3/23/12- Is Our Goal Perfection?

31- 3/23- WSC- 82 (WLC- 149)

Q. 82- Can anyone keep the commandments of God perfectly?
A. Since our fall, no ordinary person can perfectly keep the commandments of God in this life, but breaks them daily in our thoughts, words, and actions.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him  the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Thoughts: If we cannot keep the Law perfectly, then we cannot keep the law- period.  The standard of the Law is perfection.  If heaven is a perfect place to get there by keeping the Law means getting there without missing one mark.  God does not grade on the curve, His standard for entry is perfection.  But perfection is not achieved in this life.  God perfects us when we leave this life (of sin and temptation) going to the next.  Our goal is perfection- but we can't do this on our own here.  Believers, still sin (Rom. 7).  Our goal is not simply perfection, but holiness and righteousness- being like God -who defines perfection with His being;  This change in our holiness and mortality comes when we go to heaven and is called "glorification"  (Rom. 8:30; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Cor. 13:12).  In this life, we all sin in thought, word, and deed. 

Prayer: None of us are worthy, O Lord.  You alone are worthy for you are the lamb who was slain.  

(Sin is missing the mark)

1986 Q. 82. Can anyone perfectly keep the commandments of God?

A. Since the fall no ordinary man can perfectly keep the commandments of God in this life but breaks

them every day in thought, word, and action.

1647 Q. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed