Aim for Perfection

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

AIM FOR PERFECTION

2 Cor 13:11 - 14

11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

NIV

Here we thought we were done with this, but another thought came to mind about aiming for perfection. As it may be, in fact it is, impossible to find any perfection within it would surely be difficult to aim for it. We do have to admit that all of what God created is perfect. The earth and everything in it is perfect except for us, because we are the part which sinned and fell short of that perfection. All of the earth is still perfect, just as God created it and as he sustains it. He no longer intends for us to tend the garden but to work the ground for our needs. The earth will supply us with all our needs as he planned it and it is perfect. But as far as any perfection in mankind, there is none and there will never be as long as we live here for we all are part of Adam. No matter how much we try to deceive ourselves that we are good, or that we do not commit any personal sin, which is a lie, we still are not perfect because of original sin as well our own personal sin. So what is this perfection that we should aim for? The though which occurs is heaven. That is we should aim for heaven, or actually for the eternal place Jesus is preparing for us, the new city of Jerusalem. The point is that we need to be focused on where we want to be, not on where we are. Our aim is to be with Jesus in this new city of Jerusalem and live there for all eternity. Our aim should not be able how much we do here, how much education we get, how much material goods we accumulate, or even how good we are at following all the rules and regulations of our denomination. Our aim should not be about how much we give in tithes or offerings, or how much we do in the church, what committee we are on, or ministry we are in. Our aim should be for perfection. Heaven is perfect, the new earth and the new city of Jerusalem is perfect and that is where are aim should be. That is where we have our sights set. That is the single point of our focus. We need to turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Aim for perfection.