(MATTHEW 5:48) “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
At first glance, this is a difficult passage. It seems to be calling us to do or be what seems impossible. "Nobody is perfect," is what we say.
To be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect needs God’s abundant grace. It takes God’s divine power for us to live a life of godliness.
It is true that all responsible people commit sin.
Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus died for all men to give them the opportunity to have their sin removed ( Heb. 2:9 ; 2 Cor. 5:14 ). It is also why the gospel needs to be preached "to every creature" ( Mark 16:16 ). Even after one obeys the gospel, he still commits sin and needs forgiveness ( 1 John 1:7–10 ).
THE MEANING OF PERFECT
The word "perfect," in the Bible, can and does mean "complete" or "finished." Jesus was made "perfect" through suffering ( Heb. 2:10 ; 5:8–9 ). He completed or fulfilled God’s plan for Him as our Savior by suffering for us.
"Perfect" can also have the meaning of "mature" or "grown up." In Philippians 3:15 , the apostle Paul speaks to "as many as be perfect" (KJV).
God did not leave us wondering what to do how to live a perfect life without giving as the heavenly standard of living. These are some of the heavenly standard of godly living that the Lord Jesus Christ sets up for us:
(MATTHEW 5:21-22) “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder and whoever commit murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, “Raca”, shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
There are three aspects in which we need to look at the truth of our being perfect in Christ. There is, first, our perfectness in Christ, as it is prepared for us in Him our Head. As the second Adam, Christ came and wrought out a new nature for all the members of His body. This nature is His own life, perfected through suffering and obedience. In thus being perfected Himself, He perfected for ever them that are sanctified. His perfection, His perfect life, is ours. And that not only judicially, or by imputation, but as an actual spiritual reality, in virtue of our real and living union with Him. Paul says in the same Epistle, 'Ye are complete, made full in Him'; all that you are to be is already fulfilled, and so ye are fulfilled in Him: circumcised in Him, buried with Him, raised with Him, quickened together with Him. All Christ's members are in Him, fulfilled in Him.
As Christians, we are commanded by the Lord to be perfect. But how can we live perfect lives? I believe that ninety percent in the whole community of born again believers have a wrong notion on how to live a holy life or a godly life.
( MATTHEW 5:20) “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
To live a perfect life is to depend upon God every moment of our lives . We depend upon His grace every moment of our lives .
Thanks for reading and I will also like to say a very big thank you to all brothers and sisters in @steemchurch, thanks for the support l, God bless you all.