Romans 12:1-2
1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

(all Scripture quotes from NASB)

The Perfections of God (Cont'd)

It is the very perfection of God in all His ways that makes our faith so very reasonable. All that He is, He is in perfection. Let's consider just a few of His perfections.

Perfect in Justice

The Law of the LORD is the rule by which God rules. It is the unchanging and unchangeable standard by which He judges the ways of man. He has declared to us what is good. He has fully described to us the benefits of obedience and the punishments due to those who disobey. He has not left us ignorant of His requirements. There is no man on earth who can accuse Him of unfairness. His law is revealed to all. Again, a quick look at the opening chapters of Romans will help to remove any excuse we may think we, or any other, may have.

His Justice is perfect. He does not punish where punishment is not proper, nor does He reward wickedness and rebellion. An earthly judge may pardon for reasons of family ties or bribery. God is not like that. His justice is perfect. The Law by which He governs the ways of man is perfect. When He declares all men guilty in His sight, it is the perfectly just decision of a perfect Judge.

Perfect in Mercy

1Ti 1:15-16
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Fortunately for us, He is also perfect in patience and mercy. When He declares that all men are guilty and under a death sentence, He doesn't leave it there.

Ro 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The work of Christ was the perfect display of God's mercy and His justice worked together in perfection. Only by the completed work of Christ could God achieve the redemption of His chosen ones from the curse they had brought upon themselves, and yet remain perfect in His justice. His perfect Law had to be upheld. For Him not to uphold His perfect Law would have been for Him to be less than perfect in His justice. He could not do so and be God. God cannot be imperfect and still be God. It cannot be. He is the very definition of perfection.

Perfect in Will

That perfection continues to be displayed in His will for us. When we speak of seeking His perfect will, we display a basic misunderstanding of who He is. His will is never less than perfect. There is no other will of God than His perfect will! It's the only will He has. If we claim to be following some other will that is still His, we lie. We cannot follow His less than perfect will. It doesn't exist. If we are following a less than perfect will, it is our own. Stop praying, then, for His perfect will.

Start praying instead for your own perfect obedience. This is where our problem lies. This is why it is so important that we soak ourselves in His word, that we study what He has revealed to us in that word. We need that constant washing of the Word to be able to discern His will. When we have discerned it, we will never find it to be less than perfect.

Perfect Promises

His promises are also perfect. They lack nothing. They will be as He has said, for He - the Perfect One - has said it.

Perfect Peace

Isa 26:3 "The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee.

He keeps us in perfect peace! When? When we trust in Him. When we trust in Him for everything. That's a promise worth holding onto!

Perfect Love

Col 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

He leads us into perfect love, a love able to cast out all fear. Love, then, is our perfect weapon against that which would oppose perfect peace. But notice the wonderfully perfect tool that God has created in love. Love is the perfect bond of unity. Love binds us together in a condition of harmony, in a place where we can continue without deviation in pursuit of our purpose. Love works to combine us into a 'singleness of effect … and a consistency of … character' (Webster's). Perfect love prepares us for perfect pursuit of His perfect plan TOGETHER!

Perfect Liberty

Jas 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

He promises, and delivers, perfect liberty. Perfect liberty is not absolute freedom to do as we please. That kind of freedom got us in the mess we were in to begin with. Perfect liberty knows its bounds. It understands that while all things are permissible, not all things are beneficial. Not all things are good for us, and in perfect liberty, we will refrain from what is not good for us. The perfect law of liberty has given definition to what is good for us, what is pleasing to a rightly ordered spirit, what works perfectly towards our perfection.

Perfect Obedience

Mt 5:48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is a command, and yet it is a promise as well. What the Father requires, He empowers. In this, we should always hear a call to do an inventory. Look back at what we have seen of His perfections: perfect knowledge and wisdom? Not me, certainly. Perfect justice? I've a long way to go before my decisions are all perfectly squared with His perfect Law. Perfect mercy? Nope, can't claim that yet, either. There are any number of habits of this flesh that still need to die, and dying is never easy. It takes the perfect plan of God to achieve this life of living sacrifice. Fortunately, we have His perfect plan, and the perfect promises that His perfect plan provide. We can live as living sacrifices, because that is His purpose, and His purpose will achieve all that He has declared!