{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"New Hope Church | becomehope","title":"Can You Really Be Perfect?","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2112,"description":"Pastor Zach tackles one of Jesus' most uncomfortable commands: \"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect\" (Matthew 5:48), exploring the tension between an impossible calling and God's impossible grace.\n\nTHE GREEK WORD:\nTeleios means: complete, mature, fully developed, whole, brought to its intended end. It can mean perfect, and honestly, it probably does here.\n\nTHE PROBLEM:\nJesus calls us to perfection. Every New Testament author echoes this command. Yet we all fail constantly. So what gives?\n\nTHE PARADOX:\nYou're called to live perfectly, but you're saved by someone else's righteousness (Jesus'). You must pursue perfection, but you can't earn favor through perfection. Truth AND grace.\n\nHOW CAN YOU BE PERFECT?\n1 John 4:4 - \"The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.\"\n\nYou can only be perfect through Christ's power working IN you. When you get out of the way and let Him take the reins, He makes you perfect. But the moment you grab the reins back, you derail it.\n\nTWO CRUCIAL STORIES:\nThe Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18):\n\nPharisee: \"Thank you, God, for making me so great. I do all these good things.\"\n\nTax Collector: On his knees, beating his chest, \"God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\"\nJesus: The tax collector leaves justified, not the Pharisee.\n\nThe starting point of your journey with God is on your knees, seeing God as He is and yourself as you truly are.\n\nThe Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8):\nJesus doesn't just forgive, He says: \"Go and sin NO MORE\" \n(not sin less).\n\nTHE THREE STEPS:\nStep 1: Romans 8:1\n\"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.\"\nThis is your foundation. When you fail (and you will), remember this first.\n\nStep 2: Luke 18:13\n\"God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\"\nGet real about your sin. Confess it. But don't grovel or dwell there.\n\nStep 3: Matthew 5:48\n\"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.\"\nGo walk it out. Pursue righteousness. Live like Jesus. Let...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/QeSOhOM9pdl7ie6YwFiWKrFHSz-rrRbE1NzVv7jCKNA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzIwMDk2LzE2MTc4/MDY0ODctYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}