What did the Lord mean when he said, “Be ye therefore perfect?”

Question

Gramps,

The commandment of “Be ye therefore perfect…” is a stretch for our imaginations, let alone our abilities. I understand we have time after this life to accomplish this monumental task of perfection. I wonder what the Lord had in mind when he spoke those words. Do those words inspire, or do they discourage most people? I, for one, have very mixed emotions when I read those words. On the one hand, I think that, with the Lord’s help, I can accomplish all things he commands me to do, and he knows we can do so. The logical side of me questions the very thought of perfection. What are your thoughts on this?

Brian

Answer

Brian,

A common misreading of Christ’s commandment equates perfection with unattainable flawlessness or performance-based worthiness. In this light, some members fall into the trap of perfectionism: believing their worth depends on having a spotless home, a perfect career, exemplary children, or flawless Church service. The trouble, as many discover, is that this type of perfection can never be reached and, even in its pursuit, individuals often feel isolated, discouraged, and chronically inadequate.

This approach brings two critical problems. First, it alienates us from one another. As everyone performs the exhausting ritual of outward perfection, each person imagines themselves as the only one not “measuring up,” failing to realize that everyone else is engaged in the same charade. Second, it ignores the central doctrine that our worth is inherent—not earned. Our worth was, as author C.S. Lewis suggested, “already hung on a cross in Calvary,” secured beyond dispute by Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

The quest for perfection is not a prerequisite for returning to God’s presence but rather God’s ultimate desire for His beloved children: to progressively transform us into beings who can receive “all that He has.” This requires not individual striving alone, but a reliance on Christ’s grace and a mutual dependence upon our fellow disciples.

A better understanding of what Jesus meant emerges from the original languages and the context of His teachings. The Greek word used in Matthew 5:48 is “teleios,” which translates as “complete,” “finished,” or “fully mature,” rather than “flawless.” In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, words like “shalem” and “tam” connote wholeness, integrity, and completeness. Scriptural heroes described as “perfect”—such as Noah or Job—were considered complete and blameless in relation to the laws and covenants received, not flawless in every sense.

One insightful explanation, found in the Book of Mormon when Christ reissues this command to the Nephites, expands the standard: “Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48). This links the commandment not simply to God the Father, but to the example of Jesus Himself, who attained perfection as a resurrected and glorified being.

As modern revelation explains, this level of perfection is not something we can attain on our own—or even completely attain in mortality. Rather, “perfection” is a journey, a process of being made whole “in Christ,” through His grace and atonement. Each step on this path, supported by prayer and striving, gradually brings disciples closer, integrating Christlike attributes—faith, love, forgiveness, and obedience—into their very being.

Richard L. Evans once observed, “That we shall go quickly or that we shall perform spectacularly is not important, but that we shall safely and surely move from hour to hour and day to day, and that we shall not lose the way, are things vital to all men who would realize their highest possibilities.” Thus, the journey toward wholeness emphasizes continual growth with Christ, not instant arrival or unbroken victory

The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints harmonizes the command to strive for perfection with the principle that salvation comes through the grace of God. As taught in 2 Nephi 25:23, “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” This does not mean that our efforts somehow purchase or merit perfection. Instead, it acknowledges that Christ’s Atonement is the great transformer, making up the infinite distance between our broken efforts and God’s wholeness.

C.S. Lewis, though not a member of the Church but quoted favorably in Latter-day Saint sources, astutely captured the process: Our Lord is like the dentist, he wrote. We may seek to have a toothache fixed, but the Lord will not stop there—He insists on making us entirely well, wholly restored. “Make no mistake,” Lewis’s paraphrased Christ warns, “if you let Me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands… nothing less, or other, than that.” Christ’s aim is our absolute perfection—not on our mortal schedule, but His. No power in the universe can stop this, except ourselves, if we choose to turn away.

In practice, this means that we grow through intentional striving—obedience, service to others, repentance—but with the humble acknowledgment that none of our own works would be sufficient without Christ’s mercy. As Tad R. Callister summarized, “The process of becoming like God is possible, but it is a long and strenuous journey.” The early Christian doctrine of theosis, or being made partakers of the divine nature, is echoed in modern Church teachings: we are to become “joint-heirs with Christ” and fully reflect His image through the atonement’s transformative power.

In the words of Moroni, “by the grace of God [we] are perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:33). Repentance, then, is not an exercise in self-flagellation, nor does Christ leave a scar: “When a person fully and completely repents of his sins it is as if he had never committed them at all. There is no remaining mark or stain; there is no way to differentiate that person from another who had been purified from committing other sins. No man is perfect; all have sinned. Yet, through the redemption of the Only Begotten Son those who have sinned may become perfect, holy, without spot.”

Recognizing the true intent of Christ’s command brings both relief and renewed determination. Perfection is not a finish line to be crossed in this mortal life but a horizon toward which we travel, “pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope” (2 Nephi 31:19-20).

Likewise, enduring setbacks, disappointment, and recurring weakness does not prevent our future perfection. What matters is our direction, not our position. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland famously taught, “Be ye therefore perfect… eventually.” Christ and His gospel do not demand immediate flawlessness, only continual striving and the persistent willingness to let His grace work in us, day by day.

Gramps