The bible teaches that the perfect God simultaneously commands us through scripture and calls and empowers us through His Spirit to be transformed and conformed to His perfect image.
God commanded us through the prophets to be holy, as he is holy (Leviticus 19:2). Jesus commanded us to be perfect, as God is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Paul instructed us to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1). Jesus prayed that we would be one with Him and the Father, just as they are one (Luke 17:21), and prophesied that we would do even greater things through the indwelling power of the Spirit of God within us (John 14:12).
This means that we are called to actively seek a right relationship with God and to strive to live in accordance with His will and be transformed towards His perfect Spirit, image and intention, so that we can experience the fullness of life that can only be found through this process.
The Bible also teaches that faith is not a passive belief (James 2:26), but an active bond and covenant with God (Hebrews 8:10). Spiritual life is not a passive endeavor, but a total transformation of our lives and our world by the power of the Spirit of God towards the perfect image and intention of God (2 Corinthians 3:18). This involves bringing God's Spirit and intention and “New Life” into embodied form in our time and place (Galatians 2:20), and participating in the ongoing work of bringing about the Kingdom of God on earth through both our prayers (Matthew 6:10) and the outward expression of those prayers in actually doing the will and intention of God (Matthew 7:21). Through the power of Holy Spirit, we are invited to move beyond mere awe and imitation of God, into true creative expression of the living Spirit that creates and sustains the universe, advancing towards doing even greater things than Jesus did (John 14:12).
If we are to be perfect as God is perfect, and strive to imitate God, then we also must progressively become perfectly creative, eternal, powerful, knowing, present, holy, loving, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, sovereign, redeeming, sustaining, living, truthful, wise, hopeful, peaceful, joyous, strong, comforting, guiding, protecting, saving, righteous, sanctifying, glorious, honorable, compassionate, faithful, long-suffering, patient, kind, steady, mediating, shepherding, providing, healing, comforting, counseling, teaching, lighting, justifying, forgiving, avenging, establishing, upholding, unifying, strengthening, peaceful, saving, holy, gracious, gentle, beautiful and good.
This is possible not through our own power, but through the living and working presence of the God's Spirit within us, which transforms us so that the characteristics above begin manifesting from our lives as "fruit" (Galatians 5:22-23). be
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