Be Perfect Series

Series: Are You Real? [#10]

BE PERFECT

1 John 4:7-21

Introduction:

Have any of you after messing up, said this phrase- “I’m only human. I’m not perfect!”? Does the Bible ever excuse sin because we are human?

1 John 3:6 (NIV)

“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”

Now I do realize that Christians continue to sin, but our goal should be perfection here on this earth. It is possible. We don’t have to wait until we get to Heaven to be perfect.

1 John 2:1 (NIV)

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

1 John 4:7-12 (NIV)

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

In order to become perfect you must…

1. Be born of God.

There is nothing you can do on your own that is going to be perfect. It is the Holy Spirit of God within you that can guide you to perfection. What must you do to be born of God? You must accept God’s gift of salvation. What is the evidence of a person who is born of God? They love God. What do we do to show God our love? We love others.

1 John 4:13-16 (NIV)

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

In order to become perfect you must…

2. Rely on God’s love.

What or who do you rely on? These simple questions will help determine that. When something goes wrong, I talk to ________ first. When I am making a decision, I talk to _______ first. I am most concern about what ___________________ thinks about me.

1 John 4:17-21 (NIV)

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

In order to become perfect you must…

3. Be complete.

A sign of perfection is that…

 Your love is made complete.

This occurs when you are walking with Christ in all things.

A sign of perfection is that…

 You are not afraid of anything or anyone.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Pastor you said we are to fear God”; and you are correct. But, this is a different type of fear. The fear of the Lord is a reverential fear or respect that we are to have for a perfect and holy God. Perfect love drives out all fear.

A sign of perfection is that…

 You have confidence on your day of judgment.

You don’t fear what is going to happen to you. In fact, you look forward to that day that you get to stand before Almighty God because you know where you are going to be for all eternity.

Conclusion:

Obviously, we are a work in progress. The question is, “Are you allowing God to shape you, or are you trying to shape yourself”? Strive for perfection, it is possible.