Going On To Perfection

I heard a great message this morning. The basic content was that we are called to be perfect because our heavenly Father is perfect. Now there is a lot or explaining that would be necessary to get everything out of that phrase that we could, but the reality is that we do our best to explain it away. However, there is nothing in the command that gives us that latitude. When God calls us to be perfect as He is perfect - He means it! As a Methodist pastor, I had to answer two questions or else I would not have been ordained. In fact, every Methodist pastor from the time of John Wesley has had to answer "yes" to these two questions. 1) Are you going on to perfection? And 2) do you expect to be made perfect in love in this lifetime? 30 years ago I answered "Yes" to both questions and today - even though I was not asked to reaffirm those answers aloud, I did so. It was good to be reminded that my goal has been to go on to perfection. My goal has been to be perfected in love in this lifetime. The "in this lifetime" part of the question is important. Too many people think that being perfect is something that doesn't - even can't - come this side of death. However, that is my goal - to be perfected in love IN THIS LIFETIME. If I set anything less as my target, I will certainly hit that lesser goal. I want to challenge you to set your heart to answer "yes" to both questions:

1) Are you going on to perfection?
2) Do you intend to be made perfect in love in this lifetime?