Holy Perfection (1)
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 NASB
Perfect – Yeshua’s demand seems perfectly reasonable, right? You and I can be perfect, can’t we? God demands it. We are accountable. Therefore, we should do it.
When I was much younger, this verse scared me to death. I knew that I wasn’t perfect. I made lots of mistakes. No matter how hard I tried, I always failed. Yet it seems as if “Jesus” was demanding that I never falter. This led me to serious spiritual depression. Knowing that I couldn’t live up to His demand, I either excused my actions or wallowed in guilt. It took a long time to realize that Yeshua wasn’t asking for faultlessness. That is a Greek idea based in a culture that viewed perfection like a mathematical formula. It took a long time to understand that perfection didn’t mean “100% correct.” The Greek verb teleios carries the sense of direction toward completion. That means this verse, in Greek, could be translated, “Be fully complete.” And, of course, no one is fully complete instantly. To be complete, to be fully grown, takes time. It is direction that matters here, not destination, although, of course, the ultimate destination sets the direction. Perhaps the Twelve Step people understand it better. “Progress, not perfection.”
But Yeshua wasn’t speaking Greek. He spoke Hebrew. His implications and references come from the Tanakh, in particular, from Leviticus 19:2. There we discover that the reference is to holiness, not our Greek ideal of perfection. “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” This makes Yeshua’s statement even clearer. Holiness is a matter of setting apart my life for His purposes. Holiness is about submission, about domesticating the yetzer ha’ra, about putting an end to the rebellion. That is also a process. Each day God reveals another way that I can set apart some aspect of my life. Each day I am challenged to be holy as He is holy.
It took a long time to understand this. Then I read this: “The Rabbinic exposition of Leviticus 19 underscores that to be like God, that is, to be holy, means to act in accord with the rules of morality and compassion. One cannot overemphasize that fact, since people do not always correlate ‘holiness’ with morality and ethical conduct in the way in which the Torah insists they are to match.”[1]
I realized that holiness is not simply direction toward the divine. Holiness is living according to the rules God establishes. Holiness is keeping Torah. In most Christian circles, holiness is a collection of good principles and noble actions. But this is not holiness in the Bible. Yeshua knew exactly what He was saying when He drew on Leviticus 19:2. Holiness is living God’s way. Period. Any other way does not meet the biblical definition of holiness. Any other way is my way, no matter how noble or upright it happens to be. Good enough is not holy.
Topical Index: holy, teleios, perfect, good, Torah, Matthew 5:48, Leviticus 19:2
Thank you Skip for reminding us again what the correct and straight path really is. I also thank our Father in Heaven for putting a fence around His Torah. I am so grateful for the love I see in the Rabbis despite the ridicule and criticism from ignorance and pride. I would like to share a comment from a teaching that I listened to this morning on my way to work. A Jewish daughter asked her father what would be a gift to give to our beloved Heavenly Father(Hashem is the Name they use). His beautiful answer was to do the Father’s commands with all the love and passion one can draw from one’s own heart and capacity. Do the commands with a happy heart – do it smiling. This pleases our Father – when we obey Him with a happy heart. We really have only one of two choices each day. We do either our own will(the majority falls into this group) or we do the Father’s will(the minority falls into this group). Personally I have a long way to go. I must confess that I am unable to obey on my own strengh. But I can with the help from Above(Moshiach and the Comforter). My spirit is so willing but my flesh is so weak. Bless our Holy Father! He will change our hearts and fill us with His love. It is a process indeed – one day at a time. Many have been deceived that they are already saved and in heaven. The real truth is that we are all still a work in progress and will only be completed when the Beloved Moshiach comes. My suggestion is to stay watchful and watch one’s own heart more that any other’s heart. The ego is very cunning, the demons pretend to be the light. Eve was deceived and she walked with God – think about this again. Adam was deceived and he walked with God too…..
Christina V,
“The ego is very cunning, the demons pretend to be the light. Eve was deceived and she walked with God – think about this again. Adam was deceived and he walked with God too…..” THEY BOTH MADE MAJOR MISTAKES & THEREFORE WE ARE… ♥
AND MY QUESTION/COMMENT IS IN REGARD TO THE ABOVE – IF THEY HAD BEEN OBEDIENT (EVE & ADAM) WOULD WE BE HERE DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW – KINDA OF A STRANGE THING TO THINK ABOUT…
YES, THE EGO IS CUNNING & DEMONS PRETEND TO BE THE LIGHT BUT MANY TIMES THE WORD STATES ALL WILL BE EXPOSED & THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL ESPECIALLY IN THE END…♥
Please know this and live this: Holiness is not the way to Christ. Christ is the way to holiness. There is no holiness apart from Christ, no matter how “good” or how “moral” or how “righteous” we (mistakingly) think we are.
