In Genesis 17, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.” What does “perfect” mean?

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.”

Romans 15:14 tells us: “For whatsoever things were written in times past, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

The Scriptures were written to comfort us and to give us hope. In the Christian sense, hope is not just a “maybe.” Bible “hope" is a “joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. ”G1680 - elpis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV)

Interpreting Genesis 17:1 to mean God telling Abraham to be perfect by his own strength does not give us comfort, make us joyful or bring a confident expectation of eternal salvation. If anything, it puts one under the pressure of trying to be perfect and makes us pretty hopeless because always, we are imperfect of ourselves. Even right now.

A quick background to help us understand Genesis 17:1 --

God is the Righteous Judge. He cannot sweep sins under the carpet. Even we would be appalled if a human judge tried to get his son who has been sentenced to death by the law off the leash of the law's righteous demands. God's Righteousness and Justice demand that every sin be punished to the uttermost.

All have sinned. And the wages of sin is death. This doesn't seem fair when you take into consideration the degree of sin that each has committed and the fact that some people do their best to be good while others just don't seem to care— until we realise that the potential to commit heinous sins and to exhibit death's symptoms of barrenness, unemployment, indolence and utter senselessness is in everybody. God sees this potential and how favourable circumstances make some people reason that their power, smarts and "I was hardworking, sensible and obedient" is what got them where they are today.

To see how untrue that kind of reasoning is, take a look around you and you will see highly-educated and hardworking people with ten degrees living in economic poverty, even following "pastors" who tell them to do things like "smite their head" in order to bring back prosperity. Take a look at your Facebook feed and you will find men and women who spent their youth in promiscuity with tens of abortions under their belt but are now showing off their healthy families and ten brilliant kids on Facebook while the one who spent his youth chaste, avoiding sins and washing church toilets remains barren. Beloved, the race is not to the swift. God's word counsels us in Deuteronomy 8 --

17 You might say to yourself, “My power and my strong hands have made me rich.” 18 But remember the Lord your God. He gives you the ability to produce wealth. That shows He stands by the terms of the covenant He made with you. He promised it to your people of long ago. And He’s still faithful to His covenant today."

"Wealth" here is not just money. It is translated from the Hebrew "Chayil" which has the following interpretations:

• strength
• might
• ability, efficiency
• wealth
• force, army

We hear some preachers say things like: "Yes, God gave you Grace but you still have to use the Grace to do whatever..." This seemingly moral principle is Satan's deceit - pushing one back to dependence on the arm of flesh/human effort for the attainment of good/godliness as Satan deceived Eve. Beloved, there is none good but God. Even the willingness and the ability of believers in Christ to do God's will is a gift of Grace--

"For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:13.

Beloved, understand that the flesh (human might) in a pastor is the same flesh (human might) in a prostitute is the same flesh in everybody on earth whether rich or poor or wise or lazy or foolish or whatever- utterly imperfect and destined to fail: the arm of flesh will fail. The reason why we are not committing particular sins and are not bogged down with life's troubles akin to Job's travails is because God did not allow us to be subject to the vagaries of Time and Chance or let Satan sift us like wheat and unto destruction as he did Judas-

"12 So beware if you think it could never happen to you, lest your pride becomes your downfall. 13 We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."1 Corinthians 10.

The one who is standing apart from Christ is standing by God's mercy alone, even non-believers.

So, the punishment for sin is Death preceded by its symptoms of earthly ills such as lack, demonic oppression, depression, stupid mistakes, bad career decisions, suicidal thoughts, fast-tracked ageing and every evil thing that came to be after Adam's fall. All that Job experienced during his trouble is "death begun." For the one who thinks it is his 70 days fasts and arm of flesh-driven efforts at obedience that puts him on the favourable side of God's justice, that one is like Job before his travails. Job was hedged in by God so that he was protected and able to do good works, but he thought that it was his sacrifices to God on behalf of his children that kept them safe and that his obedience, charitable deeds and his being "eyes to the blind" were what God considered in keeping him safe and prosperous. When God lifted His hedge(translated from a Hebrew word which also means “restraint") and Job's troubles started, he could not even do any of those things to save himself. So much to say here. Paul addressed this truth in Romans 1 where a group who “suppress the truth” of righteousness by faith (verses 16-19) devolved into sin after “God lifted off His restraining hand…” —

