us we need to have in order to grow in mature?

Philippians 3:7-11 New King James Version

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain[a] to the resurrection from the dead.

 

It is found in verse 8- I count all things as loss. My way, my thoughts, my plans, all come in a distance second and third to knowing Christ. The cares of this world, a pursuit of other things outside His will, still holding on to your idols will stunt your growth

Luke 8:14 AMPC “And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection).”

Put no confidence in the flesh- 

Children rely on their own gifts, abilities and strengths. They have not yet learned how to walk in Christ and trust the Lord, therefore they trust their own ability. If they cannot see it, they will not do it. It doesn’t make sense to the child’s mind. So many people have not moved past this.

Philippians 3:3

3 For we are the circumcision, who worship [a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

 

Proverbs 3:5 New King James Version

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding;

 

The perfect have learned to trust the Lord and not in themselves. I do not trust my abilities, my gifts, my birth, my looks, my emotions, my feelings, nothing as pertains to my flesh. I count all things as loss in order to be found in Him. I forget my past and press toward the mark for the prize. I keep my eyes on Jesus. I walk worthy of the cross, I walk in humility and honesty. I walk heavenly minded and do not concern myself with the things of this world.

Stay planted. Children are easily distracted. Wave a new toy at a toddler and they will drop the toy they have to come after the toy in your hand. Kids have a hard time sitting still, they move around a lot. Toddlers are all over the place moving from one thing to the next. If you have a toy, they want your toy.

An immature Christian will not stay planted. They are easily distracted by the next “new thing”, new movement, new revelation. Since they are easily offended, the smallest thing will send them moving on

Psalm 92:13 New King James Version

13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

 

There are three things that happen to plants that are constantly uprooted- they will bear little fruit, never bringing any to perfection, they will be barren, and bear no fruit, or they will die. Constant uprooting destroys the root system, and it is the root that bears the fruit.

Put away attention seeking behavior.  Children want and need attention. Ex: Faith was learning to walk and Gabe saw all the attention that she was getting, “Look ME!”

“Look at me!” is the child’s motto. When the attention is on someone else, they have to interrupt, “look at me!” See what I am doing. Look my way. I need more likes than you. I need my name to rise above your name. I cannot applaud another because I want the attention on me. 

 A perfect saint should not need or require attention. Work silently as unto the Lord and not unto men. Your approval for anything only comes from Him. 

Colossians 3:23-24 New King James Version

23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for[a] you serve the Lord Christ.

 

Put away your former thinking. 

Ephesians 4:22 NKJV that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

A child thinks that the world revolves around them, and what they want. Afterall, as babies, the world almost does revolve around them. They think with their carnal nature- I want this, NOW. The child throws temper tantrums when they do not get their way. They live by their emotions and only are happy when they get what they want.  In short, they lack self-control

The immature in Christ do the same. They have not renewed their mind and so they still think the world revolves around them and what they want. They pout. They throw a fit. They cannot control their mouth, because they refuse to control their thinking.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6  For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

You will never be mature if you do not control your thought life, because your thoughts and emotions will control you. Stop acting like a toddler

1 Corinthians 14:20 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

20 Brethren, do not be children [immature] in your thinking; continue to be babes in [matters of] evil, but in your minds be mature [men].

 

Put away stubbornness. The child will make the same mistake again and again, even under correction. In fact, a child does not know how to receive correction. If a parent is constant in their discipline, the child will eventually learn. But parent’s give up, let your kid’s stubbornness rule and you will deal with a stubborn kid the rest of your life. Kid’s want what they want and correction is a naughty word to a kid’s heart. They do not understand the benefit of correction. Children make BAD decisions- Ex: we were young married, bought a truck. But we learned from our bad financial mistakes.

The immature Christian continually does the same thing going around the same mountain. They cannot be corrected because their flesh is out of control. They are offended instead of owning their wrongs. Adults learn from their mistakes and do not continue to make the same mistake over and over. Adults also own their mistakes and do not blame others

Proverbs 12:15 New King James Version

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.

 

Put away strife. Children are notorious tattle tales. They have to tell everyone how and why they were wronged and elicit sympathy. They have not yet learned how to work out a conflict and they will spread their offense to anyone who will listen. 

In the body of Christ, we have too many people living an offended life! All this shows is your immaturity and lack of growth. You will become stagnant in if you live in the land of offense. First of all, ask yourself, “Why am I offended at this?” Does it bruise your ego? Do you think of yourself better than you are and more highly of yourself? Is it true or not true? If its not true, then why are you owning it? If it is true, then you need to accept it.

Who cares! The world is going to do what it is going to do. If you live offended, you are only crippling yourself. You will become angry and bitter and end up defiling yourself.

The mature in Christ go to the person they have a conflict with and workout it out.

Matthew 18:15-17 New King James Version

15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

 

Put on humility. A child will always refuse to apologize. Have you ever tried to get a child to give a real apology? To actually have sorrow over their sins, or when they have hurt another? Getting a kid to apologize with a right heart is torture. 

An immature Christian will never apologize. They are always right. They will never humble themselves.  But the mature in Christ have the same mind as Christ, who humbled Himself

Philippians 2:5-8 New King James Version

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [a]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [b]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

 

When I see prideful people, pursuing their own interests and pressing their own way, I even wonder if they are truly saved? This is what a child does, so there is still hope that you are growing and maturing in christ. But you need to grow up

Put in good food. Garbage in, garbage out. Children would eat only sugar if you let them. They will sit around and watch godless tv and play video games. They will play with any kid, even the bad influences. A lot of Christians have not moved past this. What you watch matters. What you listen to matters.  How you follow matters. Who you follow matters.  Bad company corrupts. 

 “I can do what I want” is the immature’s calling card. I remember years ago a lady was watching some godless program and I told her she should not be watching that (I cannot remember what it was, maybe “Game of Thrones”) she replied, “I am an adult! I can watch what I want to watch!” Obviously she was not an adult in Christ, but still acting like a toddler.

Psalm 101:3 NKJV  I will set nothing [a]wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.

Psalm 1:1 New King James Version

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

 

Put on wisdom. There are 31 chapters in the book of Wisdom- proverbs. Read one a day and put it into effect in your life. 

Proverbs 4:7 New King James Version

Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

 

Prioritize seeking wisdom! This phrase signifies that wisdom is the most important, fundamental, or primary thing to seek. The verse urges individuals to actively pursue wisdom, emphasizing that it should be a central focus in life. While knowledge is valuable, the verse highlights that wisdom is superior. Wisdom involves applying knowledge effectively and making sound judgments. Wisdom provides a framework for navigating life’s complexities, helping you make wise decisions and avoid negative consequences. By seeking and applying wisdom, you can lead more meaningful and successful lives, characterized by good choices and successful outcomes

 

The hazard of not maturing is the ability of being deceived and drifting away from the truths found in Scripture. Children are easily misled. Have you ever seen “To Catch a Predator”? Undercover policemen will seduce a child, usually with a puppy or a treat. Every child followed this police officer, even the ones that the mother said, “my child will never follow you”

Ephesians 4:14 NKJV  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

This is always why the enemy comes after new believers. These are the most vulnerable.

It is time to grow up and be perfect in Christ! We have a job to do and fruit to produce for His kingdom. Put away the bottle and go make you a steak, In Jesus name