Be Ye Therefore Perfect
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Matt 5:48
Christ’s commission is in effect. Always. And it exists with the expectation that we’ll fall short. Hence all he did in this ministry. The call to come to him.
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Matt 11:28
That was his call. Yes we were to be perfect but if we are heavy laden he will lift the load. He will lift us up. This is the man who called us to purity and dined with sinners. I think that juxtaposition is what we should be yearning for in our own life. I mean that.
Let's think about the entire purpose of his life on earth. It was to perform an atonement so that we can repent and return to him. The whole point of the atonement is that we can change and be better. That call, that service. It's the entire point of his existence and it's one that we need to remember daily.
I’m afraid that purity tests are destroying relations between people in the faith. Things that have nothing to do with the basic tenets and first principles of the gospel are used to determine ones standing. We're so focused on the call to perfection we forgot the call to the heavy laden. In doing so we create stumbling blocks for ourselves and others.
Two of the stumbling blocks that come to mind for me are the pedestals we place Eagle Scout and a Mission on. I'll only marry a returned missionary. Make sure he's an eagle scout. We've heard those phrases. Almost flippantly shared. They aren't an aspect of evaluating character, they're a requirement for social progress.
It’s not only what we’re expected to have done positively that matters. Any past decision that’s different. Our past sins are held against us as well. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. Prudence matters in our relations with fellow man. But sins that did not result in harm shouldn’t be remembered. Sins that have been repented of should also be left behind.
I don't think either of these paradigms are how the Savior wants us to evaluate each other and our relationships. I think the way he sees us is how we truly are. The intent of our hearts. Our current actions, endeavors, and standing. With a healthy dose of our potential. That's how he can call us to perfection, and when we're heavy laden.
"“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him … ,” Moroni pleads. “Love God with all your might, mind and strength, then … by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.” Our only hope for true perfection is in receiving it as a gift from heaven—we can’t “earn” it. Thus, the grace of Christ offers us not only salvation from sorrow and sin and death but also salvation from our own persistent self-criticism."
That was Jeffrey R Holland. I think he gives us the road map. Christ is not only the one calling us to perfection, but also the way. If we open ourselves up to helping others realize that, doing what good we can to lighten their load we'll all have more access to the grace we need to get just one step closer to perfection.
That's my hope at least. To help and love as He did. I don't always know how well I'm doing or where I am at with that. But I hope I'm a bit closer today and tomorrow.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/be-ye-therefore-perfect-eventually?lang=eng
Matt 5:48
Christ’s commission is in effect. Always. And it exists with the expectation that we’ll fall short. Hence all he did in this ministry. The call to come to him.
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Matt 11:28
That was his call. Yes we were to be perfect but if we are heavy laden he will lift the load. He will lift us up. This is the man who called us to purity and dined with sinners. I think that juxtaposition is what we should be yearning for in our own life. I mean that.
Let's think about the entire purpose of his life on earth. It was to perform an atonement so that we can repent and return to him. The whole point of the atonement is that we can change and be better. That call, that service. It's the entire point of his existence and it's one that we need to remember daily.
I’m afraid that purity tests are destroying relations between people in the faith. Things that have nothing to do with the basic tenets and first principles of the gospel are used to determine ones standing. We're so focused on the call to perfection we forgot the call to the heavy laden. In doing so we create stumbling blocks for ourselves and others.
Two of the stumbling blocks that come to mind for me are the pedestals we place Eagle Scout and a Mission on. I'll only marry a returned missionary. Make sure he's an eagle scout. We've heard those phrases. Almost flippantly shared. They aren't an aspect of evaluating character, they're a requirement for social progress.
It’s not only what we’re expected to have done positively that matters. Any past decision that’s different. Our past sins are held against us as well. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. Prudence matters in our relations with fellow man. But sins that did not result in harm shouldn’t be remembered. Sins that have been repented of should also be left behind.
I don't think either of these paradigms are how the Savior wants us to evaluate each other and our relationships. I think the way he sees us is how we truly are. The intent of our hearts. Our current actions, endeavors, and standing. With a healthy dose of our potential. That's how he can call us to perfection, and when we're heavy laden.
"“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him … ,” Moroni pleads. “Love God with all your might, mind and strength, then … by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.” Our only hope for true perfection is in receiving it as a gift from heaven—we can’t “earn” it. Thus, the grace of Christ offers us not only salvation from sorrow and sin and death but also salvation from our own persistent self-criticism."
That was Jeffrey R Holland. I think he gives us the road map. Christ is not only the one calling us to perfection, but also the way. If we open ourselves up to helping others realize that, doing what good we can to lighten their load we'll all have more access to the grace we need to get just one step closer to perfection.
That's my hope at least. To help and love as He did. I don't always know how well I'm doing or where I am at with that. But I hope I'm a bit closer today and tomorrow.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/be-ye-therefore-perfect-eventually?lang=eng
Well said. I think we are often victims of our own social programing. As adults we say a lot of things ment to help keep children safe. Without realizing the long term consequences of those ideas. Then they get stuck in our heads and repeated so often we think they are normal, and even good. Ignoring the damage they are causing to our society.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to see damage in the moment unless it's blatantly or severely adverse. Recognizing the patterns of it requires us to step back a bit and reflect I think.
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