CALL TO PRAYER
Topic: Perfection is not Sinlessness
By: Daniel Peter
Date: 24.06.2026
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
So many times, I hear people say, “None can be perfect.” While this statement may seem pious, as it suggests our insufficiency and our need for God’s grace, it is not entirely true. The very fact that Jesus Christ instructed us to be perfect, as revealed in our opening verse, suggests that we can be perfect in our character.
The Greek word translated as perfect in Matthew 5:48 is teleios, which means complete or mature. It suggests full maturity. In other words, we have the ability to manifest the character of God, which is love, to its fullness. However, being perfect does not mean being sinless. One who has attained perfection may still fall into sin, but such a person is quick to genuinely repent when they become aware of their wrongdoing.
Noah was described as a perfect man in Scripture (Genesis 6:9), yet it is recorded that he became drunk with wine (Genesis 9:21). Therefore, his being described as perfect did not mean that he never made mistakes. Likewise, when Jesus instructs us to be perfect, it does not mean that we are incapable of making the mistake of sinning. Rather, it means that when our sins come to our notice, we turn away from them with sincerity and truth.
With this understanding, we should agree with God that we can be perfect in our character, just as He has instructed us to be. At the same time, we must recognize that we grow into this perfection progressively. Yet this perfection does not mean that we lack the capacity to make mistakes.
Prayer Points
1. Let us thank God for His Word today.
2. Let us ask Him to help us receive His Word with meekness and humility.
3. Let us pray for grace to grow into the fullness of Christ’s character.
4. Let us ask for a sincere and repentant heart whenever we fall short.
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