There Are No Perfect People???

"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:48

"... There are no perfect people, just perfect intentions."  Quoted from the movie, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman.

Azeem (Morgan Freemans moorish character) encourages Robin Hood (played by Kevin Costner) when Robin Hood finds out that all his good intentions and plans seems to fail.

This albeit secular statement is not at all new to Wesleyan Christians. While most classical Christians approach the concept of perfection from a Platonic viewpoint of faultlessness or sinlessness, Wesleyans approach perfection from an Aristotelian perspective where perfection is simply the state of fulfilling the purpose of creation.  For example, a chair is meant to carry us when we are in a seated position. If it does the job, the chair is "perfect" for it fulfills its purpose.

Man's purpose for creation is to be in union with God, demonstrating a perfect heart with perfect motives and intentions and practicing holiness which includes loving God will all of heart, mind, soul and strength and loving others actively in acts of compassion and/or servanthood. If and when a Christian is able to fulfill that purpose, he is deemed to be perfect. Matthew 5:48 is the Lord's command for his people to be perfect in the same way the the heavenly Father is perfect.  This is NOT at all do-able from a Platonic perspective of sinlessness or faultlessness but is practically do-able from the Aristotelian perspective of fulfilling the purpose for which God created us. The Beatitudes proclaim "Blessed are the pure in heart," again not realistic from a Platonic viewpoint but from an Aristotelian and biblical perspective is quite practically do-able since it describes the present state of a kingdom child and not his future estate.

The concept of sinless perfection is not a Wesleyan concept at all since only Christ can meet that standard. Wesley's theology has always been practical as he intentionally ignores theological concepts that do not contribute to Christian perfection. In fact, Wesley's teaching always centered around complete salvation and entire sanctification as that life that has been quickened by the spirit that it has lost its desire for the comforts and attractions of this world and lives only to please God and to fulfill God's purpose of holiness and a perfect heart in whatever vocation or activity, secular or religious, the life is involved in. Perfection is being Christ-like to others external to the self.

So is the New Testament Platonic or Aristotelian? Note that Matthew 5:48 is a command from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It is ridiculous for God to command something that can never be obeyed. Hence, the New Testament is Aristotelian.

The next question: Is that perfection imputed (positionally perfect in God's sight only, not necessarily as man sees us) only or imparted (practically perfect before God and man)? Matthew 5:48 is a conclusion, so we need to read the whole of Matthew 5 for context or even the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. It becomes obvious that Christ is talking about practical perfection which is imparted by the power of the resurrection and obtained by faith just as salvation is obtained by faith.

Hebrews 12:14 says, "without holiness (or perfection) no one can ever see the Lord". Hence, God's people should be PRACTICALLY PERFECT if we ever desire to be with the Lord. James actually shouts in his epistle, "FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD".