Matthew 5:43-48 "Be Perfect in Love"

Marc Transparenti
Calvary Chapel Lake City
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 44:23
Matthew 5:43–48
Love
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The Sermon on the Mount: Love
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﻿Good Morning CCLC! Turn in your Bibles to Matt 5 as we continue our chapter and verse study through Jesus' greatest sermon- The Sermon on the Mount. 

In verse 20, Jesus said "...unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." These religious leaders were professionals at keeping the law by their works and by strict external observance. The only way to exceed their righteousness was to play by different rules...to live a life centered not on my works, but a life centered on what Jesus did...to live a life of faith. By faith, God gives us a new heart and puts a new spirit within us (Ezk 36:26). He puts His law in our minds and writes it on our hearts (Jer 31:33). Only by faith will we exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, because it's no longer about us looking to ourselves, but our righteousness is based on trusting in Christ...in doing so He "imputes righteousness apart from works"... "his faith is accounted for righteousness." (Rom 4:5). 

And, so Jesus has been teaching his disciples about higher righteousness. He used examples from the law to drive home His points; looking at what they heard from the Rabbis, and what the actual intent of the law is. Jesus taught on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love...all of these had deeper intent than strict outside observance, and Jesus places a capstone on His teaching of these subjects...as He discusses 'love,' He states, verse 48... "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." 

Today's message is entitled, "Be Perfect in Love." 

Let's read through verses 43-48 and then we will pray "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Let's pray.

Matt 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 

It's no accident that Jesus concludes His illustrations of the Law with a final topic on love. Each time we read the word "love" in this segment it is the Gk. word agapaō, which is the root word for agapē. It's that unconditional, and self-sacrificial love that is full of emotion, but also an action...it's deep love that is active. We often describe as God's love, though that's not the only way God loves us, for He also loves us as a friend. 
The Ten Commandments give us instructions on how to live right on the vertical, our relationship with God (first 4 commandments), and right on the horizontal, our relationship with other people in society (the final 6 commandments).
Paul cites four of the social laws of the Ten Commandments in Rom 13 where he states, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [Lev 19:18] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." Ro 13:8-10.
Gal 5:14 states, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Love is the critical ingredient to fulfill the law. The Law was placed to guide the heart of God's people to Him, and to be like Him. We are to reflect Him, and since "God is love..." (1 Jn 4:8), so should we also love those around us. 
In Mark 12, a scribe asked Jesus, "Which is the first [foremost] commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' [Quoting the Great Shema from Deut 6:4-5] This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mk 12:28-31.
In the parallel account in Matthew, Jesus was also recorded saying, "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Mt 22:40.
Jesus came to fulfill the law...and He did it by love. We observe this love in verses like Jn 3:16, where God self-sacrificially thought of us over Himself. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..." Jesus' self-sacrificial death on the cross was done in love for you, for me. 
1 Jn 4:10 states, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 
Jn 15:13 states "Greater love has no one that this, than to lay down one's live for his friends." That's what Jesus did for us. 
So, how appropriate is it for Jesus to conclude His illustrations on the law by talking next about love...the fulfillment of the law; and specifically about our love towards one another. 
Jesus begins verse 43 addressing the common teaching of the time, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." 
There are a couple problems with this teaching. It both 'added to' and 'took away' from the original teaching in scripture...which was prohibited in Deut 4:2 and Deut 12:32. 
It was an accurate teaching to say "You shall love your neighbor..." Lev 19:18, except the Jews took away "as yourself." "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is the original teaching. So, there is one problem. The kind of love they promoted was a lower standard, because we tend to love ourselves more than others. 
The other problem is they added the words "hate your enemy." The Mosaic law did not instruct to "hate your enemy." 
It may have been that "hating one's enemy" was a conclusion drawn from verses such as:
Deut 7:2 "when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them." When the Jews came into the land, they were to drive out the wicked nations that were there. There were to enact God's judgment, and not compromise their spiritual purity, but they were not instructed to hate. 
The closest writing we have that reflects "hate your enemy" is in the Psalms where the Psalmist David wrote, "Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect [complete] hatred; I count them my enemies." Ps 139:21-22.
David was sharing his thoughts and his heart when he wrote this Psalm. But, it was a Psalm...it was poetry, not law. You do not base doctrine off the 5 Poetic Books in the Bible. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon are books full of man's reflections. They are full of beauty and wisdom, but you have to understand them for what they are...they are poetic, not doctrinal. 
The Jews also seemed to mistakenly draw a conclusion that to "love your neighbor..." spoke exclusively of fellow Jews. Love Jews and hate Gentiles. Certainly in the first century this is how they were operating. They would inconveniently travel around Samaria to avoid Gentiles and they referred to Gentiles as dogs. 
But, scripture, even OT scripture contradicts this teaching. 
Numerous OT verses speak about how the Jews were to love the stranger (a non-Jew) and not mistreat him, nor oppress him, for the Jews themselves were strangers in the land of Egypt (cf. Lev 19:33; Deut 10:18-19; Exo 22:21, etc.). Ps 146:9 states, "The LORD watches over the strangers..." 
Some OT verses even include strangers under the general topic of neighbors (Jer 7:5-6; Zech 7:9-10).
And, let's not forget Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Turn to Luke 10. 
Let me read to you the context as you are turning to Luke 10. Starting in verse 25 scripture records, "And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" 27 So he answered and said, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' " 28 And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." Parable of the Good Samaritan 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" [The Lawyer was on the right track until now. You and I cannot justify ourselves, we can't save ourselves by our works, and this lawyer is looking for a loophole in the definition of a neighbor. He didn't object to loving God, but struggled with the idea of loving a neighbor. The proper response should have been to cry out to Jesus for help with this impossible task. Instead, in pride, he asks "...who is my neighbor?"]. 30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" 37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
So, Jesus clearly denotes that the neighbor in this parable was a Samaritan, a race of people hated by the Jews because their ancestry was mixed of Jewish and Gentile heritage. The Jewish Priest and the Jewish Levite did not act as a neighbor to this man who was attacked. And, this man who fell among thieves seems to have been a Jew for he "went down from Jerusalem." He was leaving Jerusalem.
When you take into consideration Jesus' teaching on who a neighbor was, and what OT verses stated about loving the stranger, the common teaching from the Rabbi's in Jesus' day to "love your neighbor and hate your enemy" is riddled with confusion and contradictions. A neighbor could be anyone, Jew or non-Jew. The Bible does not teach "hate your enemy," only to "love your neighbor."

