The "How To" Manual

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Therefore. The Webster dictionary defines the word this way: adverb. 1a: for that reason: CONSEQUENTLY b: because of that c: on that ground 2: to that end.” The word is used to make a final conclusion after a case or the supporting information for a point has been made. When you use a word like that there is no real way that you can take what follows it except as the truth. Or even as a command. Everything that has preceded the word has all led up to this final summation. Therefore! That final verse in the fifth chapter in Matthew is no different. Jesus uses the word “therefore” three times in this particular chapter. The first two uses are in the telling of parables. The final use is in the last verse. Jesus has spent the previous forty five verses teaching His disciples closest to Him that had climbed the mountainside with Him and those in the multitude that had gathered to hear him teach. It doesn’t say “shall you be perfect, just like your Father in heaven?” Jesus didn’t pose it as a question. It is not a suggestion. Nor is it something casually said in the passing conversation between friends. Jesus had spent His time teaching on the characteristics that would identify someone as one of his followers—as His disciple. He had taught them what they would need to look like to the world and be like if they were to be his true followers. Why though would He set such a lofty ideal for us to be modeled after? If He knows our human nature, why would He call us to a lifestyle that is a nature far beyond what we are capable of? Therein lays the beauty of this chapter. He has called us to work to change our nature. He has called us to be His disciples—followers of His examples, students of His teachings. He spends the time making His case about the identity we should be working towards and working on becoming, then ends with the “therefore”—we should be perfect (take on the identity He has laid out) just like our Father in heaven is perfect. In essence we are children of the King. We need to live like we are part of the family.Wouldn't it be great if there was a handbook or a user's manual for discipleship. I have looked and looked throughout the Bible and I cannot find a "how to" guide for discipleship. The closest that I have found is the perfection identity that Jesus talked about. Perfection identity? Where is that. Jesus describes the identity of a disiciple in the sermon on the mount. That is my interpretation. He starts out describing those that are blessed and ends with "therefore you shall be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." My next few posts will be on this identity I have found in the beatitudes.Father I pray that you will open my eyes to see what a true Disciple of your Son Jesus is. Give me the strength to fashion my life to be closer to Your image. Amen.