If You Still Make Mistakes, How Can the Bible Call You Perfect?

Most Christians agree with the idea that one day, somewhere far off in heaven, they will finally become perfect.

They imagine that after death, once they pass through the gates of glory, God will somehow make them flawless, spotless, and complete.

Few have considered a far more radical truth:

• What if salvation made you perfect now?

• What if you are not “on your way” to perfection, but already there?

• What if Jesus didn’t just promise future perfection—He accomplished it?

Let’s see what Scripture says. God’s Word tells us that Jesus sat down because the work was finished.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:12-14 NKJV).

When Jesus completed His work, He sat down—not because He was tired, but because the mission was finished. Sitting was heaven’s declaration: “It is done. Nothing needs to be added. Nothing needs to be improved.”

And according to Hebrews 10:14, by that one offering, Jesus did not merely forgive us or clean us up; He perfected us. How long? Forever.

That means the perfection He gave you is not temporary, fragile, or conditional. It does not last only until your next mistake. It is forever perfection, anchored not in your behavior, but in His blood.

What does “perfected” actually mean? Some try to explain it away, soften it, or make it symbolic.

But the Greek word removes all doubt. It is the word teleioo: “to make perfect; to complete; to accomplish; to finish; to bring to the end goal; to make full; to render perfect.”

Notice what is not in the definition:

• Partly perfect

• Almost complete

• Improving

• Eventually made whole

• Perfect later in heaven

Nope! Friend, Jesus perfected you. Not someday. Not in heaven. Forever—and that includes now.

Everything wrong was made right. Everything missing was supplied. Everything broken was completed.

Perfection is not the reward for spiritual maturity; it is the starting point of the believer.

You may say, “But Chad, I’m still a mess!” Everyone feels this way at times. We all see areas in our outward life that need growth. We deal with attitudes, habits, emotions, and behaviors that don’t yet line up with who we truly are in Christ.

That does not change your identity. Your spirit was perfected instantly. Your mind is being renewed gradually. Your body is being disciplined daily.

But your identity, the real you, remains untouched, unchanged, and undefiled.

Underline this in your heart: Our actions do not change our identity. We are growing into what we already are.

Grace didn’t give you the power to sin; it gave you the power not to sin. Paul anticipated the religious mind trying to twist grace:

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:14-16 NKJV)

Your perfection doesn’t give you license to live wrongly; it gives you the freedom to live rightly. Grace doesn’t weaken righteousness; it empowers it.

Yes, we are all growing. Yes, there are things to learn, attitudes to mature, love to develop, and spiritual senses to sharpen—but none of that changes what God made you. A baby lion is not “less of a lion” than an adult lion; it simply grows into what it already is. Likewise, you grow into the perfection already placed within you. Growing does not change the fact that you are already perfect.

So, how perfect are you? As perfect as Jesus. Some Christians recoil at this statement, but Scripture says otherwise. If Jesus is the standard—and He is—then whatever He became, you became in Him.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:6-10 NKJV).

Look at verse 9: “In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” What does it mean to be full? The word fullness is the Greek word pleroma, which means complete, lacking nothing; something that is filled to the brim.

Do you think Jesus is perfect? Do you think Jesus is lacking anything? Absolutely not. We see here in Colossians 2:9 that Jesus is filled to the brim with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Now, here is the jaw-dropper: you are complete in Him!

The word complete is the Greek word pleroo, which means “to fill to the full; to supply liberally; to fill to the brim; to make complete in every particular, to render perfect.”

I love the simplicity of the gospel. It’s so simple yet so amazing; it truly confounds the wise. Look at these two amazing words: full and complete. Simple but amazingly rich and powerful. Jesus made you so perfect that you are full and complete. You are filled to the full, supplied liberally, and lacking nothing—sounds pretty perfect to me!

So how did it happen? Do you see any of your perfection being based on your performance? Nope! Jesus was made perfect, and because of us becoming one with Him, we become one with His perfection and automatically full of what He is full of!

Your perfection was not because of what you have done; your perfection was the result of Jesus’ blood. Jesus’ works made you perfect, not your works. What this does for us is just astounding, and we’re going to get into all the benefits as we go further in the book, but let’s solidify this reality of you being perfect.

This isn’t symbolic language; this is divine reality. Jesus is full. You are full in Him.

Jesus is complete. You are complete in Him.

Jesus is perfect. You share in that perfection because you share in His life. Your perfection does not come from your achievements; it comes from your union. The Law could never make anyone perfect, but Jesus did.

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God (Hebrews 7:18-19 NKJV).

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4 NKJV).

The Law revealed the need for perfection, but never produced it. The sacrifices reminded people of their sins, not their righteousness. But Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, accomplished what none of them could: He made us perfect.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV).

Look at it: “Made perfect.”

Not “making perfect.”

Not “will someday be perfect.” Made.

This is past tense. Your spirit is not in the process of becoming perfect. It is already perfect, because Jesus made it so. You are as perfect as God. This statement shocks the religious mind, but Scripture supports it.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).

Not “a level of righteousness.” Not “better righteousness.” Not “growing righteousness.” THE righteousness of GOD.

When you share God’s righteousness, you share His condition: Because He is righteous, you are righteous. Because He is holy, you are holy. Because He is perfect, you are perfect. Otherwise, union would be impossible. How can imperfection unite with perfection? How can darkness unite with light? How can a sinful nature unite with a sinless Christ? It cannot.

God didn’t “blend” your old nature with Jesus’ life; He replaced it.

The old you died. The new you was born, and that new you is perfect. Why? Because your union requires your perfection.

You are:

• The righteousness of God

• The perfection of Christ

• Complete in Him

• One spirit with the Lord

• A member of His body

• A branch of His Vine

• The bride of the perfect Bridegroom

Union demands equality of nature. If you were not perfect, you could not be one with Perfection Himself.