Say What!?
You “Gotta” be Perfect!? To Follow Christ
August 12, 2007
In order
to make a change in our decisions we must first change what we BELIEVE. We
will always act on what we believe.
Jesus said…John 8:31-32 (NIV)
31 To the Jews who had believed him,
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth
will set you free."
What does it mean to be a follower of Christ,
to be a disciple? It simply means that we believe…
How to Develop a Different
Belief System
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
What does it mean? What
would it look like lived out?…
·
Conformed:
·
Pattern:
·
World:
·
Transformed:
·
Renew:
·
Test & Approve:
·
Perfect Will:
Perfection
is Action
Context…Matthew 5:43-48
(NIV)
43 "You have heard that it was
said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, 45 that you may be sons of
your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and
sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not
even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And
if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not
even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as
your heavenly Father is perfect.
The word perfect must be understood in the
light of the context.
Perfect means to love as God loves…to be mature.
Maturity…what would
that look like each day?
45 The good man brings good things
out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out
of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his
mouth speaks.