Desiring Perfection...

[canamer]

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[LifebyChrist]

Hello,

First of all Paul was not as perfect as you think,

1 Corinthians 15:9 "For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

Acts 8:1 "And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria."

Romans 7:15 "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

Romans 7:24 "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?"

If you would like some advice on being perfect he is some:

1. Being perfect is being efficient, if you beat yourself and get depressed and become unproductive and bring others down how is that really helping?

2. Also do not be hypocritical, you say

"The thing is, I'm inclined to give other people a break a lot of the time."

Then you say

"What I'm not looking for here is a standard pat answer like you need to read the Bible or pray more. I am very acquainted with my Bible and I pray a fair amount too. Also, if you're perfect in your Christian walk than I guess we don't have much to talk about either because you're perfect and I don't see how you could relate to me anyway then."

That is not giving people a break, that is probably why no one has responded to you yet either.

And your saying Paul never went through this stuff and your saying someone perfect could never relate.

Jesus is perfect and he can relate, he was beaten and tortured for not just your sins but for all man kind. I think you are relying on your works rather then your faith.

We are made right by our faith because try as you might your works are but filthy rags before God.

Isaiah 64:6 "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

Also do I struggle with being perfect?

I cry my heart out, I cry so much snot comes out and I hiccup. I think my life is just a sick joke and it is torture for me, I can't do what I want to do, nothing gives me pleasure and I become so miserable and depressed before God. I am humiliated and ashamed, everytime I try to help someone, I hurt them instead.

I workout so hard that I sweat puddles and I can barely walk and you know what? I am nothing compared to Jesus, anyone can whine about coming from a broken home, anyone can just brag but even Paul has gone through more, that guy was shipwrecked and beaten and flogged and killed it is easy to feel sorry for yourself, that is not being perfect, that is being self righteous and looking down on others.

And messing up does not make you a failure, God can give live to deadbones, he can give life to the sorry pathetic wasteland of your emotions and make you a new creation in Christ Jesus. That is the whole point of the gospel, Jesus is saving us because we cannot save ourselves, you can't be perfect because you would not need God then but through Christ you can become perfect but you will fail everytime unless you do it through Jesus Christ.

Anyways sorry if im coming off harsh, I suffer alot too trying to be perfect, it is very challenging.

 

[Tonyy2]

Hey i know how you feel i mess up all the time. James 3:2 says we all stumble in many things but we dont have to stay there. Keep faith believe Hope that is helpful

 

[Danny34]

Open the Bible, read the story of ANY character, and you'll find that none of them are perfect. No perfect character, no perfect relationship with others or God, yet they were loved and profited by Him.
It's your OCD talking, really. Don't frustrate about being in a perfect path on the Christian road, we are human and our human intent is to either fall and be let down or fall and then get up once again.
God looks only for the heart, and inside the love for Him and His son Jesus Christ. You can be a drinker and a smoker, yet have a clean heart from all sins and a great love of God and He will see this. God is not a judge, God is not a punisher or puts curses on you or anything like that, He loves you no matter what. Yet, at the end of course He will see what you have done and all that mess, but right now He sees the good in you and that you are trying to be with Him.
You're OCD wants a clear logical answer, this is just another phase of OCD, don't worry Canamer.

 

[RPicking]

I understand.

I've thought about Paul's situation many times. I think with OCD, it makes it very hard to have a perfect walk with God as far as feeling perfect. For me, I struggle...I get very emotional sometimes over the status of my life because not only do I have OCD, but I struggle with "stuff."

"Why do I do the things I don't want to do and don't do the things I do want to do" -- That is my freaking cry of passion for the past couple of years. There are things that I want to do with my free time, and I don't do it because I get so drained with OCD or other junk that I shouldn't be doing, and I don't do those things I want to do.

The things I don't want to do are those obvious "junk" things in my life that I'm not going to go into here . Is OCD a punishment? Is my struggles getting back to God proof that God gave up me? Why won't God deliver someone that can't handle the brokeness that it involves sometimes? In the last couple of weeks, I have been so depressed over my OCD and to the point where all my dreams and passions of life have just stopped being so important or worthwhile.

I don't think we can ever obtain perfection on this side of Heaven. We still have a sin nature and we don't lose that after Salvation. Some may believe that we do, but I don't believe we do. I think the perfection we crave (or atleast I do) is to have a relationship with God where our Joy is boundless, and our peace of mind is 100% in Christ.

?

