Most folks read the Sermon on the Mount and feel a little overwhelmed. It’s beautiful, yes—but it can also feel like trying to climb a spiritual Mount Everest. And when Jesus ends with “be perfect,” many of us quietly think, Well, that leaves me out.
But what if we’ve misunderstood what Jesus was really saying?
What if this sermon isn’t about flawless performance at all—but about becoming a different kind of person from the inside out?
Let’s walk through four surprising truths that show the Sermon on the Mount is less about impossible standards and more about a covenant relationship with God.
1. “Be Perfect” Doesn’t Mean “Never Mess Up.”
When Jesus says “be perfect” in Matthew 5:48, most of us hear “be flawless.” But the Greek word teleios actually means “whole,” “mature,” or “complete.”
It’s not about never making a mistake.
It’s about becoming a whole person—someone whose heart and actions match.
In Scripture, teleios is also a covenant word. A better way to hear Jesus’ command is:
“Be fully committed. Be loyal. Be all‑in with God.”
That changes everything.
Jesus isn’t demanding perfectionism—He’s inviting us into a relationship where we grow, mature, and learn to love like He loves.
And what does that love look like?
It’s the kind of love that reaches out to everyone—even the folks who don’t treat us right.
Brigham Young once said:
“If they do the very best they know how, they are perfect.”
That’s the heart of teleios.
2. God Blesses the Desire for Righteousness—Not Just the Achievement.
Right at the start of the sermon, Jesus says:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.”
Notice He doesn’t say:
- “Blessed are the righteous,”
- or “Blessed are the people who’ve already arrived.”
The blessing is for the hungry—the ones who feel the gap between who they are and who they want to be.
If you’re longing to grow…
If you’re trying…
If you’re reaching for God even when you fall short…
Jesus says you’re blessed.
The Joseph Smith Translation adds that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be “filled with the Holy Ghost.” In other words, God meets us in the middle of the journey—not just at the finish line.
Scholar Stephen E. Robinson put it beautifully:
Blessed are the people who want righteousness with all their hearts—even if they don’t have it yet.
3. Jesus Didn’t Throw Out the Law—He Showed What It Was Always About.
When Jesus says He came to “fulfill the law,” He isn’t canceling it.
He’s filling it up—showing its true purpose.
The religious leaders of His day focused on outward behavior.
Jesus went straight to the heart.
- “Don’t murder” becomes “deal with your anger.”
- “Don’t commit adultery” becomes “guard your thoughts.”
- “Love your neighbor” becomes “love your enemy.”
Jesus wasn’t raising the bar to make life harder.
He was revealing what God wanted all along: a transformed heart, not just polished behavior.
Warren Wiersbe described the Pharisees’ religion as:
“An external masquerade… a dead ritual, not a living relationship.”
Jesus came to bring the relationship back.
4. Loving Your Enemies Isn’t Just a Command—It’s a Family Trait.
One of the hardest teachings in the whole sermon is this:
“Love your enemies.”
But Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing why.
He says we love our enemies so we can show we’re God’s children.
God gives sunlight and rain to everyone—good or bad.
His love is steady, generous, and not based on how people treat Him.
When we love like that, we’re acting like our Father.
We’re showing the family resemblance.
Sinclair Ferguson summed it up simply:
“Like Father, like son.”
This is what teleios—wholehearted loyalty—looks like in real life.
Conclusion: It’s Not About Being Flawless—It’s About Being Faithful.
When we read the Sermon on the Mount through the right lens, it stops feeling like an impossible checklist and starts sounding like an invitation.
Jesus is calling us to:
- wholeness, not flawlessness
- desire, not perfectionism
- heart transformation, not outward performance
- family resemblance, not religious pressure
The Christian life isn’t about never stumbling.
It’s about walking with God, growing in love, and becoming whole—just as our Father in heaven is whole.
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