Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Devotion
Jesus wraps up this instruction on these values, that go way beyond the good ways the people had been taught, by saying this: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” God’s not asking you to prove that you can do all these things in your own power. The greater righteousness demanded in verse twenty has been illustrated in this section of Scripture and is now summed up in one all-embracing command. The command is that disciples must be perfect. This indicates that God’s requirement goes beyond legal conformity. The Greek word Jesus uses for perfection is teleios. This carries with it the thought of completeness. This points to a life that is totally integrated to the will of God, and therefore reflecting His character (a living sacrifice).
The conformity to the character of God, to which Israel was called in their role as God’s special people, is now affirmed as the goal of the disciples of Jesus. It is an ideal set before all disciples, not a special status for those who claim to have achieved “sinless perfection” in this life. Instead, it is a call to reflect the heart of God in everything we do. This means going beyond the letter of the Law and living out the very heart of the Law.
Mature believers will reflect the heart of the Father. Daily, they will surrender their will (mind) and their ways (body) to God as a living sacrifice. It is important to note that growth or maturity is a process. It is also important to note that it is God who is working inside of us to conform us to the image of His Son. The righteousness that God requires in verse twenty is unattainable through human effort. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, God credits His righteousness to our account. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith…the righteous will live by faith.” So once again, we see Jesus teaching His followers to own the values of the kingdom, not just obey the rules.
Questions to Ponder:
Are you maturing in your faith? Do you daily surrender you mind and your body to God? How are you embracing the values of the kingdom? How has the Sermon on the Mount impacted the way you view righteousness? To date, what is your biggest take-away from the Sermon on the Mount?
Prayer Points
- Ask God to fill Your mind and heart with His Holy Spirit to help you think about things that are true, pure, holy and good.
- Ask God to make you and those in our church family to live out the heart of His Word, not just to obey the rules.
- Ask God to empower You to remove anything from your life that is not bringing Him glory.
Suggested Prayer
Father, I praise You Lord for Your kindness, perfection, consistency, forgiveness and friendship. Thank You that even though I forget You throughout the day, You never forget me. Lord, I give You myself fully once again. I ask that You remind me to meditate on You and Your Word. I ask that my heart is pure and that as I fellowship with You that Your love would overflow from my life. Please help me to live out the heart of Your law so that I might look more like You! I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.