Pastor Martin Kurt Paul, Fairlands
Jesus says to you: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Did you turn the other cheek when you were struck in the face? Have you been tolerant after an insult? Have you walked that extra mile with someone? Have you been perfect in every way? Yes, this word of Jesus accuses you – and God be praised when you feel bad over your shortcomings and recognize that you need Jesus’ forgiveness.
Feeling bad over your shortcomings is a good thing, because it indicates that you are repentant over your actions. You need to recognise that you are a sinner, otherwise you will have no need for Jesus in your life.
But God be likewise praised, that Jesus comes to your aid. Jesus is the one who manifests absolute perfection on behalf of you. On the cross he has completed everything perfectly in your stead, taken your sin, atoned for them and thereby forgiven you. Have you fallen short in being perfect and do you feel bad? God be praised! Jesus forgives you!
God be truly praised then when you find confidence, solely through faith in Jesus. You have received forgiveness of sins, apart from any doing yourself, because of Jesus’ work alone. God be praised!
Concurrently, knowing that you are baptised into Christ, cleansed of your sins, knowing that you already are a son/daughter of the “perfect” Father, you see yourself standing free. Free from the devil, the world and your own sinful self. Freed up to live out that perfect love to which Jesus calls you. Without grasping Jesus, Jesus’ command to “be perfect” will always accuse you, but when Jesus is yours, his invitation to be perfect with him is joyous.
Jesus’ call to “be perfect” is thus an urgent imperative for Christians; it is a call to love without reference to the worthiness of the person being loved. And when we live out such love, it is evidence that we are children of our heavenly Father. God be praised.
Jesus’ call to “be perfect” then is not mainly aimed at making us feel bad, but rather aimed at joyous activity. This Word of God asks us to be good and merciful to everyone as our heavenly Father is. When we are made certain by the forgiveness of Jesus, we let go of our “bad feelings” and begin to manifest the will of God in our lives and the lives of others. What an honour it is, then, to boldly take a hold of Jesus and perfectly walk with him.
Lutherans thus do teach that good works must be done, but they should not be done without Jesus. We do good in expecting our children to be perfect, but we would do them great harm if we expect them to be perfect without Jesus. We would also do great harm, if we show love to only those who are perfect. Without Jesus, our children will never be perfect and never feel good about themselves. So, when we ask our children to be perfect, it is of vital importance to bring them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is then a beautiful expression, when a father carries his newborn child to the baptismal font and thereby expects his child to be perfect. At the end of day, a father is not to pat himself on the back when a child shows itself to be perfect. God be praised rather, because He is the one doing all the wonderful work.
