Click for a free eBook of 10 Prayers that Bring Heaven to Earth … For My Home https://www.beauabernathy.org/10-Prayers-Free-Ebook
Jesus is Knocking - Will You Answer?
Grab your free copy of the First Two Chapters, Study Guide and Video Series of My Heart is Christ’s Home.

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, NIV)

Wait.

Did you skip over that verse?

Read it again.

Slowly.

Out loud.

What do we do with this verse?

"Well, that's not possible. "Be perfect..." Nobody's perfect!"

Then why would God give us a command without also giving us the power to fulfill it?

Before you think that I'm advocating sinless perfection, let's stop and think this through from a biblical perspective.

God's Word teaches that we are living in both a BEING and a BECOMING when it comes to perfection!

In one sense, in the eyes of God, when we turn from our sin to Jesus alone for our eternal destiny God declares us perfect because we are "in Christ!" God looks at us through the lens of Jesus, and God's Word says,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NIV)

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29–30, NIV)

God knows exactly what to do to make us like Jesus - and that includes speaking of our being in heaven as if it has already happened ("...he also GLORIFIED!"). In other words, our salvation is so secure that God speaks of it as if it has already happened.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

GOD DECLARES US PERFECT IN CHRIST! (BEING)

AS WE LIVE OUT WHO WE REALLY ARE IN CHRIST WE ARE BECOMING WHO GOD HAS MADE US TO BE IN CHRIST!

Here is a little exercise to help you see the power of this simple truth of BEING and BECOMING!

Say this short statement out loud right now and throughout today and see how it affects your thinking:

I am perfect IN CHRIST.

I am BECOMING PERFECT because I am IN CHRIST.

When you are tempted to lash out at someone, think,
"I am perfect in Christ. I don't have to do this. They are perfect in Christ! Maybe not yet, but in God's sight they have the potential to become perfect by being in Christ or they are already perfect in God's sight because they are in Christ."

When you are tempted to think negatively about yourself and your abilities, think,
"I am perfect in Christ! God does not love me because I am valuable; I am valuable because God loves me. I am becoming what He has already made me to be and I am living to please an audience of ONE (2 Corinthians 5:10)!"

Thinking that we can become who God has already made us to be in Christ will not make us sinless,

... but it will help us SIN LESS!

Now, your turn! Try this little experiment and let me know how it goes!

• How often do you making you time to talk to God and confess your sins to him?

Rejoicing, On the Victory Side!

Beau

Feeling stuck? I respond to each and every email that comes my way. I will be happy to help you any way that I can. Just hit the "reply" button and it will come straight to my inbox!

Before you unsubscribe, please don't go! I am going to release the 22 books I have written (some with best-selling co-authors) through this email list first for a special discount (many free). If you want to email me about any concerns, please reply to this email and I will respond within the day.