Not being "perfect," is no excuse for not following Christ fully.
This happened yesterday as I was talking to folks about their relationship to Jesus. At the end of one conversation I asked him if he was following Jesus and then asked "are you following Jesus as closely as you can? "He said, "I'm not perfect," Which being interpreted means, "No!"
I hear this a lot. Who can argue with a confession that says, "I am not perfect?" But that was not the question. I asked, "Are you following Christ as closely as you can?" If the answer is, "No," then let's figure out what needs to be done to change that answer. If the answer is, "Yes," then let's praise the Lord and keep on walking in the Spirit.
I think that in the future when someone responds with, "I am not perfect," or, "No one is perfect," I will say something like, "I understand that, but we don't have to be perfect in order to be obedient or follow as closely as we can. Parents don't expect "perfection" from their children, but we do expect our children to be obedient. No loving, intelligent and fair parent expects a child to actually do what they cannot do and therefore we do not instruct them to be absolutely perfect or to do the impossible. God is loving, intelligent and just (fair, righteous), and God's calling brings God's enabling.
The Bible clearly teaches that every born-again believer is enabled to obey God. Obedience to God is God's work of salvation in us. We (as new creations) are created to do good works and live a holy life. Remember, it is salvation from sin, it is not only salvation from the penalty of sin.
Of course, there is the possibility that a person may sin after being converted (though the Bible teaches that God has made it possible for us to resist all temptation).
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
However, if we sin after being saved, we have an advocate with the Father through Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:1
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
God is not looking for an opportunity to whack us. He loves us and wants us to be holy, righteous and pure. He wants and is able to conform us to the image of His Son. He wants, and He enables us to keep His commandments and do that which is pleasing in His sight. But if we fall back into a sin, we should immediately seek forgiveness and restoration. If we don't repent, confess and return to a right relationship with Him, then we have started a free-fall into sin and an ongoing rebellion against God.
Jude 1:24
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Follow Jesus daily.
Luke 9:23
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
