He’s Watching – Does He expect perfection? Yes? No?
I figured something out some years ago. May not be that profound, but I realized that I expected perfection from my kids. You might be appalled that I would say that, but wait a minute. Would you expect me to say to my children each morning, “Hey, kids, today you only have to obey me 75% of the time”? No way. Though I knew my kids wouldn’t obey me perfectly, I still wanted them to and planned on it. Of course,I had to make adjustments and decisions when they didn’t. Because I love(d) them, I knew that if they learned to obey me and Carol well and willingly, their chances for future success would be enhanced. God included that in the Ten Commandments: “Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (See also Ephesians 6:1-3)
How about our Heavenly Father, Who by the way is a perfect father, unlike me? We are told to be perfect by Jesus Himself (Matthew 5:48) In the multiple translations I examined to read this verse, “perfect” is the word used. So God expects us to be perfect, knowing full well that we won’t be. Does that mean He is a bad parent to command something we can’t do? No way. In a similar way to how children grow to learn to obey our parents, I believe our heavenly Father grows us up through instruction, examples, and tender/proper discipline to move His children to maturity.
Our behavior in this life matters and matters a great deal. Those who say that just believing or saying a prayer is all there is to the Christian life are sadly mistaken. Oh, I don’t mean we have to work to earn salvation in Christ. We don’t. We could never EARN it. Salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith. Isn’t that clearly communicated in Ephesians 2:8-9? But, there is a verse 10.
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Though this may open more questions than it answers, let me state unequivocally that we are saved to live like Jesus and do good works that He designed for us to do. How we live does matter because there is so much at stake. Others are to see our good works and glorify God and be drawn to Jesus by those acts of love and service…starting with people nearest to us, reaching as far out as God allows our influence to travel.
Look at the way Peter describes God’s expectations of us Jesus-followers:
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,be sympathetic, love one another,be compassionate and humble.9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[a]
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c]
Our loving actions will most often be appreciated, just as we are so grateful when others treat us with love and respect, but sometimes they are ignored. And at times we may be asked to suffer for doing what God commands and expects of us. Have you ever been in situations where you showed love and kindness, but evil, insult, or punishment was returned? Peter addresses that case in verse 13.
Just as we parents/grandparents/teachers would never say to our kids, “Today, I expect you to obey me only 75% of the time”; likewise, our Father in heaven commands and empowers us to grow into children of God who are learning to willing obey Him more and more. Maybe we won’t ever get to 100% perfect and completely constant obedience, but just as we are blessed as our children grow in willing obedience and trust of us as authorities, so I believe our Heavenly Father is pleased to see us grow too.
Jesus is and always will be my perfection and has brought grace and righteousness to me as a gift.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Hey, kids, let’s obey God each day to the best of our ability, and when we stumble and fall, let’s confess our sins, receive God’s forgiveness, then get back in the race. Let’s run the race to win the prize. Let’s please our Father, Who loves us perfectly, blesses us in every way He plans, and disciplines only as we need to be corrected