August 2, 2025

JESUS CHRIST: THE STANDARD FOR PERFECTION

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.’ So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’ This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, ‘It is through obeying the law that a person has life.’”

 Galatians 3:10–12, NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Illustration: The Perfect Game

The date was July 28, 1994. The place: The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. The teams: Texas Rangers vs. California Angels. That night, Kenny Rogers pitched one of the rarest achievements in all of the professional sports—a perfect game.

I was blessed to be there in person, sitting with my two sons and father-in-law, thanks to a friend who gave us tickets.

Rogers faced 27 batters—and every single one was out. No hits. No walks. No errors. No one reached base. It was flawless. It was perfect.

How rare is that? In over 150 years of baseball, with over 200,000 games played, there have only been 23 perfect games. That’s about 1 in every 10,000 games.

It’s no wonder they call it perfect—because it demands perfection.

Spiritual Application: God’s Standard of Perfection

Paul’s words in Galatians strike just as sharply:

“Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands…” (Deuteronomy 27:26)

Circle that word: all. The law doesn’t give partial credit. You don’t pass with 65%, or 85%, or even 99.9%. If you break one part of the law—you’ve broken it all.

Like a perfect game, the law demands flawless performance. But while a few pitchers may pull off perfection once in a lifetime, no human being has ever lived a morally perfect life—except One.

Jesus: The Only Perfect Life

Only Jesus passed the test.

• He lived without sin.

• He never broke a single command.

• He did what we could never do—He kept the law perfectly.

Then, in divine love, He took our place. He took our sin. He took our failure. He took our imperfection—and paid the price in full on the cross.

The law says: “Be perfect or be cursed.”

Grace says: “Trust the Perfect One—and be made right.”

Faith, Not Law

Paul says clearly:

“No one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law… It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

This is why I choose grace. This is why I live by faith. Not in my record. Not in my performance. But in Jesus, who was perfect for me.

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for doing what I never could. Thank You for living a perfect life and paying the price for my sin on the cross. I place my faith in You, not in my efforts. Help me live each day in the freedom and joy of Your grace. In Your name, Amen.

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