Perfection?

Is it possible? I mean, it sounds like a real wonderful ideal, but is it really truly a realistic possibility?

I've been chewing on this concept of perfection this summer and it had me stumped until recently. I mean, I believe that God is able to do anything. I believe in Jesus coming to save us, do away with the guilt we deserve, and giving us a new start... but something just doesn't quite add up. If we, after accepting Christ in our hearts and repenting of our sinfulness, have His perfect life in place of our filthy one, then why do we keep on sinning?? It can't be His plan for us to live this life of constant failure and giving Satan the victory? It just doesn't make any sense to me. If temptation can be overcome every so often, why can't it be overcome every time it surfaces? Why, if we believe that all things are possible through Christ, are we convinced that it is unrealistic and impossible to stop sinning?

After studying this concept of a sinless life, I'm starting to come to a conclusion. As a wise friend recently explained to me, there is a hidden way of life that the vast majority of humans don't know about. This way of living has got me so excited I don't know what to do with myself. Let me explain...

Ok, so we all know the popular Adventist belief of God seeing Jesus' perfect life instead of our own, right? Well this belief conveniently allows us to just accept that we don't have to really try hard to live a sinless life, because Jesus took care of that. (note: I do agree with this belief, don't get me wrong, but I think there's another option out there.) So we go on with our lives. Ups and downs. You know what I'm talking about, the kind of life where you get so frustrated and so disappointed in yourself for continuing to do the things you keep swearing off. Isn't it tiring? Well that's where this new concept/option comes into play.

You know the story in the Bible about Naaman? The guy with leprosy who went to talk to Elisha for a cure? He expected a grand ceremony or something great and spectacular to happen and POOF! he would be cured. However, that didn't happen. Instead, Elisha told Naaman in 2 Kings 5 to go down the dirty, murky Jordan river and dunk himself seven times. Stay with me, I know you've probably already heard this story, but my point is coming. After Naaman feels humiliated and turns back around to go home, his servant convinces him to actually give it a try. So into the Jordan he goes. After seven times, he come up clean.

In the Bible, leprosy is a symbol of sin. There is no human cure for it and you slowly die. A miracle was the only cure. In this story we see Naaman give in to an unconvential method of healing. Nothing of his own power was required except His will power to give it a try. The seven times of going beneath the water symbolizes complete and perfect submission to Christ. Now, here is my point. Take these puzzle-piece symbols, put them together, and what do you get? The other way of living. If we, like Naaman, completely give ourselves to Christ and go "beneath" the waters and allow ourselves to drown to our own effort and stop splashing around trying to save ourselves, what would happen? Our disease of sin, like Naaman's leprosy, would be cured.

If we stop pulling our hair out with efforts to stop sinning, and just gave complete and udder control of our lives to God, what would happen? Yeah, you might be thinking you've already done this, but then why are you still sinning? We must realize that we cannot and will never be able to stop sinning. It is impossible for us to do! This life is not about me, it is not about my pleasure, or my reputation. It is about Christ. We have a Savior who will save us from death, but will also work out the victory over sin through us! He doesn't ask us to stop sinning by our own power, He asks us to allow Him to revolutionize our lives Himself. We must not focus on ourselves. Isn't that a relieving thought? But why don't we see this lifestyle of "sinking below the waters" more often? Isn't that what baptism symbolizes? Maybe allowing yourself to submit to drowning and trusting Someone else to save you as you sink into the dark depths of the water takes just too much trust.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
~ Matthew 19:26

We don't have to live on a roller coaster for our Christian walk. If we just stop having ulterior motives--stop focusing on self, and submit our full will to allowing Christ control, we can have a stable relationship with God and succesfully be the tool that He needs to help portray His true character.