“24 This is why God lifted off His restraining hand and let them have full expression of their sinful and shameful desires…”

Should God the Righteous Judge in His Righteousness and Justice lift His restraining hand thus opening us up to what we truly deserved based on our works or willingness and ability to do what His law demands, all of us would devolve into man's base self and would be facing worse troubles than Job. Satan the accuser (HaSatan is literally “prosecutor at law” in Hebrew) would have a field day wielding the law, using it to accuse all. The law condemns the best of those who try to be godly by it. Beloved, thank God for He is Good. His word says in Psalm 89:14-

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face."

The Passion Translation says: “Your glorious throne rests on a foundation of righteousness and just verdicts. Grace and truth are the attendants who go before you.”

We already see that God's Righteousness and Justice demand that all sin must be punished to the uttermost: Death. But what about "Mercy and Truth" that go before His face? Well, Christ says--

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Christ is the Truth in Psalm 81:14.

And mercy? "Mercy" above is translated from the Hebrew word "Chesed" which means "Grace." We know from Titus 2:11 that Grace is the Person of Jesus Christ--

"God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone."

Christ Himself is the "Mercy and Truth" that go before Almighty God's face in Psalm 89:14-

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face."

I promise this connects to Genesis 17:1. We'll get there in a bit.

Beloved, because God loved us so and does not want any to go through the travails of Job or to perish and not have eternal life, by His Mercy and Truth- Christ Himself, He Himself provided the Righteous and Just foundation for our salvation:

At the cross, there was a righteous exchange. God's "Righteousness and Justice" which demand punishment for sin literally met with His “Mercy and Truth” aka Christ Himself, culminating in the greatest expression of Love---

At the cross, the entire judgment for sin which we very much deserved for our inability to keep the LAW and based on God's Righteousness and Justice, God utterly poured out same judgment on our Saviour Jesus Christ who is Mercy (Grace) and Truth. He Himself bore our sins in His own body at the cross to make us perfect. He utterly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law for us so that today, all who believe Him and receive His benefits get to be utterly blameless/perfect before God. This brings us to what God told Abraham in Genesis 17:1--

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.”

The NKJV says: "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

Blameless/perfect is translated from the Hebrew word “tamiym” which have the following meanings:

complete, whole, entire, sound

1. complete, whole, entire
2. whole, sound, healthful
3. complete, entire (of time)
4. sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
5. what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adj/subst)

H8549 - tamiym - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV)

The word of God "walk before me and be blameless" or “perfect" has been twisted to mean all sorts by false preachers, e.g--

"God demands that you should be perfect/blameless before Him so you'd better stop sinning and be godly so that you can be blameless or perfect before God."

Beloved, God is not confused. Matthew 1:21 tells us why God sent His beloved Son to die for you and I-

She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Why did He send His own Son to save you and I from our sins if we could attain to a modicum of perfection or be blameless by our own might/arm of flesh which His word consistently counsels us to not put any trust in? No friend. When the Lord God re-introduced Himself to Abraham and commanded Him to “Walk before Me, and be thou perfect” or “Walk before Me and be blameless," it was not to get Abraham scrambling to be obedient and sins-free in order to be perfect/blameless as many teach today. Rather, it is because there is Someone who goes before Him: Mercy and Truth.Recall Psalm 89:14 says of the Almighty God:

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face."

Christ Himself is Mercy and Truth who goes before the Almighty God's face. He it was who absorbed ALL of our punishment as demanded by the Law of God whose Righteousness and Justice CANNOT leave ANY sin unpunished, making us perfect/righteous/complete in God's sight:

“And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God." Romans 5:9.

Abraham believed the same gospel of Christ that you and I believe today, beloved of God. Christ said to the Jews in John 8:56-

“Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.”

