Perfect Is Not What You Think

Few words in the Christian life create more confusion, frustration, and quiet despair than the word perfect. Many believers wrestle under its weight, wondering if they will ever measure up. But what if our understanding of perfect has been wrong all along? What if Scripture reveals something far more freeing, and far more faithful, than the flawless ideal we often imagine? And much of this confusion, I believe, stems from relying on definitions borrowed from conventional vocabulary and lexicons, rather than seeking interpretation from Scripture itself.

In light of this, there is a pressing need to revisit the biblical meaning of perfect, stripping away the misunderstandings that have accumulated around it. By doing so, we can restore the sacredness it originally carried, bringing clarity not only to our theological understanding but also to the way we relate to God. A misinterpretation of this word, unfortunately, has often cast a poor light over the character of God, making Him seem like an overbearing taskmaster, imposing unreasonable demands. On the other hand, for many believers, the word perfect has become spiritually enslaving, burdening them with a sense of inadequacy that leads to hopeless striving.

However, when we allow the Bible to define the word perfect, we would find a deeper, clearer understanding, one that brings peace and unity of thought to the Church, rather than division and confusion. This leads us into the heart of the matter: the definition of perfect that we are going to explore is meant to free the weary soul from a white-knuckle religion, a religion driven by striving to appease what are perceived as impossible demands, and to lead us into the freedom and grace that God intends for His people.

What Perfect Is Not

First of all, it is important to note what perfect is not. Perfect does not mean perfection, nor does it mean perfected. Often, we throw around the word perfection as though it were synonymous with perfect, but this is a misunderstanding. Perfection is a process - a means; it is the journey toward becoming perfected - the end, the goal, the destination.

Moreover, perfect does not mean flawless. But before we explore this further, let us first examine the word the Bible often uses as a synonym for perfect: the word good. Rather than relying on external definitions, we are going to let Scripture be its own expositor. In Psalm 25:8, we read, “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” Here, good describes God's moral integrity. Similarly, in Job 1:1, Job is described: “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright...” The term perfect is used to emphasize Job’s moral soundness. Notice the connection, perfect and upright mirror the very character attributed to God Himself – good and upright.

To further confirm this matter, we turn to a third witness, as Scripture instructs: “at the word of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established” (Deut. 19:15). Micah 7:2 declares, “The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men.” Here again, good describes moral integrity in the same sense as Job's perfect character. Thus, the relationship between perfect and good becomes unmistakably clear. In the Bible, to be perfect is to be good, morally sound, and aligned with God’s standards.

By examining these passages, we conclude that in Scripture, perfect answers to good: a reflection of moral integrity, often paralleled with uprightness of character, qualities that Scripture attributes to God Himself. In this context, perfect and good are interchangeable, describing a state of moral soundness and harmony with divine principles.

Perfect Does Not Mean Flawless

With that definition in mind, it becomes evident that perfect does not mean flawless. Consider Psalm 37:23–24: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” Here, the good man, a perfect man, is portrayed as stumbling and falling. Yet he is not rejected, for the Lord upholds him. This imagery powerfully illustrates the biblical understanding of perfect: not as sinless flawlessness, but as steadfastness and relational integrity with God. When the perfect man falls, he will not be utterly cast down. Why? Because his hand is held securely by God. It is God who sustains him, upholding him with His hand of grace and strength.

Now, to deepen our understanding, let’s consider the image this passage evokes. Picture a parent holding their child’s hand as they walk together,. When the child stumbles and is on the verge of falling, the parent instinctively lifts them up. In the same way, a child does not fall because they wish to, but because of their limitations. In fact, most children cry when they fall. They do not laugh; instead, their tears reflect the natural discomfort and fear that comes with the fall. The reason for their fall is not a lack of desire to stand but rather the limitations inherent in their stage of development.

Similarly, God, knowing the limitations of His spiritual children, allows room for stumbling. He does not expect perfection in the sense of flawlessness, but He knows that His children will fall at times. And just as a loving parent would not leave a child on the ground after a fall, God, in His love and compassion, is always ready to lift His children up when they stumble. His sustaining hand is there to support them, not to condemn them, but to provide the grace they need to continue on their journey.

Creation: A Picture of Perfect

In another account, the story of creation in Genesis 1 provides a wonderful illustration of this truth. Everything that God created was declared good, meaning it was perfect. After each day of creation (except the second day), Scripture tells us that God reviewed His work and saw that it was “good.” Each day, He gave His creation a five-star review, essentially affirming, “It was perfect.”

However, the second day stands out with a notable exception. Instead of declaring it good, the record states simply, “it was so.” This subtle difference invites further reflection. Typically, when God declares a day’s work “good,” it signals that the work assigned for that day had reached its full completion. In contrast, the statement “it was so” on the second day suggests that the work begun on that day was incomplete and carried over into another. Specifically, the firmament system initiated on the second day was not completed until the fourth day. This delay was necessary because, on the third day, God needed to create another system that would serve to validate the work finalized on the fourth.

From this observation, we gather an important theological truth: good represents the highest superlative. It signifies a state that leaves no room for addition or subtraction. When God created the heavens and the earth, His process was not one of gradual improvement, moving from better to best, from best to excellent, or from excellent to magnificent. Such a progression would imply the need for refinement, a concept aligned with the theory of evolution. But God's work does not evolve; when He acts, His acts are complete from the outset.

In contrast, human craftsmanship involves continual revision. For instance, I have rewritten this article several times to improve its clarity and impact, and even after my own efforts, I sought feedback from others for further refinement. Unlike human endeavor, God's work is inherently complete from the beginning; it requires no second opinion to validate its perfection or to offer suggestions for improvement. Thus, the consistent use of the word good in Genesis stands as a strong argument against evolutionary development. In God's creative work, good is perfect, no more and no less.

Perfect at Every Stage

In God’s redemptive work, every phase of spiritual development is perfect according to its purpose. An infant in Christ is just as perfect in their stage as a mature adult is in theirs. Spiritual infants are perfect infants. Spiritual children are perfect children. Spiritual adolescents are perfect adolescents. Each phase is complete and good in itself. Just as a natural infant is perfect in their infancy and a preschooler is perfect in their childhood stage, so too are believers perfect at every stage of spiritual growth.

Thus, perfect does not mean mature. Rather, perfect is part of the equation of maturity. Spiritual infants may stumble and fall, just as natural children do, but they remain perfect spiritual beings in the sight of God. A perfect man, therefore, is not necessarily a spiritually mature person; he is, however, complete in the phase of growth in which he currently stands, just as God’s work on each day of creation was both perfect and complete in its own right.

In light of Scripture, perfect is not an unattainable demand for flawlessness. It is a present reality for those walking with God. It is not the absence of mistakes; it is the presence of moral integrity, uprightness, and trust in the One who holds us. You are not perfect because you never fall. You are perfect because, even when you fall, your hand is clasped in the Father's. In every stage of spiritual growth, from infancy to adulthood, God’s declaration over His work still stands:

“It is good.”

And if He has called it good, then it is perfect.