Holiness is a crisis followed by a process. This process is Phase II of our salvation and is known as sanctification (the process of growing up or maturing into the image or likeness of the Son). We will never know holiness apart from Christ, for He is the (only) standard of holiness.
He has also said, “without Me- you can do nothing.” We have no hope for holiness (to be set apart for a particular purpose or function) without or outside of Christ.
Rules and ritual may be good, but relationship is what matters. When we are rightly-related with G-d (this is righteousness or right-relatedness), G-d begins to work in us the process of holiness.
Our Bible states – “now” are we the sons (and daughters) of G-d. This is my status,- a child of YHVH. (and my understanding is about that of a child also!- but so is my trust!) I trust my Father to provide- and He does- without fail.
Do I want a son who is disobedient? and how about my Father? does He? no. Ask me sometime- about the effects of sin. Would you like to see my scars? – I’m covered with them- and every one He has healed, but these marks are wonderful reminders- I now belong to Him. He is mine and I am His.
His instructions? As you have received the LORD (the LORD) Jesus (who is the) Christ- so walk ye in Him. And how did I receive Him- through repentance and faith. How shall I walk in Him? through repentance and faith. Step one followed by step two. Repeat process. Repentance- turn from. Faith- turn to. From darkness- to light. Flee from this- run toward Him. Say no to this (this is only step one). Say yes to this. (this is step two). Repentance and faith are the two sides of the same coin.
Now think of the prodigal son (that’s me) feeding with the swine. Eating tin cans with the devil’s billy goats. Ain’t we havin’ fun poisoning ourselves? (this is what sin does) -Have we lost our minds? (I’m afraid we have) but we just don’t know anything (or Any ONE) better.
There is a Way. His Name is Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus (who is the) Christ. Have you met Him? Do you know my Savior? do you know my Friend? Have you heard He loves you? – and that He will abide ’till the end?
Live by the Torah- but never forget, always include- the tslav of the Messiah.
THE TWO SIDED COIN YOU CAN TAKE TO THE BANK & MAKE HEAVENLY DEPOSITS THAT ARE ETERNAL… WHERE NO MOTH OR RUST CAN DESTROY…
Step one, step two, repeat daily, this is the way home from the pigsty–how I love that!
Learn the language of love, first say A, “ahhh” then B, “baaa”, repeat and soon we are saying
“ABBA” Father, and call His Name as we approach home . . .
THAT’S PRETTY CUTE DOROTHY – WHEN I POST THIS LINK ON FACEBOOK – I MAY USE YOUR COMMENT TO DRAW PEOPLE TO READ IT…
Please do 🙂
THANK YOU SKIP (LOVED THIS PIECE OF REVELATION/TRUTH SHARED) – I HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED FOR A FEW DAYS NOW – BEEN KIND OF BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS – HAD A WONDERFUL JOB INTERVIEW LAST WEDNESDAY THAT I PRAY GOD OPENS THE DOOR TOO – IF THAT IS WHERE HE WANTS ME – I SURE WOULD LIKE TO BE THERE – A GODLY YOUNG MAN ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF A NEW BUSINESS THAT GOD HELPED HIM FORM… JUST THE RIGHT FIT I FEEL BUT WHO KNOWS – I SURE DON’T… ♥
GOD’S WILL BE DONE…
MS. JAN
BTW ALL: GOD HAS PROVIDED AGAIN IN SUPERNATURAL WAYS EVEN BEYOND THE GENEROSITY OF “AT GOD’S TABLE/HEBREW WORD STUDY” & I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAY MY FEBRUARY HOUSE PAYMENT & MEET ALL MY BILLS/OBLIGATIONS THIS MONTH & MY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS HAVE BEEN REINSTATED FOR THE NEXT 13 WEEKS – SO GOD AGAIN IS SO FAITHFUL & MY HOLY PROVISION AS WELL… ♥
“Holiness is living God’s way. Period.” Nicely put, Dr. Skip!
Surely that is the only way to Victory in daily living-and that is by giving up what the self needs for the sake of community… This process must enter the consciousness of the INDIVIDUAL. This is the the fundamental characteristic of Christ culture as it rises particularly from Charity- since living in spirit means the harmony of the united members of His body to enter consciousness of each member; whereas the essence of reminisce is that binds the rational and conscious souls to be united on the course of history with the ONE, which is a mirror for the deeper events of established kingdom to come… Fascinating Process!
http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Preachers/BrengleHoliness.htm