Russell M. Nelson - Messages of Hope from Russell M. Nelson

Perfection Pending

Perfection Pending

PART ONE: PERFECTION PENDING

Perfection Pending

If I were to ask which of the Lord's commandments is most difficult to keep, many of us might cite Matt. 5:48: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Keeping this commandment can be a concern because each of us is far from perfect, both spiritually and temporally. Reminders come repeatedly. We may lock keys inside the car, or even forget where the car is parked. And not infrequently, we walk intently from one part of the house to another, only to forget the reason for the errand.

When we compare our personal performance with the supreme standard of the Lord's expectation, the reality of imperfection can at times be depressing. My heart goes out to conscientious Saints who, because of their shortcomings, allow feelings of depression to rob them of happiness in life.

We all need to remember: men are that they might have joynot guilt trips! We also need to remember that the Lord gives no commandments that are impossible to obey. But sometimes we fail to comprehend them fully.

Our understanding of perfection might be aided if we classify it into two categories. The first could pertain uniquely to this lifemortal perfection. The second category could pertain uniquely to the next lifeimmortal or eternal perfection.

MORTAL PERFECTION

In this life, certain actions can be perfected. A baseball pitcher can throw a no-hit, no-run ball game. A surgeon can perform an operation without an error. A musician can render a selection without a mistake. One can likewise achieve perfection in being punctual, paying tithing, keeping the Word of Wisdom, and so on. The enormous effort required to attain such self-mastery is rewarded with a deep sense of satisfaction. More importantly, spiritual attainments in mortality accompany us into eternity.

James gave a practical standard by which mortal perfection could be measured. He said, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."

Scriptures have described Noah, Seth, and Job as perfect men. who were pure before the Lord.

This does not mean that these people never made mistakes or never had need of correction. The process of perfection includes challenges to overcome and steps to repentance that may be very painful.

Mortal perfection can be achieved as we try to perform every duty, keep every law, and strive to be as perfect in our sphere as our Heavenly Father is in His. If we do the best we can, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.

ETERNAL PERFECTION

But Jesus asked for more than mortal perfection. The moment He uttered the words "even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," He raised our sights beyond the bounds of mortality. Our Heavenly Father has eternal perfection. This very fact merits a much broader perspective.

Recently, I studied the English and Greek editions of the New Testament, concentrating on each use of the term perfect and its derivatives. Studying both languages together provided some interesting insights, since Greek was the original language of the New Testament.

In Matt. 5:48, the term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means "complete." Teleios is an adjective derived from the noun telos, which means "end."

Teleios is not a total stranger to us. From it comes the prefix tele- that we use every day. Telephone literally means "distant talk." Television means "to see distantly." Telephoto means "distant light," and so on.

With that background in mind, let us consider another highly significant statement made by the Lord. Just prior to His crucifixion, He said that on "the third day I shall be perfected."

The perfection that the Savior envisions for us is much more than errorless performance. It is the eternal expectation as expressed by the Lord in His great intercessory prayer to His Father-that we might be made perfect and be able to dwell with them in the eternities ahead.

The Lord's entire work and glory pertains to the immortality and eternal life of each human being.

The atonement of Christ fulfilled the long-awaited purpose for which He had come to the earth. His concluding words upon Calvary's cross referred to the culmination of His assignmentto atone for all humankind. Then He said, "It is finished." Not surprisingly, the Greek word from which finished was derived is teleios.

That Jesus attained eternal perfection following His resurrection is confirmed in the Book of Mormon. It records the visit of the resurrected Lord to the people of ancient America. There He repeated the important injunction previously cited, but with one very significant addition. He said, "I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."

Resurrection is requisite for eternal perfection. Thanks to the atonement of Jesus Christ, our bodies, corruptible in mortality, will become incorruptible. Our physical frames, now subject to disease, death, and decay, will acquire immortal glory.

Eternal perfection is reserved for those who overcome all things and inherit the fulness of the Father in His heavenly mansions. Perfection consists in gaining eternal lifethe kind of life that God lives.

ORDINANCES AND COVENANTS OF THE TEMPLE

Scriptures identify other important prerequisites to eternal perfection. They relate to the ordinances and covenants of the temple.

This requirement also pertains to our ancestors. Paul taught "that they without us should not be made perfect."

In latter-day revelation, the Lord was even more explicit. His prophet wrote: "My dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation.... They without us cannot be made perfectneither can we without our dead be made perfect."

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE SAVIOR'S EXAMPLE

Our climb up the path to perfection is aided by encouragement from the scriptures. They hold the promise that we shall, if faithful in all things, become like Deity. John the beloved Apostle wrote:

"We should be called the sons [and daughters] of God....

"... When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

Continuing encouragement comes as we follow the example of Jesus, who taught, "Be ye holy; for I am holy."