In the world today perfection seems to be this elusive term that can be universally applied to everything. This can create a unique problem for members of the church when they acknowledge the path of perfection as being a principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Be ye therefore perfect” seems to hang over the heads of many members of the church, as they seek to fulfill their callings, keep a clean house, look pretty (or handsome), lose weight, keep their children humble and in line, and every other thing that the modern term for perfection can be applied to.
After all, we learn that it is a standard notion in the church that there is no commandment given where he does not provide a way for us to succeed; but there is also a small bit of sanity within our consciousness which tells us that our application of perfection may be a little too broad to be feasibly achieved.
So it seems that there is more to perfection meaning less than we currently apply it to. The Savior was the one who told us “Be ye therefore perfect” and he is the model by which we are to follow to obtain perfection. It therefore should be defined, not by what we mean with the term perfection, but what He means with the term; and it would be safe to say that there is no greater model than the Savior who spoke the words himself.
Even then, sometimes in attempting to learn from the Savior what perfection might mean, we have a tendency of covering his image with our filter of perfection first, before we evaluate. We learn at a young age in Sunday School that Christ was perfect, and then apply the lessons from our elementary school definition of perfection to Christ prematurely. It is amazing how long that blanket term of perfection can veil our image of the Savior and what he actually was.
It is through these elementary definitions of perfection, which we have already identified could not have been the intent of his command, that we perceive that we was a handsome man, well kept and groomed regularly; that he had piercing blue eyes, and that he spoke with a rich deep voice during his mortal ministry. Now this is not to say that he didn’t have those things, but it is saying that there is no evidence that these were attributes of the Savior during his mortal ministry other than our application of our definition of perfection upon his image.
It is this veil that we assume that perfection may mean for us being socially present and liked by all; that there is something to be shameful about not having perfect children, or that we have to achieve success in everything that we do or we are not perfect. It is here that we acknowledge the Atonement for our sins, but fail to acknowledge his acceptance of our (temporal) failures.
Let’s evaluate some of the lies we tell ourselves about perfection through evaluating what perfection meant for the Savior throughout his mortal ministry. To do that we first need to accept and acknowledge that he was perfect, and as perfect as any mortal man could be. In doing that we also need to remove our application of perfection to him, and try and see what the man was really like during his test and trial of life.
In doing this, it may first be easier to identify what Jesus was not in his mortal ministry, to help us put in perspective what we might need to be.
Physical Beauty
Jesus wasn’t particularly beautiful. When Isaiah talks about him, and what he would look like, he describes him with, “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).
There was nothing physically unique about him as an individual, he carried with him no overtly glamorous appearance. There was nothing about his physical image that would immediate draw our attention to him. When he appeared back in his home town, the response was not – “Oh, Jesus is back – just looking at him growing up we could tell he was going to amount to something.” The response was “Is this not the carpenter’s son?”
Christ was a man, who lived in the Middle East in the meridian of time. Shampoo, soap, daily showers were all things that were virtually non-existent. Our anticipation of his physical stature to be one of beautiful flowing locks of hair, with well groomed finger nails, and perfect teeth is probably not an accurate picture.
In the perfection requested by Christ, there doesn’t seem to be physical requirements of beauty, size, or the means to be able to dress, smell, and polish up as other people do.
Socially Liked and Social Status
In today’s modern Christianity there is a temptation to desire to be liked by many, if not by everyone. This leads to many souls seeking the approval of others, thinking that to be Christian is to be liked, and to be not liked is unchristian.
The Savior taught us through his perfect example, that to be Christian, in fact to be Christ himself, almost by definition means not to be liked by some. Christ was the kindest and most compassionate soul that ever walked the earth, and yet he spurred the most vilest of hatred even among his own people. He was hated, conspired against, spit upon, unappreciated (even by those who were recipients of his miraculous gifts), and eventually crucified.
Christ wasn’t perfect because he was well liked. He was perfect because of the love he felt even for those who turned against him. He truly manifested his own words as his life was that of turning the other cheek often, if not every day.
He also wasn’t rewarded with high social status, nor did he seek it. The Gospels do not record anything that shall be likened to a mansion, home, or even a personal abode with which he was would retire to – let alone any indication that he would have any part of the social hierarchy. The records actually document quite the contrary as he responded, that “the Son of Man hath not a place to rest his head.”
