In baseball, a perfect game is one in which no batters reach any of the bases either by hits or walks or any other means. In the whole history of over 200k games played, there have been only 23 perfect games, so it is unusual. Even in those perfect games, there were probably mistakes made on both sides, but none that led to getting runners on base. In the advertising industry, social media, and other areas of popularity, there are people that edit their lives to portray themselves in a certain way to get the effect they want from those watching them. Their lives are likely full of imperfections, but none of them are shown to us to create a perfect image of what they want us to see. Are there any people you once held on a pedestal as being nearly perfect in your own eyes?
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48
When you get a new car, or a new home, you are probably impressed by how nice it is. Initially we see all the things we like about these things, but the flaws eventually become evident. I recall when I got a ‘new’ used car, I tried to keep it clean and scratch free, but once I opened the door and it got caught in the wind and scratched, I didn’t care so much about keeping it in as perfect condition anymore, which was nice in hindsight. When we meet a potential spouse, we may be in love and be blind to, or minimize their shortcomings and flaws. Once we are married, those seem to be more noticeable when the infatuation wears off a bit. In all areas of life, we notice the imperfect nature of all that is around us, try as we might to make them or ourselves be who we would like. How do we reconcile our imperfect/sin nature?
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
When we realize the tendency in us toward sin, try as we might to be perfect, we must reconcile those imperfections in ourselves. Some can embrace it and live out their sinful nature, and we don’t have to look far to see that in our world. Try as we might to keep the law perfectly, we eventually fall short, and Jesus pointed that out in the religious system in which he lived. When we die to ourselves and accept Christ’s atonement for our own sin and imperfection, we can live in the newness of life in his Spirit. The new perfection comes not from ourselves, but from a new life in Christ. Again, it doesn’t make us flawless, but forgiven and able to continue on in the hope of salvation. Only then will we be made perfect. In that we should rejoice!
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4’
Yours in Christ,
Clark
