Be Ye Therefore Perfect

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

Jesus says that we must be perfect. The standard of perfection that He gives is His Father,
“Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father.”

We cannot and are not expected to be as perfect as God is in wisdom, strength, and power.
Jesus is talking about perfection of character. For Luke 6:36 reads,

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”

It is a character as perfect as the Holy Father in heaven that we must possess.

This verse in Matthew is but a conclusion of a thought and we would do well to consider this,
for the lesson Christ is trying to teach is a simple one. We know it to be the conclusion of a
thought because Jesus says, “Be ye therefore,” and the word ‘therefore’ is used to indicate a
logical connection with a preceding clause. (e.g. i lost my money; therefore i could not buy my
ticket.)

So then what was the preceding clause? The verse before it, which is verse 47, which reads,

“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans
so?”

This is also connected to the preceding statement in verse 46,

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the
same?” (Luke 6:32 publicans = sinners)

The word ‘for’ means ‘because’. Clearly we must go further back, until you will find the
beginning of our concluding text,

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

And so you arrive at verse 17, that says,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but
to fulfil.”

Jesus is thus explaining how we are to fulfil or keep the Law of God! You will notice verse 21
and 27 are direct quotes from the commandments, “Thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not
commit adultery.” Hence when Jesus concludes his sermon with the words “be ye
THEREFORE perfect” is it not clear to see that the keeping of the Law of God requires the
perfect character of God?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

How many of us would be so bold as to say that they can be as prefect as the Father in
heaven? But do we not virtually admit this and that on a daily basis when we say we keep the
commandments of God?

“The Law of the Lord is PERFECT,” (Psa 19:7)

The Law of God and the character of God are possessing of the same perfection. One does not
exceed the other in perfect righteousness.
“My tongue shall speak of thy word; for all thy commandments are RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
(Psa 119:172)

Being the commandments of God, the righteousness it contains is of God, thus making it the
righteousness of God! (See 1 John 5:17; 3:4) This is what the law requires; hence this is what
God requires because it is His law. Every part of it requires the perfect righteousness of God,

“I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.” (Psa
119:96)

You must by now have come to the realization, as did David,

“O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to
thee;” (Psa 16:2)

There is hope for us only in God. God has provided His Son Jesus Christ, “…to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Rom
3:25) He declares or speaks righteousness, even His perfect righteousness for the remission
(taking away) of our sins! And He does this when He speaks forgiveness.
The confession of one hundred sins to God whilst there is that one known sin still in your
possession is not perfect confession (Pro 28:13), and so God cannot give perfect forgiveness
and hence you cannot receive His perfect righteousness. For one hundred good deeds with
one sin is not righteousness – it is sin covered with one hundred good deeds. It is as the
Pharisee who “…outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy
and iniquity.” (Mt 23:28)
Why not confess all so that Christ may forgive all and that you may, right now at this time,
receive all – His perfect righteousness, “and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jer 23:6)
Go to him and confess unto him all your sins (1 John 1:9). He has ready for you (Psa 86:5)
perfect righteousness and He will give it (Job 23:6; 33:26), by the giving of Himself (Gal 1:4;
Titus 2:14; 1 John 2:1) to abide with you and in you when He does forgive you of all
trespasses and sins. (Col 2:13) Yes thank God for His wonderful gift of perfect righteousness
in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all men, our Friend, Redeemer, Big Brother and Lord forever
and ever. Let Jesus be your portion forever!

The ethics inculcated by the Gospel acknowledge no standard but the perfection of God's
mind, God's will. God requires from His creatures conformity to His will. Imperfection of
character is sin, and sin is the transgression of the law. All righteous attributes of character
dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole. Every one who receives Christ as his personal
Saviour is privileged to possess these attributes. This it the science of holiness…Before the
world, God is developing us as living witnesses to what men and women may become
through the grace of Christ. We are enjoined to strive for perfection of character. The divine
Teacher says, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Would Christ tantalize us by requiring of us an impossibility?--Never, never! What an honor
He confers upon us in urging us to be holy in our sphere, as the Father is holy in His sphere!
He can enable us to do this, for He declares, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in
earth." This unlimited power it is our privilege to claim…It is our life-work to be reaching
forward to the perfection of Christian character, striving constantly for conformity to God's
will. Day by day we are to press upward, ever upward, until of us it can be said, "Ye are
complete in Him." {ST, September 3, 1902 par. 1, 5, 13}