Thus, Jesus clarifies the true intent of scripture Matt 5:44-45 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

Jesus counters the teaching to hate your enemies with a rather radical teaching of the time... quite different from what the disciples heard from the local Rabbis. Jesus gives instructs four present imperatives...four commands on how His kingdom citizens are to respond to enemies: 
We are to love, bless, do good, and pray for our enemies. All imperatives. None of these responses are natural...we don't in our flesh treat enemies this way. These are supernatural responses of grace only possible by God's Holy Spirit.
Jesus not only commands us to love, bless, do good, and pray for our enemies, but He modeled these teachings in His life and in His death. 
As Jesus teaches "love your enemies," we must reflect on our standing with God prior to salvation, for we were enemies to God. Jam 4:4 "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity [ or deep-rooted hatred] with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
We were enemies of God prior to salvation. Yet despite us, God still loved us. Rom 5:8-10 declares "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
As Jesus taught, "bless those who curse you..." we could think of the many times Jesus blessed the very people who would betray Him. 
One example that comes to mind is when the soldiers came and laid hands on Jesus to take Him. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest. These men came to arrest Jesus to deliver Him to be cursed on a tree, but what did Jesus do for Malchus... Lk 22:51 "Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him."
As Jesus taught, "do good to those who hate you..." we can reflect on all the good Jesus did in His ministry. 
Jesus said to the Jews, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" Jn 10:32. Repeatedly, Jesus taught and healed the Jews, and they ultimately would cry out "Crucify Him!"
At Gethsemane, Jesus addressed the multitude that came to arrest Him and said, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me." Mt 26:55.
As Jesus taught, "pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." we need only to reflect on His prayer from the cross... 
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Lk 23:34.
In His life and His death, Jesus modeled for us how we should also treat our enemies. 1 Pet 2:21-23 proclaims, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..." 1 Pe 2:21-23
We looked at retaliation last week, and learned "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Ro 12:18 and trust vengeance to the Lord. Rom 12:21 states, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
As much as this is a spiritual display of being like Jesus, this is also a matter of faith.... 
And a question to take a walk with this week is "Do I trust God? Do I trust God to handle a situation when I am wronged by an enemy? Or, do I lack faith and think I need to handle the situation myself?"
Father forgive us for the times we fail to surrender the situation to you. 
In verse 45, Jesus explains why are we to "love, bless, do good, and pray for" our enemies... "That you may be sons of your Father in heaven..."
As we love, bless, do good and pray for our enemies, we emulate our heavenly Father. And, since we already are sons of God, as saved believers, we should act like it.
It's easy...it's natural to love, bless, do good, and pray for our friends, but the command is to go beyond our circle of friends and to love enemies. Alfred Plummer wrote "To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; to return good for evil is divine."
We already discussed several examples of how Jesus loved His enemies...He taught them, He healed them, He died for their sins. 
And, as sons of our Father in heaven, we too must treat our enemies with supernatural love. As an enemy mistreats us, we defend ourselves with the weapon of love. Cursing is met with blessing. Hatred is met with good deeds. And, spite and persecution is met with prayers. 
2 Cor 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not 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..."
Further, Jesus expounds "...for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
As sons of our Father in heaven, we are to be like our Father in heaven, and God is impartial. Sun and rain are blessings, and He blesses everyone...He does not discriminate in who He loves...the evil and the good, the just and the unjust. 
This is not to say that all people are saved, but that all people benefit from the blessings of God. Common grace is in light here...where regardless of election, God's grace is bestowed upon all people. Since God blesses all people, without partiality, we should as well. 
Turn to James 2. James provides an excellent example of the principle of partiality [or favoritism] and the dangers of partiality. James 2:1-9 "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors." 
Humans look upon and treat people more favorable if they are wealthy. If you wear nice clothes, drive a nice car, live in a nice house...people will give you more respect. This passage in James tells us, there is no room for partiality when it comes to faith. Whomever walks through the church is to be treated with love. You could be entirely poor materially, but one of the richest people spiritually...an heir of the kingdom of God. James says "...if you show partiality, you commit sin." 
In light of what Jesus is teaching in His sermon in Matt 5, we need to be very careful in our treatment of enemies. Jesus teaches us that we are to reflect God's impartial love toward all people...that as His children we must live by a higher standard than the world teaches...which He discusses next. 