 

[canamer]

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[RPicking]

Also, I think you learn more sometimes from people who don't have it all together. If you're friends with someone who is struggling in their walk with God or life...whatever. That person is going to be real with you during that conversation you might have with them. A person who is "Perfect" in their walk with God, I don't think they can understand what the person (who struggles) goes through. (IMO)

 

[lutherangerman]

I'm not sure this perfectionism really is biblical. Sure, Jesus says in the Sermon of the Mount we shall be perfect like God - but what does that mean really? I mean, isn't it easy to see that we can't be perfect in the way God is perfect? Why trying SUCH a ridiculous idea? So Jesus must mean that differently, and the answer is the context of this Sermon. Right before Jesus tells us to be perfect He is speaking about love, and how God loves both the good and the evil, friends and enemies. So it is all about a perfection in love, not in being something or doing something. And the sole idea Jesus is speaking about here is that we shall have this perfect love by loving everyone no matter what they do to us. It is this indiscriminate love God is having for all humans, and we shall have it too! And know what, it is not a hard goal to have such a love, because it makes life easier, and not harder. If you love everyone you can relate to everyone better and if you enlighten your love with humility and wisdom, you will know how to make friends. Jesus is a Master at that sort of thing, He has the kind of being that always knows what to do. Be harmless like doves and shrewd like snakes. Love for all is the fire of God, and well worth keeping alive. You just have to go to God with your love and be reasonable. I mean, sometimes to love means for us to adapt and to imitate someone. In that sense we cannot and should not love really everyone, but only those who are trustworthy. In that sense only love for Jesus is sane. But in the sense of treasuring, esteeming, loving someone in the normal sense of the word, desiring what's best for them and praying for them and expanding your heart for them, that is how God loves. And this God is unknown in the world, you have to take a leap of faith. That is the perfection Jesus speaks of, and it's the solution to the trouble of misunderstood perfectionism.

 

[RPicking]

At least from my perspective on the topic, there are those Christians out there that are closer to God and sometimes when you look at them they seem happy or bubbly all the times. I know that is only looking at someone at face value and seeing them for only way they can. I do think that Christian can be perfect in they way that maybe isn't right...self righteous, I guess. Those type of people are the ones I personally don't want to be around.

 

[SeraphimsCherub]

I'm not sure this perfectionism really is biblical. Sure, Jesus says in the Sermon of the Mount we shall be perfect like God - but what does that mean really? I mean, isn't it easy to see that we can't be perfect in the way God is perfect? Why trying SUCH a ridiculous idea? So Jesus must mean that differently, and the answer is the context of this Sermon. Right before Jesus tells us to be perfect He is speaking about love, and how God loves both the good and the evil, friends and enemies. So it is all about a perfection in love, not in being something or doing something. And the sole idea Jesus is speaking about here is that we shall have this perfect love by loving everyone no matter what they do to us. It is this indiscriminate love God is having for all humans, and we shall have it too! And know what, it is not a hard goal to have such a love, because it makes life easier, and not harder. If you love everyone you can relate to everyone better and if you enlighten your love with humility and wisdom, you will know how to make friends. Jesus is a Master at that sort of thing, He has the kind of being that always knows what to do. Be harmless like doves and shrewd like snakes. Love for all is the fire of God, and well worth keeping alive. You just have to go to God with your love and be reasonable. I mean, sometimes to love means for us to adapt and to imitate someone. In that sense we cannot and should not love really everyone, but only those who are trustworthy. In that sense only love for Jesus is sane. But in the sense of treasuring, esteeming, loving someone in the normal sense of the word, desiring what's best for them and praying for them and expanding your heart for them, that is how God loves. And this God is unknown in the world, you have to take a leap of faith. That is the perfection Jesus speaks of, and it's the solution to the trouble of misunderstood perfectionism.

Beautifully spoken! Plus in the full spectrum of the Beatitudes Jesus was saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit"{those who are humble}. Those who "know" how absolutely wretched,and depraved, and know intensely how void, vain and empty all life is without GOD Being with us, and His Love & Eternal Life dwelling within us In and Through Christ By His Spirit! Until we realize By the Grace of GOD'S Spirit to Reveal it, how rotten, and sinful we truly, we won't cry unto GOD to fill us with His Righteousness,and His Faith, and His Hope, and His Spirit, and His Love, and His Mercy, and His Grace Every single day, all through out the day! And pray that GOD Will Fill you with His Holy Spirit to Work these thing's out within you "Both to Will, and to do of His Good Pleasure" (((i))) must decrease,By the Supernatural Power of His Almighty Will-Increase! HE WILL MUST KILL the little puny (((i)))- have "my own" free will!
Let's see who is the originator of this most monstrous Mr. lord Independent (((i))) will plague first began:
Isaiah 14:12-14 (KJV)Isa 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. GOD bless you my brother! i hope this helps! I'm also OCD, so i know almost "perfectly" well how it can often times make you fill! I pray Lord Christ, and The Father By the Almighty Power of Your Holy Spirit that You Will Heal all his afflictions that he, and all your children must face in one form or another in this life! Until we're all in Heaven Forever With You In Christ Jesus Name i pray this Holy Spirit Be it already fulfilled in His Perfect Timing(((AMEN)))


Shalom...
SC.