In the sermon on the mount, at the end of his discourse on forgiving and praying for your enemies, Jesus says:
“Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 48)
Greek/Western thinking would have us take this quite literally.
This puts a huge burden on us! Have we really traded the Old Testament works for a new and even harder set of works? Is this what Jesus really meant?
The word ‘perfect’ used here in most translations comes from the Greek word Teleios (Strongs 5046).
One of the meanings of Teleios is in fact ‘perfect’. But it also means:
- wanting nothing necessary to completeness
- consummate human integrity and virtue of men
- full grown, adult, of full age, mature
Full grown, mature, the consummation of human integrity, complete.
Wow. What a difference!
Not, “Attempt to do the humanly impossible by sheer will!”
But rather, “Grow up, guys! Break that old box and see that there is so much more! Become Hious! Mature Sons!”
This is a battle cry!
This is a call to intimate relationships, seeing beyond petty squabbles and even seemingly direct attacks from people.
God’s not after our perfection! He’s after our hearts!
1 Samuel 16:7 “the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Stop worrying about the rules of engagement with Papa! Stop being concerned with how you word your prayers or how you seek Him. Just engage Him. Just seek Him. God’s grace is big enough to look past how you do anything and see the heart of the matter.
Let’s stop putting God’s commands and Jesus’s teachings into a set of rules that must be obeyed and realise that these are more like guidelines for life as Mature Sons of God!
All of creation is waiting for the Hious to RISE UP!
Let’s embrace a season of maturing to accelerate ourselves to the future us: Sonship leading to Kingship.
Be encouraged. Be empowered. Be delivered.
Glory Company