Does God Expect Us to be Perfect?

You article is loaded with scriptures. However my comment is pertaining to "perfect" I totally agree, all have sinned and thus we have already experienced the imperfect beings we are in the flesh. I add though, a person can live a "perfectly righteous" life. However, we must follow and live in our changed lives according to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost makes us new creatures, denying the desires of sinning! This is the spirit that should be living in us. If we are denying this perfect spirit, we still are not yet delivered from living lives in the flesh. We cannot have both. The Spirit in us will not tolerate sins of any form. If God says we can be perfect, I believe this is God word is true. It is the inner man that Spirit, The Holy Spirit that gives us the perfect life without sinning. if he is abiding inside us, we will hate sinning and he will lead us denying the desires of the flesh. Desires of our minds by concentration of perfect thoughts of God. We cannot serve both sin and God. I admit, too sinning less is a beginning, but we must become blameless and clean to stand before God. It is evident that the flesh and the spirit are-- two principles fighting constantly. We have to deny all desires of sinning. It may not happen overnight, but we must chose our masters to serve, then we must cleave to one either sin or God and leave the other. The Holy Spirit is a perfect spirit, it is the way to worship the Lord, in spirit and truth, we become perfect by living in the Spirit of God. So many times we fail, because we are still loving things our flesh wants, as for and sin but we do have forgiveness through Jesus. God forbid !though if we continue to sin, just because we have forgiveness. We have to let that part of ourselves die. It is when we take on the whole crucifixon of Christ, you crucify the . flesh, deny yourself and living without sin because of He who lives in Spirit inside you will make you perfect. I believe that we can live perfect lives but we struggle, it is not impossible. Surely, when God's spirit lives in us will He will make us perfect. Yes, God does expect us to be perfect. We are the ones who are expecting less perfect because we continue to be disobedient in sins. How to become perfect. Obey God and keep his commandments.

This is a great question. Honestly I am a perfectionist by nature and I battle with being perfect especially as a christian. I strive everyday to hear him say "well done". But knowing that we live in a inperfect world and society what am I to do, when I feel everyday I may have dissappointed him. This is one the things I struggle with. I look forward the comments to come.

Etana

MIISRAEL, thanks for your detailed commentary. It was refreshing. I respectfully disagree that His word says we can we perfect. For me, that's what makes context, word usage and word origination SO important. I touched on this very subject in my first sermon, which focused on the whole armor of God from Ephesians 6.

To live a life completely free of sin means by definition to be perfect and that we are and never will be. Jesus was the only living, breathing person as God in the flesh who lived perfect. Perfect in that scripture (and several others) doesn't literally mean that, but more, it means "mature."

Because our relationship with God and our growth as a result are an evolution, we evolve into a being (though a very human one) who does as much right as we can. If falling was an impossibility, I'd argue that half the scriptures in the Bible are meritless. Knowing this is not true and that His word also states that this life will be riddled with trials and tribulations, I absolutely strive to do and be the best I can spiritually.

In doing so, I am building up my spiritual stamina, wisdom, knowledge and application. So I TRY and I am perfected in several AREAS, but certainly nowhere NEAR perfect.

There are also several scriptures that explain why we are not and will not be perfect and why deluding ourselves to believe such amounts to foolishness. God knows we'll fall and when we do, we have to repent and call on Him. And please, don't misunderstand me. I'm not one of those people who believe that "I can go out and willfully commit this sinful act because I serve a God of grace and mercy." There's a name for that; it's called complacency, and that's not me. That's actually dangerous theo-illogical thinking in much the same way as thinking we are perfect now or ever can be. Sure, we can come close. That's why we are to constantly strive.

I'm always amused by Christians who live such pseudo holy lives that their judgment of other people is downright unholy and they don't even see it. It's sad and bewildering to be so out of touch with reality.

Anyway, I thank you again for your commentary. For the most part, we're in agreement. About the only thing I disagree with is the notion that we can ever be truly perfect.

Blessings...

Etana, thank you as well for your post. I, too, want so badly to hear on a daily basis, "Servant, well done." Even in my daily, I falter sometimes, be it attitude or outlook, and most times it's so temporary. However, sin is sin, so to have the wrong spiritual perspective when I know better or to have a little bit of the wrong attitude is sin. Sin can be small or large, which is a part of the reason why the gap between sinning less and perfection is a VERY wide one.

Again, thank you. I'm so glad you all responded to this post. It's good to just talk about the Word sometimes.

Blessings...

Irma, I'm actually about to leave, but I'll get into this a little later.

I will say that the Word itself says that we are imperfect and that Jesus paid the price one and for all believers for the penalty of sin. We are made in His image, but it doesn't stop there. If we were just made and that was it, there'd be no story to tell. It goes a whole of deeper.

I'll come back later. I have a few appointments and my husband will chew me if I'm late picking him up! LOL.

Blessings...

Hi Dee, may be you can help me with something I just get reactions like I have never asked the question at all. Why does for a lack of a 'proper word' to say this with other that these:How can so many religion(S)continue to try so hard to prove that God is not perfect HIM/HER self, and also by way of calling the Bible it self wrong. I am talking about the God made us all in his own image then here we are calling us 'imperfect' if we are of a different: race, religion,ethnic group, size,gender, shade of skin color or some times the color of our hair,etc.?

H-E-L-P!!!!!!(smile)