The subject of perfection in Scripture is often taught in error by a wide variety of leavened (i.e. corrupt) preachers because they have little understanding of the philosophy (i.e. way of thinking) that the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us, and this is because they do not understand how the Word of God defines the doctrines of Jesus.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy [a way of thinking] and vain deceit [useless lies], after the tradition of men, after the rudiments [first teachings] of the world, and not after Christ.
-Colossians 2:8
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
-Matthew 5:48
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
-Psalm 71:1
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
-1 Corinthians 14:33
"Have you ever noticed that not everybody, nor everything, is perfect in life? And if you live long enough, you know what I'm saying. People are going to make mistakes.You're going to make mistakes. I'm going to make mistakes. If you think I don't make mistakes, you can just ask my wife. She could easily tell you about all of my mistakes...One thing's for sure, no one is perfect in life. "
-Walter Hallam, "No One is Perfect - 7 at 7 with Walter Hallam," Abundant Life Christian Center, Aug 13, 2020, retrieved Jan 7, 2021, [https://fb.watch/2SP1Yga_j1/]
In another example, corrupt preacher R.C. Sproul taught that perfection is righteous living:
"The human dilemma is this:God is holy, and we are not. God is righteous, and we are not. To be sure, it is openly admitted in our culture that 'No one is perfect. '"
-R.C. Sproul, "None Righteous," Ligonier Ministries, retrieved Jan 7, 2021, [ligonier.org/learn/articles/none-righteous]
And in a final example, corrupt preacher Jon Bloom of desiringGod taught that perfection is not even a commandment:
"But to understand and believe this, we must first understand something Jesus said that sounds contradictory: 'You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect ' (Matthew 5:48).This sure sounds like a demand for perfection on the face of it. And it is, and therefore it isn't. "
-Jon Bloom, "Lay Aside the Weight of Perfection," desiringGod, June 9, 2017, retrieved Jan 7, 2021, [desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-perfection]
Based on what we just read from these corrupt preachers, we have been taught that Jesus commanded us to be perfect, that no one is perfect, that no one can be perfect, and that perfection both is and is not a commandment at the same time. Without going into detail, I would add they taught many more absurdities than just these few nonsensical statements. As I looked over the teachings of these men, there was a lot of reliance on worldly sources (e.g. lexicons, concordances, and Greek grammar dictionaries), relying on the writings of men instead of the doctrines of God in His Word, quoting from the Bible little, if at all, which is one of the major reasons they get this vital doctrine so wrong.
(Read "The Dangers of Using Lexicons and Concordances" & "The 'Original Greek' Scam" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)
The key to understanding the doctrine Jesus taught on perfection is to know how Scripture is supposed to be studied. Thankfully, God was kind enough to teach us how to study His Word:
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
-Isaiah 28:9-10
Then, God goes on to explain why He did that:
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
-Isaiah 28:13
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power [i.e. authority] thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
-2 Timothy 3:5-7
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
-1 Corinthians 2:14
perfect (adj): conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type; excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement
(See 'perfect', Random House Dictionary, 2021, [dictionary.com]; See also Collins English Dictionary, 10th Edition, William Collins Sons & Co, 2012)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
-Romans 3:23-24
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
-1 John 1:8-10
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
-Matthew 5:43
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
-2 Peter 3:16-18
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
-Matthew 5:44-45
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
-Matthew 5:46-47
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
-1 Peter 3:9
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
-Matthew 5:48
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This is based on the fruits of the Spirit, as mentioned in Galatians:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22-23
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
-Luke 6:35-36
(Read "The Biblical Understanding of Charity" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
-Matthew 7:12
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
-Matthew 22:37-40
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.
-Psalm 18:30
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
-Jeremiah 17:9
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
-Proverbs 28:26
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
-Luke 24:44-47
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles [prophets] of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles [i.e. the basic understanding and first teachings] of the doctrine of Christ,
-Hebrews 5:12-6:3
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
-Matthew 13:23
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
-Psalm 18:32
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
-Deuteronomy 18:13
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
-Genesis 17:1-2
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec [i.e. the priesthood of faith under Jesus Christ], and not be called after the order of Aaron?
-Hebrews 7:11
If observance of the law were the key to perfection, then how did Abraham acheive it before the law was given? Furthermore, how did Noah acheive it without the law of God?
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
-Genesis 6:9
God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
-2 Samuel 22:33
And he [Abijam] walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
-1 Kings 15:3-5
On the other hand, the Bible says that when Amaziah reigned as king over Jerusalem, he did that which was right according to God's commandments, but he did not have a perfect heart of charity, to love the Lord God first and his neightbor as himself. This clearly demonstrates that there is a difference between keeping the laws of God and living perfectly in the sight of God, and that those who keep the law (or claim to keep the law) are not automatically the children of God.
(Read "False Converts vs Eternal Security" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)
Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
-2 Chronicles 25:1-2
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
-Psalm 37:37
Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
-Psalm 64:1-4
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
-Psalm 139:19-22
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
-Psalm 101:2-3
"I hate him with a perfect hatred. I have no love—NO LOVE!!!—FOR THIS BRUCE FREAK! I hope he dies today! I hope he dies and goes to hell! "
(See Steven L. Anderson, "Steven Anderson's Hatefulness and Wrath," [https://archive.org/details/CLEsandersonwrath])
He also made statements about Barack Obama in the same manner:
"And I'm going to tell you something:I hate Barack Obama! You say: Well, you mean you just don't like what he stands for. No, I hate the person! Well, you just don't like his politics. No, I HATE HIM!... You say: Are you just saying that? No. When I go to bed tonight, Steven L. Anderson is going to pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell. "
(See Steven L. Anderson, "Pastor Steven L Anderson Is Gonna Pray For Barack Obama To Die And Go To Hell," Jim Pence, Sep 8, 2009, retrieved Jan 12, 2021, [https://youtu.be/k9zyLRaX7jQ])
Please do not misunderstand; I cannot hardly tolerate even hearing Barack Obama speak because he is such a wicked man who has done horrible things, but I still pray that (if at all possible) the Lord Jesus Christ would bring him and his family to repentance (i.e. godly sorrow) of his sins and faith in Christ before it is too late, and I pray the same for Anderson and his family. Anderson is my enemy, and an enemy of Christ's church, but I still pray that God would show him as much mercy as He has shown me. In order to hate with perfect hatred, one must first understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His doctrine on perfection, having knowledge of charity in the Spirit of God, but sadly, Steven Anderson has no understanding of it because he does not have the Holy Spirit to understand it in the first place.
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Steven Anderson" here at creationliberty.com for more details on Anderson's hypocrisy and false doctrines.)
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
-1 Corinthians 2:14
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
-Luke 6:40
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
-Galatians 3:3
Therefore, it is foolish to believe that someone can acheive perfection by the works of the law, and furthermore, it is doubly foolish to reject the doctrine of perfection completely by claiming it is not achievable. Such foolish things are spoken by men who are in no position to be teaching anyone, let alone trying to interpret the doctrines of God's Holy Word.
However, as we read earlier in Isaiah 28, God designed His Word in this way on purpose for our protection against those who might twist the words of Scripture to lead us away from the Bible. I thank the Lord God for His mercy and protection for us that, through the study of Scripture, He reproves and corrects us (Pro 15:10) so that we would be made perfect in our service unto Him.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
-2 Timothy 3:16-17