The Sermon on the Mount: A 21-Day Guide to the Greatest Sermon Ever PreachedSample

Becoming Perfect

Today, we’re going to read the shocking conclusion to this movement of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus makes it clear where this has all been pointing. Let’s dive in.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 NIV

This paragraph is one of the most challenging and well-known parts of the greatest sermon ever preached—for a couple reasons. In it, Jesus talks about loving our enemies. That was a radical idea then, and it’s radical now. But the even more startling part of what Jesus said is that line right at the end:

Be perfect.

Is that a command? Does God actually expect me to be perfect, without fault? Doesn’t He, of all people, know that’s impossible?

You may read “Be perfect” and feel tension rising in your body. Because, if you’ve been a Christian for a while, you’ve probably heard people say things like, “It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress” or “Jesus was perfect, so I don’t have to be.” And yet, that seems to fly directly in the face of what Jesus actually said. So what do we do?

To read the Bible wisely, we need to remember a few things:

1. Jesus is King.
2. Context is everything.
3. The Bible was written to transform us, not just inform us.

What does all that mean? It means that everything we read in Scripture is designed to lead us to Jesus and make us more like Jesus (Jesus is King). It means that in order to understand what Scripture means, we have to learn the context—all the information surrounding what we’re reading (context is everything). And it means that we seek this greater understanding of God’s Word, not just to inform our “knowledge banks”—but to transform us with truth and wisdom to make us more like Jesus.

This command to be perfect as God is perfect points us to the One who is perfect, the Savior King and Son of God who never sinned and perfectly obeyed God. And, this command shows us what God wants to be true of us as we commit our lives to Him—that we would be complete, mature, and whole, just like He is.

The context we find in other parts of the Bible and through our own lived experience shows us that becoming perfect, in our own strength, is impossible. Any attempt to do so produces perfectionism, a crippling and anxiety-ridden way of life that never actually brings us what we’re looking for.

But, that’s not all we find. In fact, when we look to Luke’s Gospel, and some of the letters found later in the New Testament, we find the missing pieces that make sense of this puzzling command to be perfect.

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Luke 6:40 NIV

As followers of Jesus, He is our teacher and we are His students. And in this verse, He tells us that everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. What does this mean? It means that Jesus wants to train us to be like Him.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:4-6 NIV

In this letter from the Apostle Paul, he writes about the way God will carry on to completion the good work He began in us. What does this mean? It means that God is going to finish the work He started—making us holy, righteous, and perfect.

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14 NIV

Through His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, Jesus has made us perfect as we are being made holy. It’s a promise about what Jesus has done, what He is doing, and what He will do for those who trust in Him.

… And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

Finally, in these verses, Jesus is given the title of “pioneer and perfecter of faith.” The same One who authored the universe is the One who has the authority to make us perfect.

So, where does that leave us? When you put all the pieces together, we see that perfection is not a prize to achieve but a promise to receive.

What did Jesus say?

To become perfect as God is perfect—not in our own strength, but by the power of the Spirit as we trust and follow Him. As we do, He will make us into who we are meant to be. Complete. Mature. Whole. Perfect. Like Him.

What did Jesus do?

He did not abolish, throw away, or ignore the commands of God. He fulfilled them by obeying them perfectly. In the ultimate act of obedience to God, He humbled Himself to death on the cross. In the ultimate expression of love for us, He sacrificed Himself for our sins. He perfectly obeyed God, and He perfectly loved us.

How can I apply that to my life today?

Trust Jesus to do what you can’t, and let Him train you to do what you can. He can and will make you perfect. So, throw off the weight of trying to be perfect on your own. Instead, take up what is yours to carry—the responsibility of doing your best to obey God and love people. Today, pray this:

Jesus, take off of me everything that isn’t mine to carry, and give me the strength to carry well what is mine to carry. In Your name I pray, amen.