Practically Perfect in Every Way - Eventually
By Pastor Adam Fox
Perfection. Mary Poppins had it every way, and we strive to be that way in our lives and in our spouses and other areas. Online dating feeds this ideal for a perfect mate with there search algorithm. For a hefty price, you can tell the website what you want in a partner and you can then find the perfect match for you.
Go ahead and look for a blond hair gal with short or medium length hair, who is tall, but not too tall. Let her have an athletic build but not skinny with blue, hazel, or green eyes; who makes $75-150,000 a year and loves sports, cars, and hunting.
Good luck.
As silly as that example may seem, people search for the perfect partner and get frustrated when he or she is not up to the ideals in your head. And looking for a pastor is no different.
Finding the right pastor for your church is something nearly every church takes serious. But some take it to a different level in there search while looking for the perfect pastor. Here is an example of the Perfect Pastor.
- He preaches 20 minutes and then sits down.
- He condemns sin, but never steps on anybody's toes.
- He works from 8 in the morning till 10 at night, doing everything from preaching sermons to sweeping floors.
- He makes $400 per week, and gives $100 a week to the church, drives a late model car, buys lots of books, wears fine clothing, and has a nice family.
- He is 36 years old, and has been preaching for 40 years.
- He is tall, heavy set, and very handsome.
- He has blue or brown eyes and wears his hair parted in the middle or left.
- Has a desire to work with youth, and spends all his time with the senior citizens.
- He makes 15 calls a day on church members, spends all his time evangelizing, and is always found in his study.
This comical list is based on what churches look for in a pastor. They are specific and detailed to help look for the perfect man of God.
Are we missing the point? Why are we focusing on finding the perfect mate or the perfect Pastor? The perfect kids and animals? Can humans become perfect, is it even possible. Yes, but also no.
As believers in God, we strive towards being like Christ in all that we say and do. And that is correct being like God in our every day life. We should be more like Him and less like ourselves. Letting God through His Word transform us into an image of Him.
But somehow we took the Christian life purpose of being like God and less like our old nature, our sinful old self into the idea that we will eventually be perfect as God is.
Sure, perfection has a few meanings. Was it the best or most clear word to use, probably not, but it is what we are talking about.
Look at what the Bible has to say about Perfection.
Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
It is clear that Jesus calls us Christians to be perfect, like He is. And the authors of the Newer Testament drill that point home. Paul mentions this in a few letters. Christian Perfection is what we are to strive for, in all areas and moments of our lives.
We are not perfect yet, but we will be and God is - and always will be. Rejoice for a minute on that. Our God is perfect and holy. Sinless.
But even though we strive and desire towards perfection, as God is perfect we will not succeed. We still sin, still live and partake in a sinful society/world. We fail and that is okay.
The Christian life is like a race. When we except the Lord as our Savior and become a part of His forever family. We spend the rest of our time on this planet sharing this great joy with anyone who hears it. Because of this new found joy and desire to serve God we slowly or quickly stop participating in the sins of our past life - one by one. Sins that are knowingly or unknowingly involved in - one by one.
And I am not going to go into how difficult it can be,or how long it takes and how tricky and devious Satan is but we are to keep pressing on.
The author of Hebrews expounds on this when he wrote
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 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. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
So what are we to do? How or when are we to be perfect? I truly believe that Christian Perfection is possible, just not here on Earth.
When we get to Heaven, we will be perfect. We will be just like our Heavenly Father who is perfect.
So then we should not try? Absolutely not.
As Christians who believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died in our place and took the punishment for our sins, we need to try.
We are imperfect, flawed, trying and failing at times. Celebrate it.
For myself, I aim to be like Christ in every aspect and relationship I have daily. Do I fail? Yes. But I am still trying. And today, I am better than I was last week and more so than I was last year.
We will never be the perfect humans here on Earth but will be when we get to Heaven. Until then my personal goal is to be more like Christ every day and less like how I was. A sin filled man who chose to please himself, rather than serve God.
I am a work-in-progress and am okay with that. That does not give me the excuse to sin, but rather it is my opportunity to share with those in my community of my testimony, that I am a Christian. Even though I do lose my temper, speak without thinking and other sins - I am still loved by the God of the Universe and forgiven forever.
So I can proudly say I am not the Perfect Pastor nor am I the Perfect Christian, but I will be... eventually!
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam
