God is characterized by perfection, and Christians are encouraged to strive towards achieving that level of perfection: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 NKJV). Perfection is found in the state of integrity. All humans are created with a condition of integrity. However, human integrity often becomes diluted due to various influences and issues that cause physical discomfort. To comprehend and capture the essential message in His statement, we must analyze the discourse that prompted Jesus to instruct His followers to strive for perfection.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV).
Confronting the truth is often the most difficult endeavour, yet nothing is as vitally significant as facing it to attain freedom. The only path towards freedom involves confronting conditions considered most difficult by human standards. The value of everything taught by Jesus is incomparable and worth an individual’s life. Jesus instructs us to love our enemies and bless those cursing us, a principle deemed unachievable. Without adopting this principle, one cannot regard oneself as God’s child. This world tends to focus on loving those who love us, rather than those who seek to harm us.
To achieve perfection like God, one must perceive issues as God does. In our physical condition, it is impossible to observe things as God perceives them. Therefore, we must apply the teachings of Jesus verbatim, even if they may appear as not making sense. Nevertheless, a believer regards everything taught by Jesus as making sense. There is no room for error, in things taught by Jesus, whose words should be adopted as standard. Otherwise, the alternative is to abandon His teachings, similar to how the young rich man behaved. Jesus did not condemn that young man but helped His disciples to understand the standard by which to evaluate the principle of Christianity.
Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:16-30 NKJV).
The conversation begins with the young rich man addressing Jesus as a “good Master.” How sincere was he in that apparent polite address? If, indeed, he had discovered that Jesus was a good Master, why did he walk away from Him after being told what to do? Was he addressing in that manner with sincerity, or merely to be perceived as respectful? In this life, many people adjust their posture and use words according to the applicable situation. At times, one can be addressed as “Mr.” or “Sir,” depending on how one is perceived as deserving or not deserving of respect. However, most lavish addresses come from pretenders who commonly use such terms without sincerity.
Members of Parliament are addressed as “Honorable.” Mayors are addressed as “Your Worship.” The most disagreeable is “Your Excellency” when addressing a state president known to be corrupt. The majority of those addressing him thus, would not be sincere, when aware of his corrupt conduct. Such titles are commonly used because not honouring them is regarded as disrespectful to the office held. The argument is that holding offices considered honourable makes one respectable, as opposed to those not deserving of any respect. At the bottom of these customary terms, the truth about how the person being addressed is perceived can be revealed.
In responding to being addressed as a “good Master,” Jesus reveals what is often overlooked, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” This is true. The rich young man could not address God in the same manner he approached Jesus. Nothing suggests that the young man, even slightly, assumed that Jesus represented God. The young man had approached the Son of Man, and his approach to Jesus did not imply that he saw Jesus as the Son of God. This would have been perilous if he had discovered that Jesus was Christ, the Son of God. It was appropriate for him to communicate with Jesus as the Son of Man, as he could have risked committing the unpardonable sin.
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32 NKJV).
The Scripture states that those who interacted with Him as the Son of Man could make any foolish remark without consequence. Jesus understood the perspective of the Jews who could not accept Him as the Son of God. They saw a dishonourable Son of Man, rather than the Son of God. Jesus proclaimed the possibility of blasphemy after the Jews had insultingly claimed that His miraculous deeds were influenced by Beelzebub. They were not necessarily insulting the Holy Spirit through which Jesus performed those miracles. They addressed the Son of Man because they did not understand what the Holy Spirit entailed. They may have observed Jesus’ miracles and possibly acknowledged such powers, but, like the rich young man, they never assumed He could be God’s Son.
Informed individuals do not regard physical humans as honourable, just as they do not seek honour for themselves. In His interactions with humans, Jesus never addressed anyone in this world with honour. He treated humans as equals and openly criticized the religiously honoured as hypocrites. While Jesus did not seek honour for Himself, as Christ, He also did not misdirect His honour towards any physical human. This may have been one of the reasons for the Jews’ antipathy towards Him. During His trial, He was slapped in the face for not showing due respect to the High Priest.
The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” (John 18:19-23 NKJV).
The poor fellow had no inkling of who he was striking in that manner. Jesus never placed any sin on those people. When attempting to rescue someone struggling in darkness one risks being harmed by that very person. The mission of Jesus was as delicate as causing His conviction but without sin. The High Priest may have felt satisfied that instant justice had been delivered on his behalf. This was done to the Son of Man and not the Son of God. In this world, assuming to be granted honour when advancing the true gospel is naïve. One way to distinguish false preachers is by the honour accorded to them.
From a human perspective, standing up for the truth is not feasible. After the rich young man had walked away, Jesus used the example of a camel going through the eye of a needle to describe how difficult it would be for a rich person to enter God’s Kingdom. The difficulty lies in the assumption that some people are superior to others. Those of this world can never assume that everyone is equal in status. The young rich man, possibly out of the honour, accorded those with lots of money, could not entertain the idea that humans are equal. He could not lower himself to the level of those considered as nonentities.
God’s truth comes with the understanding that, although one may possess more knowledge than others, one cannot claim superiority. Whatever knowledge one is privileged with, they are expected to address the problems affecting those less informed, dutifully. This sense of responsibility led Jesus to endure the crucifixion. Jesus carried the sins of the entire world, as if more sinful than all of us. This signifies the importance of perfection in God’s eyes, requiring Christians to behave similarly.
“Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this, we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:13-17 NKJV).
The term “brethren” should not be selectively understood as applying to those of one’s fellowship only. With the outlined understanding, no one can regard even the worst murderer as an unacceptable enemy. One seeks to reach out to such individuals through good communication, aiming to salvage them from whatever they wrongly assume to be real. Applying God’s love without understanding is impossible. However, a sincere believer would meticulously seek to take every word of Jesus as true, even though it may appear inapplicable according to human standards. John says there is no need to marvel when treated with scorn, as that is the only way leading to God’s approval.
The command, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 NKJV), must not be taken casually. Christianity appears filled with dedicated individuals eager to obey Jesus’ instructions. However, the key to accessing God’s Kingdom lies in adopting the principle of assuming responsibility for the sins of the world. Perfection is attainable only when one takes responsibility for all sins in the process of redemption. The notion of blaming others instead of oneself for any perceived wrongdoing is a message that originates from Satan, not from God.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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