The Savior
Jesus Sets Us Free from the Weight of Perfection
By Sarah Boles
"Jesus was perfect; be like Jesus.” I grew up believing this was what made a good Christian. Jesus was perfect, so strive to be like Him. The Gospel broken down to its simplest form—at least, that is what I thought. Obedience, submission, perfection. This set me down a path, beginning at a very young age, that would lead me into self-loathing and doubt. Always pushing and trying, but never arriving. Always failing.
My dad was proud of me—most of the time. Life was not without its disappointments; but all in all, I made him proud. Especially in moments of success: small victories that would be accompanied by, “That’s my girl!” It was a prodding to keep driving, to keep raising the standard, to surpass, to attain perfection. And never quite making it there. No matter how well I did, there was a voice behind me saying, “Yes, but this could have been better. You messed up here. You thought no one noticed. I noticed! It wasn’t perfect. Jesus was perfect; be like Jesus.”
I found myself wearing a costume of false confidence, hiding the insecurities and desperately trying to keep my sins and my flaws under wraps. No one can ever find out.
THE PRICE OF GLORY
In those days, I was under the misconception that because Jesus was perfect, He never struggled. Sure, I was taught that He was tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:15)—but, it must have been easy for Him to avoid the pitfalls, to resist the inner voices of doubt, to let little things go, to overcome the judgment and hurtful things said in passing. Wasn’t it? Isn’t that what it means to be perfect—being free from struggle, pain, and disappointment? Isn’t that kind of perfect life the American dream? Isn’t that the mark of a good Christian?
It has taken decades of challenging faith moments for me to learn that, while Jesus was perfect—that is to say, He was without sin—His life was not perfect by our hopeful standards of peace and comfort.
Did Jesus’ pain and suffering only begin on the cross? Or was it when He was flogged in Pilate’s court? Did it start when Peter denied Him, when Judas betrayed Him? What about when He was driven out of the synagogue in His hometown and threatened with death? No, Jesus faced pain, suffering, and struggle from the very beginning. Although He never sinned, Jesus suffered just like us. And He responded to His suffering by seeking out His Heavenly Father in prayer. Even in His darkest times—picture Him sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44)—Jesus sought to bring God glory.
While I can’t be without sin—it’s too late for that—I don’t have to be. That is not God’s expectation for my life. I know this because of who Jesus is. He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35). He is the Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). By faith, He is my Savior (Luke 2:11).
In our place, Jesus was perfectly obedient to His Father, so the requirement of our own sinless perfection is fulfilled in Him. Jesus shows us just how much it cost to glorify God. He came from perfect glory, the presence of His Heavenly Father, to seek us out. He came to find the broken places of our hearts and the hidden recesses of our souls, to strip away our costumes and bring light into the darkness, to nourish our hunger and quench our thirst, and all for the glory of God.
Jesus’ pursuit of us, His suffering for us, His sacrifice for our sins on the cross, was not only for our healing and salvation. It was not just a demonstration of His mercy and grace, but a lifeline for our rest with Him in Heaven. Jesus’ sinless life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection are an invitation for imperfect people to join the eternal celebration of the glory of God.
MORE THAN ENOUGH
Jesus is perfect and He is my Savior, so God does not call me to be perfect in order to please Him. Instead, He calls me to honor Him in light of who He is and what He has done for me. So I no longer need to chase perfection; I simply need to seek Him in love. To surrender to His perfect and pleasing will to satisfy the longings of my heart. To rest in the fulfillment that comes with glorifying Him.
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.” The perfection of Jesus is more than enough to cover my imperfections. I would much rather be clothed in His righteousness than continue to wear my costume of false confidence. Through His salvation, I can boldly approach the presence of God and surrender my flaws, my sins, and my imperfections, finding rest in the embrace of the Savior who loves me. Turning to Him in faith, He can be your Savior, too.
In this life, failure is inevitable. Earthly perfection is unattainable. But true love is sustainable. And because of Jesus, our salvation is perfect.