The Passion Translation says: “And not only that, Abraham, your ancestor, was overjoyed when he received the revelation of my coming to earth. Yes, he foresaw me coming and was filled with delight!”

To walk before Almighty God as Abraham did is to walk IN Mercy and Truth that go before His face--Christ Jesus. In Him, Almighty God Himself has made and sees us as "perfected forever and completely cleansed." See Hebrews 10--

"12 whereas Christ, having offered the one sacrifice [the all-sufficient sacrifice of Himself] for sins for all time, sat down [signifying the completion of atonement for sin] at the right hand of God [the position of honor], 13 waiting from that time onward until his enemies are made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]."

And our perfection before God as we walk in His Mercy (Grace) and Truth is not because we have no sins. No. It is a gift of Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.

Recall God's Grace is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11 says of Him: "God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone."

Verse 14 of the same Titus 2 says: "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

How can we who utterly trust in Christ continue to wallow sins and have no works to show for our faith as antichrist pastors who trust the flesh/human effort for the attainment of good love to imply when we are in the One who saves from sins? Those ones only expose their unbelief in Christ's power to save from sins and to transform us to committed doers of good works.

Beloved, only by walking before the Almighty God are we blameless or perfect in His sight because when we do, we walk in the the One who goes before His face— Mercy and Truth aka Jesus Christ the Light of the world. 1 John 1:7 shows us what is happening as we walk in the Light of Almighty God where Christ is and we are in Him:

"But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]."

Who needs to be cleansed from sin but the one who has sinned? Who needs to be kept cleansed from sin in all of its forms and manifestations but the one who cannot keep or cleanse himself? Romans 5:6 tells us who Christ came to save and is saving:

“For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves.”

In reality, that covers the world that God so loved. Of ourselves, we are all weak and powerless to save ourselves. Beloved, let's take our blessed brains to church and stop believing false preachers who push the flock into attempting to be blameless/perfect like God (be like God) by human striving at doing “good” works. Their doctrine is no different from that which Satan preached to Eve in Eden.

The only difference between us and "the world" that God so loved is our believing "Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Apart from Christ, everybody is the same: the world.

Often, we think that the world is just reckless sinners who just want to sin their lives away to destruction, but try to steal, kill, commit adultery, covet or break ANY among the Ten Commandments that do not have to do with belief in God (basically the last five) and see what "the world" and its legal system will do to you. The system of the world is to trust in self-effort for the attainment of good (be like God) when God's Word Himself says:

"There is none good but God."

Who do we think is the ruler of this world? Satan of course. And his doctrine since Eden has been to push man into doing the seemingly good thing of trying to be good/godly (be like God) via human striving when God's Word says man cannot and when God Himself has given the Way for us to be perfect or godly - Jesus Christ. The result of trying to be good like God by human striving is still the same as it was in Eden for those who try: sin has dominion and death reigns. Beloved, let's not be found here.

There are no half-measures with God when it comes to salvation in Christ which is totally "None of self. All of Christ." Apart from Christ who is the “Mercy and Truth” that go before the face of Almighty God, there is no perfection. In Christ, God sees us as perfect/righteous, "even though we are guilty of many sins." As my pastor would say:

“God is righteous in making the sinner (who believes in Jesus) righteous.”

This is not so that we should continue to wallow in sins as antichrist pastors and those who are yet to understand Grace love to imply; in the Wisdom of God whose ways and thoughts are higher than man's, it is so that we should live in triumph over sin and death through Jesus Christ-

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:16-17.

This is God's Way of saving us, but it is illogical to man's reasoning:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

So let's ask now, beloved of God. Let's ask our heavenly Father in Christ to cause us to know and believe exactly what He means when His word says that we are "accepted in the Beloved."

Believer, the same love and acceptance that our heavenly Father has for our Saviour Jesus Christ, He has for you and I who believe in Him. We see this in His prayer for us and His disciples in John 17--

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

The same love, believer in Christ!!! In Him, God our Father has made and sees us as PERFECT because He chose us to walk in Mercy and Truth that go before His face. Christ Himself is Mercy and Truth.