Quest for the Best

A recent post asked you two questions.  One was about your perfect starting hand in poker.

We recall a group of pros being asked this question in the NBC National Heads-Up Championship -- and most of them gave the most obvious answer: pocket Aces.  After all, it's in the lead before every flop.

But anyone who's played poker can tell you Aces get "cracked".  In fact, some tournaments offer bonus prizes if you crack them -- even if a lowly 2-3 in the Big Blind is followed by a 3-3-2 flop, for a full house.

Our second question was a bit more thought-provoking.  We noted God's creation is never called "perfect" in Genesis 1.  The best praise it receives is "very good" in verse 31.  So why didn't a perfect God form a perfect creation?

After thinking it over, we think the answer involves the creation of humans.  They proved they were imperfect when they disobeyed God....

"....But God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die'".... When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband. - Genesis 3:3, 6

Disobedience was considered a sin, which led to Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden (verse 23) -- much as a poker player can be removed from a table for breaking house rules.

We conclude from this that perfection involves obedience.  Obey the rules of poker, and you can win a big pot.  Obey God's instructions, and you can gain salvation and eternal life.  Even Jesus had to do that:

During the days of Jesus's life on earth.... Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he came the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.... - Hebrews 5:7-9

Did you notice that?  Jesus had to be "made perfect"! He was the sinless Son of God - yet He had to become perfect, just as Matthew 5:48 shows we must.

A tough task?  Absolutely.  Yet it's what believers in God are supposed to do....

Finally, brothers, good-by.  Aim for perfection.... And the God of love and peace will be with you. - II Corinthians 13:11

Falling short of that goal can be frustrating, and even depressing.  We know, because it's happened to us.  If it's a problem for you, please review the Bible study we wrote on perfection years ago.  Oh, and if you see something imperfect about it, please let us know.