Can humans become perfect?

Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). The phrase is in connection with loving even your enemies. Jesus said that pagans greet their brothers and so the mark of being different, the mark of God himself, is loving those who do not love you. The only other time the word perfect--complete--comes up in Matthew is in Jesus' words to the rich man who wants to follow him. Jesus says to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Matt. 19:21).

Interesting that the commands to be perfect as God is perfect is connected with love and kingdom. Perhaps we could boil down Jesus' words in these passage to say that perfection is completion in love and in commitment to the Kingdom. (Interesting, then, to say that if we don't believe humans can become perfect that we are always people who have divided hearts, who display preferential treatment.)

A few things jump out at me from these passages. First, I do not believe that Jesus would give a command he considered unattainable. Second, Jesus' offer to the rich young ruler was to come with Jesus; Jesus would be with him in his journey of kingdom commitment. Third, this call to perfection is really good news. In the first passage, Jesus is expanding the family category, as it is in the context of being sons (and daughters) of God, which means brother- and sisterhood with those who are not blood relatives. We must also note that the Kingdom Jesus preaches is one that is consistently pushing the boundaries of inclusion outward. (It is not one that has no boundaries, as evidenced by the rich man walking away.)

So, how can we answer this question of perfection from Matthew? First, that our ability to become like God in loving all is without limit. Jesus has told us to be perfect in love as God is perfect. Second, our progress in this journey is not one that achieves God's favor, but that is made possible only by God's favor and Jesus' partnership with us. Consider the glorious implications: 1. We can become even more loving towards those we already love. 2. This love we have for our natural relations can be expanded to include all--even those who hate us. 3. We can live by a different set of rules than the world--the rules of God's Kingdom.