Matt 5:46-47 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 

Kingdom citizens must live by a higher standard, than the people of the world. In verses 46-47 Jesus highlights that even the people of the world have a standard of reciprocal love. They love their loved ones. That is the world's standard, but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and that is your standard, you fall short. 
Jesus asks 2 rhetorical questions that demand a negative response. 
"For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" - The answer is no reward. If you are living only by a natural standard of loving your friends or loving your loved ones...don't expect a reward. And, I believe Jesus has in light a future eternal reward, not necessarily a reward here an now...though you may see some benefit in this lifetime by loving an enemy, like the enemy becomes your friend, or they become a saved believer. But, I believe primarily a future reward is in picture here. 
There are several verses that speak about a future judgment specific for believers called the Bema Seat Judgment. This is a time where the believer stands before God and receives rewards for their works that were done in purity, without selfish motivation, and for God's glory.
2 Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat [bēma] of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
1 Cor 3:13-14 "...each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward."
Scripture seems to indicate that our faithfulness in this lifetime to the Lord, will reap eternal rewards... 
Lk 19:17 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities." In several parables Jesus illustrates future authority in the millennium will be granted to those faithful to Jesus in this lifetime. 
2 Tim 4:8 "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." The crown here is the stephanos- victors wreath as seen in the Grecian games. 
Also, in Jas 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." Also a stephanos crown, and in both of these verses crowns are rewarded to those who love Jesus. 
I believe that we can extract from Matt 5:46 that loving your enemies as Christ loved His enemies will also earn you some such reward. 
What's interesting about these crowns that are awarded to those who exhibit love in this lifetime, is they don't keep them. Rev 4:10 states "...the twenty-four elders [who many scholars believe are a picture of the church, not all, but I'm in that camp] fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne..." And that's the throne of Jesus. These 24-elders cast their stephanos crowns at the feet of Jesus, in love, because it's all about Him, and He alone is worthy of all glory.
The second rhetorical question Jesus asks in His sermon is, verse 47, "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?" The answer is there is no difference. Typical human practice is to greet your own people. Jesus is stretching His disciples to go beyond the typical, and to love the stranger...to love the foreigner...the Gentile...the Samaritan...to love even enemies.
We see this pattern not just in the Sermon on the Mount, but throughout Jesus' ministry, and in His final instructions. 
Matt 28:29 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." 
Mk 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." 
Acts 1:8 "...and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 
Jesus wants us to love everyone...and what better way than to share eternal life with them...to share the love of the Gospel? 
For added emphasis, twice Jesus mentions the Tax Collectors, and how even they love those who love them, and even they greet their brethren. 
The Disciples certainly would not want to be on the same level as the telōnēs...the Tax Collectors. 
These were private individuals, Jews and non-Jews, who worked for Rome. They collected tax money on trade goods, and whatever they could think to tax...delivering a set quota of money to the Roman authorities, but they would dishonestly collect more than required to pay. They became hated and were ostracized from their families and from temple worship. 
They were despised for four main reasons: 
First, no one loves paying taxes, especially not to an oppressive regime like the Roman Government. 
Second, Jews who were tax collectors were thought to be traitors, since they worked for the oppressive Romans. Jews were taught to be set apart from Gentiles, and we just discussed how they were taught to hate enemies, so the Tax Collector was also hated since they worked for the enemy. 
Third, Tax Collectors exacted more money then required, thus they were viewed as thieves and cheats. 
Lastly, Tax Collectors became very wealthy at the burden of their countrymen. Thus, they were resented, and their wealth further separated them from lower class Jews.
In secular literature, in the NT and in Rabbinic writings, we also observe negativity towards Tax Collectors expressed:
In Greek and Roman literature, tax collectors were paired with beggars, robbers and thieves. 
In the Gospels, tax collectors are lumped with undesirable groups of people:
9x "tax collectors and sinners"; 2x "tax collectors and harlots" and 1x "a heathen and a tax collector." 
A Pharisee is noted praying, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector." Lk 18:11.
And, Jesus was accused of being "...a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" Matt 11:19 
Rabbinic writings in the 3rd century (which stemmed from earlier oral traditions) linked Tax Collectors with robbers, murderers, and sinners and their career appeared in lists of "despised trades" forbidden to observant Jews.
So, when Jesus states, "Do not even the Tax Collectors do so?" This was quite the statement. You should underline the word "even" in verses 46 & 47. The emphasis of the word 'even' was significant. It really drove home the point. 
If you want to follow Jesus and His ways, you need to rise above reciprocity, even unbelievers, with despised professions, love their loved ones and greet their friends. But, we are to be salt and light, which is a higher calling. Our love must be of a better quality, where we love both our friends and our enemies, because this is what Jesus did. 
And, what was Jesus' result? Just with the Tax Collectors...what was His result of loving them. 
We know the result of Pharisees treatment of Tax Collectors... they shunned them, they ostracized them, they result was the Tax Collectors turned away from God, because they did not think they could even come to God anymore. In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, we observe this shame, Lk 18:13 "...the tax collector, standing afar off [from the Temple], would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'" 
But look at Jesus' results: 
In Mark 2, after Matthew followed Jesus, Matthew held a dinner banquet, and Mk 2:15 "...as He [Jesus] was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him." As the Pharisees scorned Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus responded with what many believe a statement of His ministry purpose..."Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Mk 2:17.
And, this is the attitude we must have as we plant this church, and as we live in this world. We need to love the people that have been shunned by the religious, and shunned by the world. We need to be open to conversation with people who have chosen professions that are less than desirable, and people who have made poor life choices. Jesus said that are sick and in need of a physician. They don't need a list of rules, they need forgiveness of sins and hope of a new life. The Tax Collectors drew near to Jesus. The lives of Levi, who we know as Matthew, and Zacchaeus...their sins were forgiven and they encountered hope, as they encountered Jesus. That's what we have been entrusted with. 

