What does Jesus mean that we should be perfect, as Jesus is perfect? Gretchen Ronnevik and Katie Koplin look at the context of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5 where this passage is found. Curiously, the command to be perfect comes right after the command to love your enemies.

We often think that being righteousness as repelling sin, and repelling sinners, when the righteousness of Christ is goodness and holiness running toward sin and sinners to heal them.

We also must define perfect correctly, as it means "complete" in this context. Another translation could be "be complete, as I am complete." This whole sermon is a paradigm shifting lecture on what it means to be righteous. It isn't about doing good enough, or trying our hardest. It's understanding the fullness of the law, and the fullness of our need for Christ, and the fullness of his redemption for us. 

And as we are full of his righteousness, not our own, we run toward our enemies with love, not away from it, as our self-righteousness prescribes.

So how do we deal with our enemies? We get into that, and more.

Show Notes:

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More from the hosts:

• Gretchen Ronnevik

• Katie Koplin