How can we be perfect?

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Many Christians have struggled with the idea of perfection. What is it, and can Christians obtain it?
many in the reformed tradition have notice that sinless perfection is unattainable since mankind is completely depraved. Therefore they argued that this a commandment that was never meant to be fulfilled except by Christ or after glorification. And so it is not as much a commandment as much as a block from trying to obtain self righteousness. However this seems rather illogical. Why would we be ordered things that were incapable for us. It makes it seem as if man is not responsible for imperfection and that God is simply torturing man. Reformers will simply revert to man's pride when the contradiction is located.
That being said Jesus elsewhere teaches that no one is good except for God.(Matthew 19:17) So perfection here can not mean some absolute form of sinlessness. So what is the context?

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Here we see the context of the use of this verse. The discussion is on love. The normal way of love is to love thy neighbor but not those who are considered your enemies. Yet God's love is complete and perfect because he loves those who are evil.
This is the background to the commandment of perfection. Perfection here is speaking of a completeness. It is not an absolute perfection that humans are incapable of.
It is a valid commandment. And a means of being god-like. This is not to invalidate god's obvious perfections and omnipotent powers. But it points us to the Fathers characteristics and personality to be the highest points of greatness and emphasis.
But by the use of the word perfection it is not simply one of thousands of commands. It is the way of completion. If you want complete your faith you must have the ability to love your enemies. Not tolerate or accept, but to truly love.

back track
Isaiah 2
1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This is a prophesy of Isaiah. It is about the messiah. I believe this will be fulfilled completely in the millenial reign of Christ and yet it is also fulfilled partially in Christ Sermon on the Mount. here the Messiah shall teach the world and there shall be peace.


3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Here we have the beatitudes. These promises are designed similar to the ten commandments only not as commandments but as blessings. This is a very important concept. Instead of a law in the negative The teachings of christ the Messiah are placed in the positive.
I bring up the beatitudes because this passage on perfection and a perfect love is an extension of the beatitudes as it it included in Christ Sermon on the Mount.
Perfection there fore is not simply a demand of self-righteousness. It is a blessing to be obtained. One of The main goals of Christian discipline is the ability to love our enemies.
Paul goes on to discuss this topic on a different format
1 Corinthians 13

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Here in this famous passage Paul is addressing a different topic concerning the supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. That even the maximum effect of the gifts of knowledge, prophecy and tongues are useles without the gift of charity/love.
Charity here is derived from agape just as Jesus sermon was also addressing is also derived from agape. Most translators prefer to translate this word as love.
The translation of charity is fine in the sense that it indicates action as oppose to only feeling.

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
As we look we see the characteristics of love. As I shall paraphrase. Love is patient, it is a kind or gentle thing. It is completely sefless. It is not a rebellious thing. It is not a thing easily shaken.
Essentially Love is entirely oppose to evil. Very important as well is that perfect love is not based upon sin but rest upon the truth.


7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Love can endure, believe, hope and bear all things. perfect Love is infallible. All the most miraculous manifestations of the Holy Ghost are limited and they have a point of expiration. These thing as sensational as they are, are not essential for the christian life, and only necessary for the immature. But when we see the perfect come. (which is ultimately the second coming of christ, but currently manifested in His love, On a side note, I do not believe this is referring to a cessation of spiritaul gifts.) then we will be able to survive on His love alone.

11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Sometimes God works so many things in our immaturity because we are weak and need them. Yet the greatest gift in the Christian life is that which will remain and bring us Home to Glory. This Gift is the love of God.