Perfect Love

Today in service, Elder ManHon preached on Matthew 5:38-48, a moving and convicting passage on what it looks like to obey and live out our Christian faith as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. In many ways, Matthew 5:48 is the pinnacle of the Sermon on The Mount — Jesus declares that God is the standard, not man.

When we are wronged, naturally, the flesh wants us to retaliate and take matters into our own hands. Yet, Christ calls us to rise above worldly standards, and instead seek to obey God’s standards. We are called to seek the highest good, for when we love, God is glorified. And indeed, God is sanctifying us in every moment of our struggle. If this seems impossible, we are reminded that it is Him who changes our hearts, and He has begun this good work in us. Instead of hate for one’s enemies, we can love, just as God loved us while we were His enemies. This is the perfect love we are called to live out.

While we do not have to be defeated by frustration when we fail, we also ought not to be complacent and disobey. While we may rest in the complete work of Jesus, He also wants us to grow and mature as children of the Father — “being perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect”.  If we are God’s children, we must think, speak and act as God wants us to. Although we cannot achieve sinless perfection on this side of heaven, it does not mean we should not strive to live a holy life by faith. For having received God’s perfect love, we can begin to display this love as His children.