Introduction

"Nobody is perfect." Though many times, we use that as an excuse for our mistakes or even our disobedience, it is a reality that we cannot deny. Nobody is perfect. I know I am not. If you don't believe me, ask my wife or my son or my daughter. They know I am not perfect. But there is One who is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Behold your God! The God of the Bible is a God who is perfect. Your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

Dictionary defines perfect as complete and absolute; accurate, exact, or correct in every detail; without fault or defects.

To say that God is perfect is to say that He is complete and correct in every way. He is without any blemish, any mark, any defect, anything lacking or missing. Therefore, there is no way in which God can be better. He is infinite in His perfection.

Exodus 15:11 Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

The answer is obvious. There is none. God alone is perfect.

There are three things that will help us as we contemplate on the perfections of God.

I - Perfect In Himself

There was a time when there was no heaven and no earth. No stars, no moon, no sun, no galaxies, no universe. There were no oceans, no seas, no rivers, no lakes, no mountain, no hills, no valleys. There were no plants, no trees, no animals. There were no people and no angels. There was nothing, no one, but God. God was all alone, perfect in Himself.

What does perfect in Himself mean?

1. Self-existent

One way of saying that God is perfect in Himself is He is self-existent.

When we open our Bible, we are brought to the reality of God, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." 

The Bible never tries to prove God's existence or origin. It simply declares that God exists and that He created the universe and everything in it. He existed before all things and He Himself brought everything else into existence.

He is the only Being that does not owe His existence to somebody else. This is not easy to grasp because experience tells us that everything came from something else. No living creature has life in itself. Only God has life in Himself.

John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

He owes His existence to no one outside Himself. He has life in and of Himself. All life is a gift from God.

2. Self-sufficient

Another way of saying that God is perfect in Himself is He is self-sufficient. 

God existed before time and space. He existed when there was nothing else in existence. God doesn't need anything or anybody outside of Himself. God is not dependent on anything. He's totally self-sufficient. He is in need of nothing.

That's not true of any other living organism 

For example, we human beings need things outside ourselves, things like air, food, and water. We are very dependent upon air and water, take either air or water from the earth and all life would perish instantly. Not so with God. God needs nothing outside of Himself.

This is hard to swallow

The idea that God does not need anything and anybody for His existence is very humbling and very uncomfortable, because the practical implication of this truth is that God doesn't need me. He doesn't need my worship, my fellowship, or even my witness. This is probably the hardest thought of all for our natural pride to entertain or to accept, that God does not need our help. He does not need our support. God was under no constraint, no obligation, no necessity to create.

Why then, did God create the universe? 

A good question and I don't know if I could give a satisfying answer. We can ask God when we get to Heaven. But two things we can know for sure ...

A. He did not create us because He needed us

Acts 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24: God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25: Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

God made the world and everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And is not served by human hands for He has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.

He is not the receiver but the Giver of all life and breath and all things. He depends on no one for His existence, but all that He has made is utterly dependent on Him. He doesn't need you and me.

This is what is so amazing about the Gospel and the Great Commission. He does not need anyone and yet He loves us so much and in His grace He gives us the privilege to be laborers together with Him.

B. He created us for His glory

Another thing we know why He created the universe is ...

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

He created all things according to His will, and for His own glory.

Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Instead of God needing us, we need Him. 

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Our very life and every movement we make as living persons and our being or existence, is from God. Our being, and the maintenance of it, and continuance in it, are all owing to the power and providence of God. 

He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is enriched by none.

We are incomplete and unfulfilled without God. We need God. Without a true, living and personal relationship with Him, life is pointless and meaningless. 

II - Perfect In All His Attributes

1. Every attribute of God is perfect

God's nature and being is perfect that nothing is lacking to it or defective in it and nothing can be added to it to make it better or to improve it.

His knowledge is perfect knowledge

There is nothing that God doesn't know

Job 37:16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

Psalm 139

His holiness is perfect holiness

1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

His love is perfect love

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

His justice is perfect justice

His judgment is perfect judgment

Every attribute of God is perfect.

2. Every attribute of God is in perfect harmony with His every other attribute

There is never a conflict between His attributes and the exercise of His attributes.

It is not only perfect holiness in God, but perfect holiness in perfect harmony with His perfect love. So that when God execute His judgment He does not violate His righteousness and His love. When He exercises mercy and love He does not violate His righteousness and holiness.

There is no conflict between His attributes and the exercise of His attributes.

Psalm 85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. 8: I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. 9: Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. 10: Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

In God there is perfect balance between mercy and truth, grace and truth, righteousness and peace. 

This is beautifully and powerfully displayed at the Cross. At the Cross, God showed His justice by punishing sin and mercy by forgiving our sins.

Behold your God! Worship Him. Our God is Awesome!

To be continued ...