"Be ye... perfect"

ARTHUR F. CURRAN

When Christ Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,"^{Matt. 5:48;} did he really mean what he said or was he suggesting an impossibility? Would our Saviour ask something of his followers that he knew they could not attain? No, our Way-shower was giving instruction that all mankind needs. His purpose was to teach and show how we can work out our salvation, and this rule helps us do so.

God was Jesus' authority for this command. In the first book in the Bible we read that the Lord talked with Abram and said, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."^{Gen. 17:1;}

Although mankind may look upon this as an extreme demand, it is in conformity with the first chapter in the Bible, which says that God made man in His own image and likeness—the perfect creator expressed in His perfect child. So Jesus' command should awaken us to the spiritual truth of creation, which according to Scripture is "very good."^1:31; The real man, Spirit's offspring, is spiritual—perfect. We are to learn this and manifest more of the perfection of our true selfhood.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Will You Accept Healing?