Matthew 5:48  
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (NIV)

Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. (The Message)

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First things first: This verse is not a plea for perfectionism. 

You’re welcome.

Instead of perfectionism, let us consider holiness. In Leviticus 19:2 and Deuteronomy 18:13, we are told, “you must be holy as I am holy.”

This may sound like six of one and half a dozen of another. It kind of is. But before you give up and get back to your normal imperfections, let’s dig a bit deeper and ponder a bit longer. 

Consider these verses:

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless.”
Genesis 17:1

“Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”
Leviticus 19:2

Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
Philippians 3:15

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.
Colossians 4:12

And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:4

But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; . . . .
1 Peter 1:15

What big idea presents itself in these verses? What is the perfection God expects and Jesus anticipates? What does it mean to be holy?

Many books have been written to help us understand these ideas. Their content is rich and deep. They are worth our time. However, we can get to the essence of the meaning of holiness without 350 pages and without pictures.

Consider what God said to Abram in Genesis 17:1 above. He tells him, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless.” I have always struggled with the idea of blamelessness. I am better than average on the good-to-bad scale. It’s a job requirement. Also, I have to try to keep up with my wife.

Instead of focusing on blamelessness, focus on the first part of that sentence, where God says, “Live in my presence.” Matthew 17:1-13 helps us understand what it’s like to live in God’s presence. Jesus is transfigured, and his disciples see him for who he really is. The beautiful perfection of those moments on that mountain was something Peter, James, and John never wanted to leave. Nothing could tempt them to willingly walk away from the most meaningful encounter of their lives.

Those men were ready to lay aside anything and everything that would hinder them from being there with Jesus as He truly is. Their only desire was more of Him and who He is. This was the day those disciples became almost fully mature in their faith. 

Almost, because the cross was still before them.

Almost, because there were spectacular failures to come.

Almost, because we at our best are still, now until forever, less than perfect. We, in and of ourselves, are now until forever always less than holy. 

The other verses above help us understand holiness more fully. Holiness works in two directions. First, it leads us away from those things that drive wedges between God and us. Second, it leads us to Him, to see Him as He is, to know Him in His beauty and perfection, and to become ever more like Him as we walk with Him through the days of our lives.

The more we see Jesus for who he really is, the less we are charmed by anything else. Spiritual maturity finds deepest satisfaction in God alone. Holiness is less mystical and more magnetic. It is measured less by halos and more by helpfulness. It is recognized less by vestments and more in personal investment in others. It is less something to achieve and more something to express.

Peter, James, and John on the mountain with Jesus wanted whatever Jesus wanted for them, and nothing less. Biblical perfection and holiness is a deepening longing, a consuming passion, a true hunger and thirst for more of Jesus.

There’s an old hymn entitled More About Jesus Would I Know. This would be a good time to look it up online or in that hymnal gathering dust on the shelf nearby. Ponder those lyrics. Sing them as your prayer. 

One last thought. You get the idea that if Peter, James, and John had one simple prayer request that they prayed every day and throughout every day, it would have been: “More Jesus, please.”

That’s good praying. That’s spiritual maturity. That’s holiness.

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I will hunger and thirst for more of Jesus.

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Our Father, make me holy as you are holy. More of you; less of me. Whatever you want, I want, too. Empower me to live generously and graciously toward others as you live this way toward me. Amen.