Perfection isn’t seen in the outward approval of others and our social status but seen on the inward emotions and tender feelings we have towards one another regardless of their personal feelings towards us.
Supernatural Knowledge
When we grow up with the notion of perfection, and the knowledge the Christ was perfect, we can easily but unintentionally assume that Christ was born with that perfect knowledge that he now shares. Yet, there is nothing within the scriptures that supports that assumption.
In fact, there is quite a bit of evidence to support that he wasn’t born out of the womb with the mind of God, but with a veil just as each one of use had. But just like each one of us can, through faith and (prefect) obedience was able to receive more knowledge through the veil.
The scriptures say that he developed grace for grace, and line upon line. He grew and developed day by day, even within his ministry.
One of the best reflections of this reality comes out of the Gospel of Mark. Near the early stages of his ministry the record states that he removes himself to a mountain to fast and to pray. Almost immediately upon returning, he calls his disciples together points out twelve of them and calls them to be apostles or special witnesses – his closest companions. The Lord had to remove himself and perform the same acts that most newly called bishops and stake presidents follow when determining who their counselors would be. He didn’t have the whole picture at that time – to see the ending from the beginning – or his omnipresent eye. He knew just enough to know, that he didn’t know who he would need to call, and he knew where he could get such answers.
There is nothing that states that to be perfect we have to be the smartest in the class, graduated college, or know something (or everything) of everything. There is not inherent intelligence required. We just have to be open to knowledge, and know where to get it.
Temporal Success in the Worlds Goals
Sometimes we forget that the checklist the world makes for us, is not the list that God looks at.
Evaluate the temporal list that was made for the Messiah – the goals that he had placed upon him by worldly expectations.
The world expected him to free the Jews from bondage, and create a new kingdom. It was anticipated that he would bring peace to the world, and reunite the tribes of Israel. That he would stand supreme upon the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Was any of this accomplished?
Yes! It was, and his followers (then and now) knew it. But it wasn’t fulfilled in the eyes of the world. To the rest of the world, to many of the Jews, to those who judged him, and to those who judge him today – his mortal ministry was a failure. He didn’t free the Jews, he didn’t create a new kingdom, and he didn’t rule on a throne. Those who looked on him, and still look on him today, cannot see the success, the power, and the compassion that he had and still has.
This is much like the trial that we all carry today. We have a list of requirements that are thrust upon us, expectations that the world places upon each of us, for which we will never measure up entirely. We will never perfectly succeed in the worlds goals for us, and that the demand of us for the claims of who we are. But it was Christ who showed us that it isn’t about what the world thinks of our success or failures, it is about how we go about doing what we know is right and doing it our Father’s way, not ours, or the world’s.
Temporal Success in our Personal Goals
Even the Savior himself wasn’t 100% successful in all of his personal goals. In fact, there is a fine line between what goals (we can assume he had) that he was successful in and what goals he wasn’t successful in.
It can be assumed that he had the goal of expressing his compassion on all who knew him; but this goal was more than likely not fulfilled as there were many who did not have the faith to be healed or to see as they needed to see.
It can be assumed that he had the goal of converting all those who came in contact with him; but this goal was not fulfilled as personal pride often got in the way and permitted people to see without seeing and hear without hearing.
I am sure that there were many personal goals within his life that he was unable to fulfill.
Yet, there were different types of goals which he was able to fulfill.
The goal of the atonement, the establishment of his church and organization, the teaching to all that would hear, the manner in which he had compassion, his faith, his virtue, his knowledge of his mission, his temperance, his patience, his brother kindness, his charity, his humility, his diligence, and his love.
The key between the two types of goals were those to which relied on the agency of others, and those to which relied only on his own actions.
Those goals which in which he “failed” at were all goals which relied on the faith, obedience, and action of others and their agency. Yet, within these failures, we see beauty in them, as the goals themselves in their attempt to be fulfilled yielded the greatest of all experiences – and although may not have touched everyone, touched too many to conceive of.
Those goals in which he had full control over were exercised and perform with perfection.
