Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
This passage of scripture is as simple and straight-forward as it gets, for it bids us to be perfect in our own sphere, even as our heavenly Father is perfect in His. The Lord takes into consideration the fact that we are born in sin and shapen in iniquity, and God knows that without His power and grace any effort to live a perfect life is futile. And even when His grace is administered on a daily and consistent basis, we sometimes fall into sin, either deliberately or ignorantly. The Lord knows all of this so the perfection that Is required for our salvation can only be found in Christ. However, our attitude towards perfection is of very great importance, for it ultimately determines whether we will shoot for the stars, or whether we will shoot for only low hanging fruit.
When a child is in elementary school, he can get an A in his math grade by doing subtractions, multiplications, and additions at an elementary level. But when he moves on to college he can still perform as an A class student by mastering calculus, Algebra and trigonometry. It all has to do with what he is shooting for. In the spiritual realm the same principle holds true, because God desires that we shoot for an A plus, even though in our efforts we may sometimes fall short. But if we set the standard of righteousness at a C level, we will not rise any higher than C level, which according to the scripture is really equivalent to an F minus. That's why the Bible encourages us in several passages to move on to perfection, by constantly developing and advancing in Christ, through the omnipotent power of God accorded us. Let's read:
2nd Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1st John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
In order to be a winner a person will have to start thinking like a winner, for if we aspire to a mediocre standard of righteousness, we will fall far short of the excellence that only God alone can give. In everything we do in the temporal or spiritual realm, nothing short of perfection should be our goal, and if in the process of attainment we were to miss the mark, then the perfect righteousness of Christ will cover our deficiencies, but never are we to lower God's perfect standard of righteousness to cater to the desires of our fallen nature. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to think big in our aspirations, and God will grant us the necessary grace and strength so that we can be A class disciples at every stage of our development. Let's read:
Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!