"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." Genesis 17:1
Back to "Listen to God's Lessons"
Did you ever wish you were perfect? Well, stop wishing and start praying for it. God wants us to be perfect, and "if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-14). Here are some scriptures that declare that we can be perfect, and that God is looking for those who are perfect.
"Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." Genesis 6:9
"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." Genesis 17:1
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." Job 1:1
"Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God." Deuteronomy 18:13
"God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect." 2 Samuel 22:33
"Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day." 1 Kings 8:61
"And he 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." 1 Kings 15:3
In that last scripture, God proclaims that David's heart was perfect. Now, we all know that David committed sins and had an imperfect life. He was imperfect in our eyes, but not in God's eyes. God is able to perfect us. "A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again" (Proverbs 24:16). Even if we sin, when we repent, God erases those stains. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
Let's look at some more scriptures in which God calls us to be perfect.
"It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Psalm 18:32
"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Psalm 37:37
"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." Psalm 101:2
"Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me." Psalm 101:6
"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." Psalm 138:8
"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." 2 Chronicles 16:9
"For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it." Proverbs 2:21
"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness." Proverbs 11:5
Perfection is mentioned in the New Testament, too.
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48
"Yeshua said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Matthew 19:21
"The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master." Luke 6:40
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:23
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Yeshua Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Corinthians 1:10 [AMEN!]
"For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection." 2 Corinthians 13:9
"Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded" Philipians 3:15
"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Yeshua" Colossians 1:28
"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." Colossians 3:14
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." Colossians 4:12
"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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God" Hebrews 6:1
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Yeshua, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Yeshua Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:4
"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 1 Peter 5:10
Finally, here are two secrets to pertaining perfection.
"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." 1 John 2:5
"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:12
Seek God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. If You want to find more of God, read His Word. You can't study His Word too much. There isn't enough time in a lifetime to discover all the treasures and mysteries buried in His Word. So, keep His Word -- plus, we need to love one another to perfect His love. Perfection cannot be achieved without the love of God dwelling in our hearts, "for love shall cover a multitude of sins" 1 Peter 4:8.
Just ask Him for these treasures. He will answer, because He wants us to be perfect in Him. The more perfectly we walk with Him, the more blessed our lives will be.