Jesus ends this segment, and this chapter, with a major summary statement capturing the heart of all He has taught thus far. Verse 48.

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

Starting in Matt 5:17, Jesus established He came not to destroy, but to fulfill the Law and the prophets. He taught the disciples the greater intent of the law...that mere outside observance of the law fell short. 
It's not enough to not murder, we also must not hate. 
It's not enough to not fall into physical adultery, lust is also sin. 
God hates divorce, and does not approve of divorce for any frivolous reason because God loves the marriage covenant.
Oaths are unnecessary, we should be known for our honesty... simply by our word. 
We should not retaliate when our pride is injured, but exhibit grace, and trust God to avenge us. 
And, we need to love beyond the standard of the world. Our love must extend to even our enemies for this is divine. 
In light of these teachings, Jesus is directing His disciples to the true intent of the law, the perfection of the law exemplified in the life of Christ which is fulfilled by love. 
As believers, we are to emulate Jesus life, and live by Kingdom norms, not the norms of this world. This is an impossible task for sinful man. 
Perfection, like the Beatitudes, is not what you do...it's who you already are in Christ. It speaks about our position in Christ. 
Being perfect is not what we do on Earth...Not what we do to become perfect. It's what we do because we are perfect.
Because God already views you as perfect since you have faith in Christ, there should be an evidence, a fruit, and outflow in your life now that demonstrates that perfection. 
Jesus' disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" Salvation is not just what happened to you in the past when you accepted Christ, but it's also what is presently happening in our hearts, as He is sanctifying us and conforming us into the image of His son. 
"Who then can be saved?" "Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:26 
What is impossible for you to do on your own, God made possible by giving you His Holy Spirit who lives in your heart, and with Him...you are perfect!

Worship team come. 

How great it is to know that God thinks you are perfect! I know I don't live a perfect life. I know I think sinful thoughts, and don't always love perfectly. I know I don't always love my neighbor as myself. But, I also know that I have faith in a very loving God, and because of that faith, He sees me as perfect. He sees you as perfect. I know He is doing a work in my heart... daily changing me from who I used to be (that old man) and conforming me to the image of Jesus.

As you go out this week, go knowing you are viewed as perfect by God. Know He is doing a work in you, and as such rejoice and let the world see that perfection. Demonstrate that perfection in love this week. Go love your neighbor as yourself!

Let's pray. 

If you need prayer... 
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