We are living in the last days as evidenced by the events mentioned in the Bible. Moral decay matures by the day there seems to be no turning back. Who is the perfect man therefore and what standard of measure do we use to determine him? The Bible is our only answer.
2 Tim 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
The Bible mentions three beings that every follower of Christ must respect to be perfected. As a young boy coming up the bible mentions Jesus as having passed in all the features. We too should follow in his footsteps if we are to be perfected in Christ Jesus. So who are these three you may ask?
Matt 22:35-40
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Before you are a perfected man you must meet the above criterion. The first step is to love God wholeheartedly and the second step is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Notice from the text that we should love both neighbor and God unreservedly because no person in the world hates themselves or loves themselves partly. Once we can perform the above three then we are perfected men. What does the bible say about Jesus being a perfect man?
Luke 2:52
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favour with God and men.
What lesson do we draw from the above text? The lesson is that in whatever we do we must consider God and our neighbour first. Jesus wasn’t going to be in favour with men if he did not live harmoniously with others. What do you think happens when you do the following without considering God and your fellow neighbours?
Dress
Talk
Behave
Business
Friendships
Associates
Relationships
Offences right? And that is not acceptable before the Lord. Every time we take action or behaviour without considering the feelings of others it is called self and self leads to sin. The Bible speaks plainly about such behaviour and how God looks upon it. Let’s take a look at the text.
Luke 17:1-2
17 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offence will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
That right there is God’s reaction towards anyone who brings offences to their neighbours. We should therefore live harmonious lives with our neighbours and God will honour that. What is your life like today? Do you dress and everyone around you doesn’t know where to look? Do you dress and neighbours fear for their partners? Do you speak and shame everyone around you? What kind of business are you running and how are you running it?
Are your neighbours comfortable with it? Do you bring your friends over and your neighbours still feel safe or do they get suspicious? Who are your associates and can they be trusted people with good reputations? If not then there is still a time and chance to improve on that for to be a perfect man we ought to revere God and have respect and love for one another. This is all that God requires from us.
Many a time you have heard statements like “I can do whatever I want or however I feel because it’s my life or because it’s my body”. I want to tell you today that’s satanic behaviour. No one owns themselves we are all God’s property and he has loaned us these bodies. We should glorify him with them.
1 Cor 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.
1 John 3:21-24
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
May God help us to love him with all our power and mind and also to love and consider our fellow neighbours as well. May this be my prayer and yours too in Jesus’ name Amen?
God bless you and see you in the next lesson.