The radical ministry of Jesus created a much larger, brighter, and more optimistic horizon for daily living than His listeners ever imagined. He certainly did that in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. The teaching pattern went something like this: “The law says . . .but I say . . .” Jesus blew every circuit in His listeners’ brains with His raised expectations. Case in point: today’s text. How can Jesus call us to perfection, much less a perfection that describes Him?

I have friends who choose to ignore verses in the Bible like Matthew 5:48. Some go so far as to say, with the contemporary Christian music artist, “Perfection is my enemy.” That is true if Jesus envisions the excessive legalism that became so oppressive to one of my students that it drove him to the most secure ward of a mental institution. Jesus obviously did not mean legalistic perfectionism.

He did, however, call His followers to a lifestyle that reflects God’s will and plan instead of the carnal affections that urge us to have our way.

Jesus exemplified a life pleasing to God. Hebrews 4:14-16 says “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

He was tempted just like we are, yet He did not sin. His temptations were harder than ours because He never yielded. Temptations go away if you yield to them! Jesus never did; He always resisted. Sin breaks God’s law and heart. Jesus would never do that to His Father.

Nazarenes call believers to a higher standard than many Christian churches. We do not believe sin’s temptation forces us to yield throughout every day of life on earth. We also do not believe we live in sinless perfection through sheer willpower. We believe the power of the Holy Spirit that is living and working within us, as we spend time with Christ, transforms us into Christlikeness.

This transformation occurs through a love relationship with Christ that expels the appeal of the world back into carnal affections. Believers are not perfect by flawless action; rather, the love and presence of God dwelling in them restores the relationship God desires with all of His children. Believers fix their eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and become more like Him as the Spirit works through them. I want to be more like Jesus today!

Prayer for the week:

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to this earth and restoring our relationship with God. Thank you for filling us with your love every day. We so hunger for more of you that the glitter of temptation holds no sway on us. Draw us close to you as we fix our eyes on you, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Amen.

Frank Moore is editor in chief of Holiness Today and general editor for the Church of the Nazarene.

Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.