Matthew 19:20-22 English Standard Version

20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

This lesson is about perception of perfection.

Do the scriptures say Christians are perfect?

The perception of perfection is illusionary. We will not be perfected until we are translated in eternity.

1 John 1:8 English Standard Version (ESV) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

What can Christians do to change the perception of what it is to be a Christian?

Psalm 37:37 King James Version (KJV) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Psalm 37:37 English Standard Version (ESV) Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

I had to search the KJV to find “perfect man” where the ESV refers to us as blameless. We do not hold ourselves blameless, that is the opinion of God towards those of us that have been justified by faith in Christ.

We have the peace of God that shows us we are walking by faith in His will. When we lose that peace, we can stop, see why we lost our peace, confess our condition and move on because He is just to forgive us our humanity.

We cannot change the perception the world has of us if we cannot keep the peace of God that shows us that our walk by faith is still on the path to His will.

We seek to please God, not the world.