Confessions of an Emo Kid

"So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." - Matthew 5v48

Confession time: Growing up, I was a huge Emo fan. Ah, who am I kidding? I am still an Emo fan. (For those that are unaware of "Emo," is a punk style that focuses on emotional issues.) The song "Perfect," by Simple Plan is written by a son who feels like he has grown up to be a disappointment to his father. The main line of the chorus says, "I'm sorry I can't be perfect." While the premise of the song talks about not measuring up to the standards of an earthly father, what happens when we think about our Heavenly Father? Matthew records one of Jesus' most famous teachings referred to as The Sermon on the Mount. After talking about loving enemies, Jesus says, "So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5v48, NIRV). If this is the standard, we might feel similar to the son in the song. It is easy for us to be in a position like this and decide the journey is not worth taking. However, we must be careful not to stop the process before it even starts.

After we make the decision to follow Christ, the process of becoming like our father begins. We can only reflect Him when we know Him. But this comes with the realization that our current state is far from God's standard. We are nowhere near perfection! So when we remember Jesus' words in Matthew 5, it almost seems like an unattainable goal. We might even echo the words of Simple Plan - "I'm sorry I can't be perfect..." But can we? For John Wesley, Christian Perfection was not just a lofty goal, but something we could eventually attain through the process of Sanctification. Sanctification is the process of being transformed more into the image of God. According to Wesley, "From the time of being 'born again' the gradual work of sanctification takes place." (1) This was a real change that took place in our lives when we made the conscious decision to actually follow Jesus. This is more than just "saying yes" that the Western Church usually looks for. We must choose to embrace the grace of God in our lives and choose to live for Him. "While we can not attain holiness (and wholeness) apart from God's grace, God will not effect holiness apart from our responsive participation," says Randy Maddox. (2) 

There is a both/and that needs to happen with Sanctification. God will not drag us along the process against our will. We also can't start this process before we know God. Also, unlike the father in the song, we know exactly what our Father requires of us: Perfect Love. This can only happen when we intentionally choose to want that for our lives as well.

Reference:

1. John Wesley, The Works of John Wesley, ed. Albert C. Outler, vol. 2 (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1985). 160.

2. Randy L. Maddox, Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology (Nashville, TN: Kingswood Books, 1994).