A believer is someone whose life is governed by no one except God the Father Himself. His reign enters our lives through the Holy Spirit. We are no longer under the law, but that does not mean the law is unnecessary; the general law must be passed through first. If we read the New Testament, it seems as if the Lord does not emphasize the law. But we must not forget that Jesus faced the Israelites, who were very meticulous about the law and fanatical toward it. Therefore, the Lord did not need to speak about overly detailed matters. In the end, what is emphasized is not the outward but the inward.
The question is, how can God govern a person if he does not have the capacity of God? How can someone walk with God if he cannot step with Him? Therefore, in the initial stage, the law functions as a tutor or guide, helping people live in an orderly manner. After one’s morals are regulated in general, then a person enters the realm of perfection. God desires that believers possess moral qualities like His own. This starts with small, simple things in daily life, such as not being late for work, not being corrupt, respecting superiors, treating others humanely, and so on.
But if we have studied God’s Word, we must honestly acknowledge our faults and abandon what is wrong until finally we have instincts like the Father. When the Lord said, “You must be perfect as the Father,” He was declaring that we are God’s offspring. We call Him Father because we are His children. Jesus Himself mentioned the Father at the beginning of His sermon. For what purpose? To remind us that we are God’s offspring. Therefore, the small things must be put in order first.
God’s moral quality must be above common morality. This is what the Father wants His children to have: perfection. Thus, being perfect means the believer lives entirely under God’s governance. If His Spirit is placed within us, what does that mean? If it were only to keep the law, we would not actually need the Spirit of God to dwell in us. The proof is that we can see many non-Christians who also have good behavior, even very good. We see how they defend justice and truth and live honestly, which is very admirable. So, if we have the Holy Spirit, the purpose is so that we can become perfect like the Father—everything we do is in line with the Father’s will. The law no longer governs us, but by God the Father.
If we still live wildly and have not even passed the general law, how can we be God’s children? No child of God lives outside God’s control through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is placed in us to control our lives. Previously, the Torah functioned as a tutor; now the Holy Spirit leads us until our hearts become tender. Until we have the life-philosophy of Jesus as written in John 4:34: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” His life’s rhythm is doing the Father’s will. Actually, from the start, God did not design humans to live under the shadow of laws or rules. That is why when God created humans and laid the foundation of this earth, God did not formulate laws.
Some religions take pride in having many regulations. But in Christianity, rules are not the primary goal; if there are rules, they are only an initial tutor or guide. Because humans have been corrupted by sin, the law must be passed through first. God gives humans moral capacity to understand God’s thoughts and feelings, so that they can be of one mind and one feeling with Him. Now we are restored by the Lord, aligned with God the Father. So, when God says, “You must be perfect as the Father in heaven,” it means we must have the Father’s feelings. This applies to those who have been saved—those who have been restored to God’s original design. But in reality, not many people pay attention to this; only a few truly pursue it. Therefore, let us not grow weak!