But in this there is perfection manifested in the unfulfilled goals. Here we learn that the pinnacle of perfection is not found in the fulfillment of personal goals, but in the perfectly executed attempt to fulfill these agency reliant goals.
The missionary who is commissioned, like the apostles of old, to go and preach the gospel to every nation baptizing them, does not achieve perfection in his work because he baptizes every soul he talks to. He achieves perfection his is mission by perfectly attempting to fulfill that worthy goal. His obedience, his diligence, his wiliness to love and sacrifice for other, empowers the greatest potential for success, and places the power within the agency of others – and therefore he finds perfection. It is not in the baptismal count, but in the perfect attempt to permit others to say “Yes.”
The wife who honors her temple and marriage covenants, and seeks to have an eternal family, does not achieve perfection because their marriage last fifty years. She achieves perfection in this things because she does everything within her power to permit that to happen, regardless of the agency of an estranged husband. Failure is not defined by the end result, but is determined individually based upon the executed agency that reflected that goal.
The parents who seek throughout their years to raise children who perpetuate the gospel principles, yet find their children wandering in strange lands – do not fail because of the agency of their children. They find perfection in their perfect attempt to raise them in the Lord through their years of personal and family scripture study and prayer, their regular church attendance, and their weekly family home evenings.
Perfection isn’t found in the end result, but in the perfect attempt to achieve that result.
Remember the redemption of Zion as directed by the Lord to take place in reclaiming the lost lands of Missouri. At that conclusion of that treacherous march, the camp of Israel, despite failing, for all intents and purposes, in redeeming the land of Zion was told that their attempt was recognized and they were blessed. This happened, not because of any success in the temporal goal, but because of their perfect attempt to fulfill the command.
What did make him perfect during his mortal ministry?
All of this begs the question, what exactly did make his mortal ministry the perfect attempt?
He perfectly tried. He did everything within his power, and within himself to accomplish what was commanded of him, and to reach the full measure of his creation. He constantly was worthy of the spirit, was humble to the teachings of his Father, and sought regularly to learn his will (through prayer and scripture study) – so that he could go and do.
He applied all of the principles of the gospel, and all of the ordinances. He even applied the ones, such as baptism, which he may have warranted unnecessary. He never sought to justify himself or the lack of action. He sought to unselfishly uplift and edify others, and reached out to comfort those who stood in need of comfort; despite his own need of comfort at times.
The mortal perfection of Christ was in the eternal attributes he was perfectly developing while living in a temporal environment.
What makes him perfect now?
He has reached the full measure of his creation. He is the Son of God, the Lord Omnipotent. He has lived his mortal existence perfectly and paid the price of imperfection. He is the Savior of the world, and has paid for it with his own blood. He is the catalyst of the resurrection, and the life. He is the light and life of the world, and such light that is in all things and through all things. He is perfection now, in every sense of the word. Unlike his mortal ministry he is not a participant in temporal conditions, cultures, and environments; but because of his mortal ministry his has full rein over all.
If we are to be perfect, how can we be?
No mortal man or woman can attain the perfection that Christ now has on their own.
In addition to that no mortal man or woman can attain a perfect moral existence as Christ did through his perfect example, and his perfect fulfillment. Even the ability to perfectly attempt as he did eludes our abilities.
Yet, he commands us to be perfect, even as he is. Similarly, we learn that we are never commanded to do something that the Lord does not prepare a way for us to achieve or succeed in.
And through Christ he has prepared away. Our perfect attempt at developing eternal attributes begins with our imperfect attempt – our failure at perfectly attempting. And then utilizing the Atonement of Christ perfectly. We cannot achieve perfection as he did, but we can achieve perfection as he is; because through the sincerely and consistent application of the atonement we can become perfect IN Christ. We can become as he is, because we can become a part of him, sharing in his glory, in his life, and in his perfection. And although we don’t need to be beautiful, or inherently brilliant, or achieve all of our goals, or perfect in any temporal sense of the word, we need to be perfect in one thing: our open application of the blood of Christ in our lives - our faith, our repentance, our continued participation in the ordinances of the priesthood, and our constant development of continued eternal attributes.
Perfection is not a mortal end state of achievement, it is a state of eternally rich growth shielded in the loving and nurturing arms of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
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