What If Your Pastor Said He Was Perfect?
If your pastor were to declare, “I am a perfect Christian,” how would you respond?
Would words like pride, arrogance, or self-righteousness come to mind? Most of us would instinctively cringe at such a bold statement.
But what if we’ve misunderstood what “perfect” truly means in the Bible?
Rethinking “Perfect” in the Bible
In our modern context, perfection usually means being flawless or without error. This definition makes the idea of a “perfect Christian” seem unrealistic or even offensive.
However, the original biblical use of the word “perfect” often carried a different meaning. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an older (now considered obsolete) definition of perfect is “mature.” This aligns with the way the King James Version (KJV) often uses the term.
Even in today’s usage, the verb to perfect means “to bring to final form” or “to refine or improve.” It’s about growth—not flawlessness.
The Biblical Case for Maturity
Let’s look at Ephesians 4:13:
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (KJV)
The Greek word translated here as perfect man is the same word used in Hebrews 5:14, where it’s translated as full age:
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
In both cases, the focus is clearly on spiritual maturity, not sinless perfection.
Was Job Really “Perfect”?
Consider what God said about Job:
“Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man…” (Job 1:8)
Does this mean Job was flawless? Not at all. A deeper study of the book reveals that Job struggled with self-righteousness—a flaw God eventually corrected.
(I explore this further in this blog post on Job’s hidden sin of self-righteousness.)
Yet even in his weakness, Job’s final response to God reveals the hallmarks of spiritual maturity:
“…therefore have I uttered that I understood not… Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3, 6)
Mature believers are not sinless—but they are humble, teachable, and quick to repent when corrected by God.
Why This Matters for Today’s Christian
When Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), He wasn’t calling us to never make a mistake. He was calling us to grow into spiritual maturity—to reflect the character of our Heavenly Father more and more each day.
Yet, many Christians still use the phrase “I’m not a perfect Christian” as an excuse to remain stagnant, particularly when it comes to sin and holiness.
So, Back to Your Pastor…
If your pastor stood up and said, “I am a perfect (mature) Christian,” would that still offend you?
In truth, you should expect your pastor to be spiritually mature. Who wants an immature spiritual leader?
The real question is: Are you striving for maturity too?
Final Thought
Maturity doesn’t come overnight. It’s the result of walking in the light of what we know, applying the truth of God’s Word, and humbling ourselves before Him when we fall.
What steps are you taking to grow in maturity?
Let me know in the comments below.