Nobody's Perfect

Make a mistake or fall short of someone’s expectations and you may find yourself using the phrase; ”Well, nobody’s perfect.”  As a fallen, sinful humanity, we should be using this phrase often.  Only one human being in all history was perfect, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, true man and true God, being one with the Father.  None of us, even on our best of days, even approaches the perfection of our Lord.  Psalm 19:11-17, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.  9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.  10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.  11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” 

Amy Grant penned a song, Perfect People that broaches this subject.  From the lyrics of this song: “There's no such thing as perfect people. There's no such thing as a perfect life. So come as you are, broken and scarred. Lift up your heart and be amazed and be changed by a perfect God. Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted when you hear the words that you are loved. He knows where you are and where you've been and you never have to go there again.  So, be changed by a perfect God who lived and died to give new life to heal our imperfections.  So look up and see love and let grace be enough.”  The real message in this song is that God is perfect and we need to be changed by a perfect God once we give ourselves to Him. 

So much of this new and modern Christian theology really looks to change God, not the believer.  This new theology seeks to remake God in humankind’s image and has the audacity to place conditions upon God.   When we place conditions upon the Lord, we do not truly love Him, but still place the love of self ahead of our God.  This is where the leaders and scholars of the ELCA fail our Lord and lead their membership away from Him.  Consider the misguided new doctrine that preaches that all are saved, or what is commonly called universal salvation.  Now this particular belief is not part of the official doctrine of the ELCA, but is becoming increasingly involved in mainstream discussions.  That all are saved regardless of belief is extremely appalling.   That a church would even consider that faith in the Risen Christ is optional is pure apostasy. 

Other “new things” that God is supposedly telling the leaders of the ELCA revolve around the mistaken assumption that since God is perfect, everything he has created is also perfect.  Those created by a perfect God are assumed that any proclivity that drives their being is considered good by the Lord, because He created them that way.  One needs only to look around the world and realize that humankind is inherently evil, not good, and certainly not perfect.  Using the doctrine of bound conscience to justify homosexuality can also be used to justify any aberrant behavior that one may be involved.  People afflicted with mental diseases that trigger behaviors that are unacceptable to God and society were also made that way by a perfect God.  Should we also institute doctrine to make those behaviors acceptable to the church?  Not being as enlightened as the Biblical scholars and leaders of the ELCA, the answer is quite clear.

Our Lord is perfect, we are flawed.  We need to look to our perfect God for guidance and the best place to find that knowledge is in the Bible.  His word is made clear for us.  Those that preach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, without the secular political correctness that permeates the ELCA, will allow those that listen to hear His word, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may come to know the Lord and understand the path He desires us to follow.  When we place our Lord’s will before our own, only then will even approach the perfection that He intends for His children.  Colossians 1:21-23, 28-29 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.  28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”  Fill yourself with His spirit and love.  Place our Lord first and foremost in your lives.  Let God’s spirit flow like a river through you, a vessel that lives to serve and adore Him that gave His life so that you may live forever.  Amen.