One of the most frequent questions I'm asked is this, "Does God expect us to be perfect?" I can see where this might cause some concern and even fear in some. But perhaps I can help ease some of the anxiety about it today.
One of the biblical truths is God receives us in our current state. He understands us completely; that is, He knows us inside and out. This includes all of our failures, sins, and bad tendencies. Nothing is hidden from Him!
The late Billy Graham once said, "If God required us to be perfect, then no one—absolutely no one—would ever be able to be a Christian! We’re all sinners, and no matter how hard we try, we still sin and fall short of God’s standard."
You see, God does not expect us to be spotless or immaculate in this life. Yet even with all of our serious issues He still loves us. And not only that, He desires to forgive us and invite us into His family.
The Bible opposes "perfectionism," while stressing God's grace and His acceptance of flawed humans by way of their faith in Jesus Christ. When we attempt to be perfect we are trying to do something that only God can do.
It's fair to say that by thinking "perfectionism" is even possible, we are setting ourselves up for failure in a big way. Some might confuse being righteous with being perfect, but they are two different things altogether.
Righteousness, which is encouraged, includes living a life that demonstrates good moral character and following God's will. While perfectionism means being totally faultless and living in a state of moral excellence and wholeness.
With its focus on self-reliance and the fear of failure, perfectionism is seen as a deception that inhibits spiritual progress and the development of relationships. Consequently, it's by the grace of God, and not human perfection, that our relationship with Him is based on.
When we maintain a mindset of perfectionism, we are only promoting stress and anxiety on ourselves. This in turn, leads to a life filled with discontent and disappointment, of which God definitely does not want for us.
As the gospel declares, we are unable to save ourselves. We need a Savior, and that’s why Jesus came. God will save us if we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ in faith for our salvation, imperfections and all. There is no other way.
Finally, God doesn't expect perfection from any of us. Nor does He expect us to attain ultimate and infinite, saintliness in this life. He would prefer to see us work toward moral and spiritual growth, than an appearance of sinlessness.
Scripture: 2 Samuel 22:31; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 3:12
Prayer: "Dear Lord, I thank you that your love is not based on my perfection, but instead your perfect love for me. Remind me that my identity is found in you, and not in my own achievements. Help me to ease the pressure to be perfect and to accept myself as you accept me, imperfections and all. Amen."
May the grace of God be with you,
Andrea
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