Failing to be Perfect (Telos) by Dave Brubaker from Newsong Church

“If there is such a thing as human perfection, it seems to emerge precisely from how we handle the imperfection that is everywhere, especially our own. What a clever place for God to hide holiness, so that only the humble and earnest will find it! A ‘perfect’ person ends up being one who can consciously forgive and include imperfection rather than one who thinks he or she is totally above and beyond imperfection.”
-Richard Rohr, Falling Upward


“Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”
–Matthew 5:48



 

We sang a song on Sunday that made me think of that verse.  In the bridge of "Good, Good Father" it says, “You are perfect in all of your ways to us.”

I think most of us would agree that’s true about God, but Matthew 5:48 says it should be true of us too.  Instantly we can come up with all kinds of objections:

“I’m only human.” (so was Jesus)

“I’m supposed to live by the same standard as Jesus??” (that’s what the verse says)

“Sounds like one of those Old Testament type verses that don’t apply anymore.” (it’s in the New Testament)

“But Jesus is God!!!” (Yes, and we are His Body!!!)

“I don’t believe in religious perfectionism.” (neither does God)

“But how can I be perfect when I’m such a mess???” (that’s a good question)

Yes, we’re all a mess.  But that’s what’s so crazy about the gospel: the thing I thought disqualified me is the reason I got picked.  God takes messed up people like me and you and says: “Be perfect, like Me.”

More objections:

“But NOBODY’S PERFECT, right???  I definitely get the MESSY part but being perfect???  I thought the gospel was about GRACE.”

OK, OK, calm down, jeez!!!  I never said the gospel’s not about grace.  But I also don’t think we can just IGNORE the fact that Jesus said, “Be perfect like your Heavenly Father is perfect.”  He didn’t say, “Try to be perfect” or “I know this is impossible but it sounds catchy, doesn’t it?”  He said “Be perfect” like it was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.

Here’s where it might help to check the Greek (since he technically never said these words IN ENGLISH — maybe there’s a loophole!!!)  The Greek word for “perfect” is teleios (which my computer tried to autocorrect to toeless — no Siri, I don't think Jesus is telling us to cut off our toes).

TELEIOS.  As soon as I saw that word, I got excited – I once preached a whole sermon on the noun version of that word: Telos.  In Greek philosophy it was understood that EVERYTHING HAS A TELOS, whether it’s a table or a spider or YOU.  This is what Paul was talking about in Acts 20:24 – “I consider my life worth nothing unless I teleiōsai" – unless I finish the race, unless I complete the work, unless I fulfill the assignment that God gave me to do.”

I don’t know about you but that makes me very excited.  It completely changes what it means to “Be perfect as my Heavenly Father is perfect."  Instead of religious perfectionism, it’s saying: DO WHAT YOU WERE MADE TO DO, JUST LIKE YOUR DAD DOES.

What is that for you?

Stop letting who you’re not define who you are.  Jesus said, "Follow me, and I’LL MAKE YOU fishers of men.”  He’ll MAKE YOU — in his presence, YOU’LL BECOME that person, in his presence he’ll transform you into who you need to be to accomplish the work he’s called you to do.

PS I almost forgot the best/worst part, a point Mike Erre made from Matthew 16:21 – if you do this right, there's a good chance the world will view it as a huge failure.

"If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise."

So, what are we waiting for?  Let’s go be PERFECT together.