After preaching to the people about loving everyone, Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48
The word "perfect" denotes those who have attained the full development of innate powers, in contrast to those who are still in the undeveloped state - adults in contrast to children. Thus the thought here is - Ye shall be satisfied with, and shall attain to, no lower state than that of maturity.
C.S. Lewis wrote:
The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.
When I think of my life and how God tries to to teach me every day, then it certainly does seem like He wants me to be perfect. I wish I was; my lack of faith upsets me. I need to be patient with myself and look to Jesus knowing he will change me day by day.
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