Perfection is a state of existence that is divorced from mankind. On the other hand, God is absolutely perfect; whatever is perfect is to be ascribed to him; otherwise, he could neither be absolutely self-sufficient, all-sufficient, nor eternally blessed in himself. He is absolutely perfect, inasmuch as no perfection is wanting in him. He is thus the standard of perfection. If perfection has to know where it stands, then it has to look at its Master and know what is its standard.
Being perfect, God is the standard by which everything else will be measured. It would be impossible for God to be imperfect because that would mean that another standard has found a flaw in Him. But whose standard would that be? If there is another standard higher than God’s standard, then that means God is subject to judgment by something else, making that other thing god. Humanity often tries to elevate its own opinions above God’s decrees, thereby implying that He is flawed. When we judge God by our own standards, we are in effect placing ourselves on His throne.
Thus, perfection says, that God is without any flaw. He is perfect in every way. Deuteronomy 32: 4 states “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Psalms 18:30 also proclaims the perfection of God “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
We call God’s character His attributes. Every attribute of God is perfection personified. When we say in I John 4:16 “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” we are acknowledging the fact that the Love of and within God is the ultimate reflection of His character and there can be nothing better than that. Thus, we establish the perfect love of God. When the Bible describes the nature of God, it uses the word is. This means that God does not just possess loving feelings; He is all that love means. Love is His nature. God perfectly defines love.
God is just, and perfect so we get our innate sense of justice from our Creator, who embodies justice. All hints of fairness or righteousness found in us have their completeness in a perfect God. Even His forgiveness is just because, for the believer, sin has already been punished in Christ. The perfection of God’s justice means God pronounces those who are in Christ “not guilty.”
God is perfect; we are not. But when He saves us, the Holy Spirit moves in and begins to transform our imperfections. God’s goal is that we become “conformed to the image of His Son”. Although we know we will never attain absolute perfection in this fallen world, He wants us to pursue it. Jesus is perfect. We become perfect as we keep our eyes on Him and seek to imitate Him in every choice we make. Mathew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Dr Ashwin Drummond
Laddertoheaven.co.in