Be Ye Perfect

Earlier this week while getting coffee at McDonald’s, my receipt indicated I was customer #300. That reminded me of bowling since 300 is a perfect score in the ten-pin version of the game. During my childhood, Dad often took our family to the bowling alley on Sunday afternoon. I was also on bowling leagues in junior high, high school, and college. I managed to win a few trophies. 

Since then, I’ve occasionally gone bowling with friends. One Saturday in 1993, my friend Steve suggested we do so and kept saying, “I’m going to beat you.” I didn’t tell him of my previous bowling experience. Steve wasn’t happy when I beat him with scores of 161 and 216. He even suggested I cheated. That was impossible since the bowling alley had electronic scoring.


I’ve bowled other games over 200 but never came close to 300. A bowler has to get twelve consecutive strikes to achieve a perfect game. One dictionary defines perfect as “having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.” Many people claim, “Nobody’s perfect.” Yet there is One who lived a perfect life on earth. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”


Some people might think of Noah, which Genesis 6:9 describes him as “…perfect in his generations.” The Bible labels the ark builder “perfect” not because he lived a flawless life (Noah’s sons later found him drunk and naked in his tent). His family lineage hadn’t been tainted by fallen angels who had sexual relations with women. That’s why most of the original human race was destroyed by the flood. God couldn’t have the Messiah born from a corrupted mother.


In the King James Version, Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” How can one be “perfect?” The first step is making Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior to redeem our imperfections. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”


Colossians 3:14 gives us another key to living a perfected life: “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” When we walk in God’s love, we are less likely to miss it.“Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)


Hebrews 6:1 says, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” Other translations use the word “maturity” instead of perfection. One will walk more perfectly by spending quality time reading the Bible…


“As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” - Psalm 18:30


“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32 


“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” - Psalm 19:7


Being free from the love of money also enables one to walk in line with God’s will. Jesus told the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” As previously stated in this blog, this isn’t a mandate for all believers. God is okay with us having things as long as the things don’t have us (Matthew 6:33).


This past Wednesday, Fleetwood Mac keyboardist Christine McVie died at 79. Before she married (and subsequently divorced) bandmate John McVie, Christine’s surname was Perfect. She likely experienced teasing about that while growing up. But seriously, I hope Christine got right with the Lord before passing away. Regardless of the number of mistakes anyone makes, God considers us perfect if we are in Christ.


“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” - John 17:23


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