Perfection

As seen in the HEARTbeat and the Village Voice

“Perfection”

            Is there really such a thing as perfection?  We all strive for it in some fashion or another.  There are even some people who strive for perfection obsessively!  We want to hit the perfect golf shot, sew the perfect quilt, and in some circles, deliver the perfect sermon!  We want to be error free.  But is there such a thing?

            Perfection in the United States is not just a passing thought.  We are a country set on achieving perfection.  Even the founding fathers wrote perfection into our Constitution.  Listen to this: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union……”  You see, it’s a daily goal to be more perfect than the day before.  When we strive for a more perfect union, does that mean we are more perfect than another union?

            As Christians, we know there is no such thing as a perfect person.  We are flawed from birth, each one carrying the original sin.  It was that sin that placed a wall between mankind and humankind.  No longer could Adam and Eve walk and talk with God in the garden and have a perfect relationship with Him.  Once sin caused us to be imperfect, the wall went up as sin could not be in God’s presence.  He then spent the entire time covered by the Old Testament, or as some call them the Hebrew scriptures, providing laws and prophets to get humankind to return to Him, as much as possible.  Finally, God said enough is enough.  He sent His son to be our sacrifice for sins, given in accordance with His own laws!

            So, this begs the question, how can we be made perfect?  The high priests, who were descendants of the first chosen high priest, Aaron, were called to perfection by God.  Impossible!  Oh, but God once again provided a way.  Before they were to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, they were first to offer a sacrifice for their own sin.  By doing so they were made clean in the eyes of God and therefore able to then offer a sacrifice for the people.

            Jesus is our way to perfection.  Hebrews 5:8,9 says, “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”  Even though Jesus knew no sin, He was made sin for us.  It was through His obedience to God the Father and His plan that He provided a way.  He was sinless before the sacrifice, and through the sacrifice made all the people who accept His sacrifice clean and perfect in God the Father’s eyes!

            We Christians know we are not perfect, but are so thankful we have been made so by the blood of the only perfect sin sacrifice ever made, and one who is perfect for all time and for all people.  Be thankful that we have been made perfect in the eyes of the Creator of all things!