Christlike Perfection

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
Vince Lombardi

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”
Douglas Adams

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.”
Vivian Greene

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”
Ernest Hemingway

In our previous blog, The Kingdom of God: Living in the Tension, we spoke of how, as followers of Christ, we live in the dynamic tension of the “already but not yet” reality of God’s Kingdom. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the powers of the coming Kingdom age have already been unleashed into this present world. Yet we still await the future when Christ returns to fully establish His reign on earth. Matthew 5:48 – “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (ESV) captures this tension vividly. These words from Jesus may initially strike us as an impossible demand. How can imperfect humans ever attain the perfection of God? When we see the word “perfect,” we think flawless, without defect or blemish, without sin or iniquity of any kind, complete, and lacking nothing. Yet, when we understand the deeper meaning, we find an invitation to an extraordinary journey of spiritual growth within the already-and-not-yet Kingdom tension.

The Pitfall of Perfectionism
The Greek word translated as “perfect” in Matthew 5:48 is τέλειοι (teleios), derived from τέλος (telos), which means, end, goal, or purpose. Teleios means brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, or that which is whole and complete, functioning according to its designed purpose. In the context of Matthew 5, loving your enemies, teleios refers to the idea of spiritual maturity and completeness and the perfect standard of God’s righteousness and love, which is complete and lacking nothing. Note the differentiation in Matthew 5:48: God is perfect, and we must be perfect. The Greek word for “be” is ἔσεσθε (esesthe) and is the future indicative form of the verb “to be” (εἰμί). The future tense is significant as it does not imply an expectation of instant or flawless perfection but of becoming perfect or complete. It points to a present responsibility to pursue Christ-likeness, a future promise of ultimate perfection when Christ returns, and a future glorification in His presence. The future tense captures the “already and not yet” nature of sanctification—we are declared righteous in Christ, yet progressively conform to His image as we cooperate with the Spirit’s work. So, while perfection awaits, we continually grow towards that end goal, allowing God’s perfect love and holiness to be increasingly manifested in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. “Be perfect” does not imply flawless performance but a state of pursuing wholeness, maturity, and fulfillment in Him. Ultimately, striving for perfection outside of His enabling can paradoxically become our greatest imperfection if we lose sight of His grace. If we approach Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 5:48 legalistically, there is a potential for it to plunge us into spiritual paralysis rather than propel us forward. Imagine hearing those words, “be perfect,” apart from their transformative context. The sheer weight of perceived impossible expectations can bear down on us mercilessly. We look at our flawed selves, lingering shortcomings and habits, and a crushing sense of inadequacy takes over. “I will never measure up. Why even try?” In that mindset, perfectionism morphs into a brutal taskmaster, cruelly mocking our feeble efforts while offering no hope of victory. We find ourselves trapped in cycles of guilt, shame, and spiritual stagnation. Rather than inspiring growth, an isolated obsession with flawless behavior suffocates the Spirit.

Yet, could anything be more contradictory to the heartbeat of Christ’s teachings? His gospel was not an onerous new law heaping further burdens on the spiritually bankrupt. No, it was a liberating message of redemptive grace, freedom from sin’s dominion, and the indwelling power to be transformed from the inside out. Nitpicking over external rule-keeping consumed the religious elites of Jesus’ day, but He taught that ritualistic piety devoid of faith and genuine heart change was worse than futile because it is deceptive in hypocrisy (Matthew 23:25-28). He did not come to hammer us with impossible demands but to remove the impossible burden of trying to achieve righteousness or perfection through our own merit. By His sacrifice, He clothed us in His perfect righteousness
(2 Corinthians 5:21) to restore us to a right relationship with God. We are empowered from that place of unmerited acceptance by the Holy Spirit’s strength to mature into Christlikeness. What initially seemed an overwhelming edict becomes an inspiriting invitation to transformation. Where perfectionism leads to debilitating discouragement, the path of grace creates a different perspective. Our flaws are not indictments but opportunities to experience God’s perfecting strength in our weakness: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me”
(2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV).

The Perfecting Process
So, how do we cooperate with this perfecting process? By fixing our eyes on Christ, the perfect embodiment of mature godliness. “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29, ESV). Our transformation occurs as we abide in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to shape us. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV). The tense here is present continuous or present progressive tense—Paul describes an ongoing and continuous happening in the present moment and continuing into the future, a process of transformation that believers experience as they behold the glory of the Lord. In other words, the transformation is not a one-time event but a continual journey of growth and change as believers deepen their relationship with God. It is a lifelong renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2), shedding the old sinful self for the new self in Christ. We play an active role through spiritual disciplines like prayer, worship, and the study of Scripture. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV). As we immerse ourselves in Scripture, we are conformed as an ongoing process of growth and development. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3, ESV).

The Humble Admission of Imperfection
Even as we diligently pursue spiritual maturity, a humble recognition of our ongoing imperfection is crucial. Paul, one of the most dedicated and fruitful servants of Christ, confessed “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own” (Philippians 3:12, ESV). Despite his wholehearted pursuit of righteousness in Christ, Paul did not claim to have arrived at perfection in this life. Like Paul, we must not consider ourselves to have laid hold of it or made it our own (v.13) but remain ever-dependent on God’s grace. There is always a higher ground to attain in our growth in Christlikeness. Paul’s example demonstrates that perfection is an ongoing process of sanctification, not a finished state we achieve in this life. He modeled a posture of humility, reliance on God’s empowering presence, and steadfast dedication despite struggles and imperfections. So, as we diligently “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, ESV), we do so not in our own strength, but by the power of “God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (v.13, ESV). Our imperfect striving avails God’s perfecting grace. With resolute commitment, we press onwards with Paul’s words echoing as our charge.

Reflecting God’s Attributes
So, what does this perfection look like? It is cultivating the very attributes of God within our lives. We become “imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us...” (Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV), displaying the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV). As we grow in Christlike perfection, we increasingly reflect His heart of compassion: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, ESV). We extend the same mercy we have received, walking in forgiveness and grace towards others. Our thoughts, speech, and conduct are transformed to honor God: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8, ESV).

The Goal of Perfection
Our journey does not end in this life. While we strive through the Spirit’s power for ever- increasing maturity, our perfection will only be complete when Christ returns. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2, ESV). On that day, we will finally “be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4, ESV), fully conformed to the image of Christ, redeemed from the presence of sin forever. Our imperfect selves give way to the glory of resurrected, immortal perfection in Him, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ (Philippians 3:14) towards which we press on. Matthew 5:48 does not demand flawless, sinless perfection but a consummate wholeness and Christ-likeness that believers are to grow towards. While the full manifestation awaits glorification, the journey begins now, through the transforming work of the Spirit, producing spiritual maturity in us.

A Call to Faithful Perseverance
Dear reader, the high call to perfection is not meant to crush us but to awaken us to the beauty of God’s redeeming work within our imperfect lives. Our missteps do not disqualify us but draw us to depend more fully on the One whose perfection is our own by faith. Flee the discouraging snare of perfectionism, which none of us can attain by ourselves, and embrace the liberated journey toward the perfection found in Christ. God desires that we relentlessly pursue the high calling of Christlike maturity, integrity, and wholeness. As we cooperate with his transformative work, our lives will increasingly radiate the perfect love, righteousness, and completeness found in Him. In this lifelong journey, may we heed the encouragement of the writer of Hebrews: “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV). In joyful perseverance, let us press on toward the prize of perfection in our magnificent Savior. The path is arduous, but our labor is not in vain because we will be transformed into His glorious likeness.