Perfection in God's Eyes: An Inherent Truth
The human quest for perfection often leads to a spiritual treadmill. From childhood, we're taught to strive for excellence, extending into our spiritual lives where we seek flawless performance or sinlessness to be "good enough" for God. This results in constant feelings of falling short, guilt, and perpetual striving for an elusive ideal.
Beyond Flawless Performance: God's Unchanging View
Our earthly understanding of perfection, based on observation and comparison, highlights our mistakes and shortcomings, leading to self-condemnation and anxiety. We feel perpetually unworthy in God's eyes, caught in a cycle of striving and disappointment.
However, the divine perspective is radically different. From God's vantage point, our perfection isn't achieved through effort or flawless behavior. It's an intrinsic quality, something we already are by virtue of our creation, woven into our spiritual DNA.
"The children of God are holy and the miracle honors their holiness, which can be hidden but never lost.” (ACIM, T-1.I.31:3) "By placing you beyond the physical laws they raise you into the sphere of celestial order. ⁴In this order you are perfect.” (ACIM, T-1.I.32:3-4)
This is an eternal truth about our current being, not a future state. Our perceived imperfections—errors, flaws, unkindness—are merely illusions, temporary misperceptions of our true, unblemished nature. When we "fall short," it's not a change in our inherent spiritual perfection, but a temporary forgetting, like a cloud hiding the sun without diminishing its light.
The Bible echoes this truth in the creation narrative:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27, ESV)
However, A Course in Miracles (ACIM) posits a crucial distinction: God did not create this world of illusions. Instead, it is a projection of the ego's mistaken thoughts of separation. Therefore, our true perfection, as God created us, resides not in our physical bodies or this illusory world, but in the eternal, perfected state of Heaven, our true home.
“God did not make the world.” (ACIM, T-13.V.4:1) “You are not a body. You are free. For you are still as God created you.” (ACIM, W-pI.200.Title)
To be created in God's image implies an inherent likeness, a reflection of His perfect nature. This divine imprint means we carry His perfection within us. While sin (separation from God, in mind) introduced separation and obscured this pristine image, its essence remains. Though veiled by ego, fear, and guilt, the image is never destroyed. At our core, we are reflections of divine perfection, awaiting this recognition. We discover/remember this through continual relationship with the Holy “I AM,” God’s perfect creation, Awareness itself, Consciousness itself, Life itself.
Perfection as Wholeness and Oneness
If perfection isn't human flawlessness, what is its true nature? Both A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and the Bible consistently define it as wholeness, completeness, and a return to our true, unified identity in God. It's about integration, not eradication of perceived flaws.
ACIM emphasizes our "sinlessness" as a given, an inherent state never truly lost, only forgotten:
"The innocence of God is the true state of the mind of His Son. In this state your mind knows God, for God is not symbolic; He is Fact.” (ACIM, T-3.I.8:1-2)
This "innocence" signifies the inherent purity and wholeness of our spiritual Self, untouched by ego's illusions. To be perfect in God's eyes is to recognize and accept this inherent sinlessness, remembering, "I am as God created me.” (ACIM, T-31.VIII.5:2) It's a process of releasing self-condemning thoughts and beliefs of unworthiness, shifting from self-judgment to self-acceptance rooted in divine truth.
The Bible, while acknowledging sin and our need for redemption, powerfully points to a miraculous restoration of wholeness through divine grace. The Apostle Paul articulates this:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
This "new creation" speaks to a profound spiritual transformation, made whole and complete not by our merit, but by God's unearned grace and reconciliation. He presents us as:
"...holy and blameless and above reproach before him." (Colossians 1:22, ESV)
This is a profound gift—a state of right relationship with God, established through His love, not a checklist of human achievements. It's a declaration of our inherent worthiness through His eyes.
The Role of Love and Forgiveness
If we are already perfect in God's eyes, our role is to accept this truth and extend it to others. Both spiritual traditions highlight love and forgiveness as the essential path to experiencing this inherent perfection.
ACIM teaches that the Atonement is the primary means to remember our true, perfect state:
"The Atonement is the guarantee of the safety of the Kingdom, and the union of the Sonship is its protection.” (ACIM, T-5.IV.1:9)
In A Course in Miracles, Atonement corrects the error of separation—the mistaken belief that we are separate from God and one another. It's the recognition that this separation never occurred, and we remain one in spirit. When we practice true forgiveness—forgiving ourselves and others—we see past ego's illusions to recognize the perfect Self God created within everyone. This act of seeing with love, not judgment, affirms our own inherent perfection.
The Bible also elevates love as the ultimate fulfillment of God's will and His very essence. Jesus' command, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, ESV), is given in the context of radical love: extending love to enemies, praying for persecutors, and being merciful. This "perfection" is embodying God's boundless, unconditional love in our interactions and being. It's a call to reflect His character.
As 1 John 4:18 (ESV) powerfully reminds us:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear."
When we operate from perfect love—allowing God's love to flow unhindered—we align with our true, perfect nature. This divine love naturally extends forgiveness, cultivates compassion, fosters understanding, and embraces acceptance, mirroring God's attributes. It dissolves illusions of separation and fear, allowing our inherent perfection to shine.
Living in This Understanding
To truly grasp and live from the understanding of being perfect in God's eyes is not a burden, but a profound liberation. It is a shift from earning to accepting, from doing to being. It is about:
Accepting God's View of You: Release the need to earn or prove your worthiness. Rest in the profound truth that you are already loved, whole, and perfect as God created you. This acceptance is a radical act of self-love rooted in divine truth.
Practicing Forgiveness as a Way of Life: Actively forgive yourself for perceived errors, knowing they are not part of your true identity. Extend this transformative forgiveness to others, choosing to see past ego's illusions to the perfect essence within them. This consistent practice is the most potent application of recognizing inherent perfection.
Embracing Unconditional Love: Choose to live from a place of unconditional love—for yourself, others, and God. This love is an active state of being, a boundless generosity of spirit that is the most authentic expression of your inherent perfection, transforming every interaction.
Remembering Your Divine Source: Regularly connect with the divine through prayer, contemplation, or silent reflection. Affirm your unbreakable oneness with God, reminding yourself of your perfect creation. This strengthens awareness of your true identity, allowing your inherent wholeness to illuminate your path.
Perfection in God's eyes is not about achieving an impossible external standard or eradicating human flaws. It is a profound journey of remembering and accepting the perfect, loving, and whole Being you already are. It is the undoing of beliefs and illusions that obscure this truth, allowing the radiant light of your inherent wholeness to shine forth, transforming your life and your perception of the world.
