Perfection Pending

Elder Russell M. Nelson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 115; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86-88

If I were to ask which of the Lord’s commandments is many,”6 who were pure before the Lord.
most difficult to keep, many of us might cite Matthew 5:48: This does not mean that these people never made
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in mistakes or never had need of correction. The process of
heaven is perfect.”1 perfection includes challenges to overcome and steps to
Keeping this commandment can be a concern because repentance that may be very painful.7 There is a proper
each of us is far from perfect, both spiritually and place for chastisement in the molding of character, for we
temporally. Reminders come repeatedly. We may lock keys know that “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.”8
inside the car or even forget where the car is parked. And Mortal perfection can be achieved as we try to perform
not infrequently we walk intently from one part of the every duty, keep every law, and strive to be as perfect in
house to another, only to forget the reason for the errand. our sphere as our Heavenly Father is in His. If we do the
When comparing one’s personal performance with the best we can, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds
supreme standard of the Lord’s expectation, the reality of and the desires of our hearts.9
imperfection can at times be depressing. My heart goes out
to conscientious Saints who, because of their shortcomings, Eternal perfection
allow feelings of depression to rob them of happiness in But Jesus asked for more than mortal perfection. The
life. moment He uttered the words “even as your Father which
We all need to remember: men are that they might have is in heaven is perfect,” He raised our sights beyond the
joy—not guilt trips!2 We also need to remember that the bounds of mortality. Our Heavenly Father has eternal
Lord gives no commandments that are impossible to obey. perfection. This very fact merits a much broader
But sometimes we fail to comprehend them fully. perspective.
Our understanding of perfection might be aided if we Recently I studied the English and Greek editions of
classify it into two categories. The first could pertain the New Testament, concentrating on each use of the term
uniquely to this life—mortal perfection. The second perfect and its derivatives. Studying both languages
category could pertain uniquely to the next life— immortal together provided some interesting insights, since Greek
or eternal perfection. was the original language of the New Testament.
In Matthew 5:48 the term perfect was translated from
Mortal perfection the Greek teleios, which means “complete.” Teleios is an
In this life certain actions can be perfected. A baseball adjective derived from the noun telos, which means
pitcher can throw a no-hit, no-run ball game. A surgeon “end.”10 The infinitive form of the verb is teleiono, which
can perform an operation without an error. A musician can means “to reach a distant end, to be fully developed, to
render a selection without a mistake. One can likewise consummate, or to finish.”11 Please note that the word does
achieve perfection in being punctual, paying tithing, not imply freedom from error; it implies achieving a distant
keeping the Word of Wisdom, and so on. The enormous objective. In fact, when writers of the Greek New
effort required to attain such self-mastery is rewarded with Testa ment wished to describe perfection of
a deep sense of satisfaction. More importantly, spiritual behavior—precision or excellence of human effort—they
attainments in mortality accompany us into eternity. 3 did not employ a form of teleios; instead, they chose
James gave a practical standard by which mortal different words.12
perfection could be measured. He said, “If any man offend Teleios is not a total stranger to us. From it comes the
not in word, the same is a perfect man.”4 prefix tele- that we use every day. Telephone literally
Scriptures have described Noah, Seth, and Job as means “distant talk.” Television means “to see distantly.”
perfect men.5 No doubt the same term might apply to a Telephoto means “distant light,” and so on.
large number of faithful disciples in various dispensations. With that background in mind, let us consider another
Alma said that “there were many, exceedingly great highly significant statement made by the Lord. Just prior to
His crucifixion, He said that on “the third day I shall be eternal perfection. They relate to the ordinances and
perfected.”13 Think of that! The sinless, errorless covenants of the temple.2 8 No accountable individual can
L o r d — a l r e a d y p e r f e c t b y o u r mo r t a l receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom without the
standards—proclaimed His own state of perfection yet to ordinances of the temple. Endowments and sealings are for
be in the future. 14 His eternal perfection would follow His our personal perfection and are secured through our
resurrection and receipt of “all power . . . in heaven and in faithfulness.29
earth.”15 This requirement also pertains to our ancestors. Paul
The perfection that the Savior envisions for us is much taught “that they without us should not be made perfect.”30
more than errorless performance. It is the eternal Again, in that verse, the Greek term from which perfect
expectation as expressed by the Lord in His great was translated was a form of teleios.31
intercessory prayer to His Father—that we might be made In latter-day revelation the Lord was even more
perfect and be able to dwell with them in the eternities explicit. His prophet wrote: “My dearly beloved brethren
ahead.16 and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in
The Lord’s entire work and glory pertains to the relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly
immortality and eternal life of each human being. 17 He passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their
came into the world to do the will of His Father, who sent salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation. . . .
Him.18 His sacred responsibility was foreseen before the They without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we
Creation19 and was foretold by all His holy prophets since without our dead be made perfect.”32
the world began.20
The atonement of Christ fulfilled the long-awaited Encouragement from the Savior’s example
purpose for which He had come to the earth. His Our climb up the path to perfection is aided by
concluding words upon Calvary’s cross referred to the encouragement from the scriptures. They hold the promise
culmination of His assignment—to atone for all that we shall, if faithful in all things, become like Deity.
humankind. Then He said, “It is finished.”2 1 Not John the beloved Apostle wrote:
surprisingly, the Greek word from which finished was “We should be called the sons [and daughters] of God.
derived is teleios. ...
That Jesus attained eternal perfection following His “. . . When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
resurrection is confirmed in the Book of Mormon. It we shall see him as he is.
records the visit of the resurrected Lord to the people of “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
ancient America. There He repeated the important himself, even as he is pure.”33
injunction previously cited but with one very significant Continuing encouragement comes as we follow the
addition. He said, “I would that ye should be perfect even example of Jesus, who taught, “Be ye holy; for I am
as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.”22 This holy.”3 4 His hope for us is crystal clear! He declared:
time He listed himself along with His Father as a perfected “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto
personage. Previously He had not.23 you, even as I am.”35 Thus our adoration of Jesus is best
Resurrection is requisite for eternal perfection. Thanks expressed by our emulation of Jesus.36
to the atonement of Jesus Christ, our bodies, corruptible in People have never failed to follow Jesus because His
mortality, will become incorruptible. Our physical frames, standards were imprecise or insufficiently high. Quite to
now subject to disease, death, and decay, will acquire the contrary. Some have disregarded His teachings because
immortal glory. 24 Presently sustained by the blood of life25 they were viewed as being too precise or impractically
and ever aging, our bodies will be sustained by spirit and high! Yet such lofty standards, when earnestly pursued,
become changeless and beyond the bounds of death. 26 produce great inner peace and incomparable joy.
Eternal perfection is reserved for those who overcome There is no other individual to compare with Jesus
all things and inherit the fulness of the Father in His Christ, nor is there any other exhortation equal to His
heavenly mansions. Perfection consists in gaining eternal sublime expression of hope: “I would that ye should be
life—the kind of life that God lives.27 perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is
perfect.”37
Ordinances and covenants of the temple This divine entreaty is consistent with the fact that as
Scriptures identify other important prerequisites to begotten children of heavenly parents, we are endowed with
the potential to become like them, just as mortal children
may become like their mortal parents.
The Lord restored His church to help us prepare for
perfection. Paul said that the Savior placed in the Church
apostles, prophets, and teachers “for the perfecting of the
saints, . . . for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ.” 38
The perfect man described in Paul’s quotation is the
completed person—teleios—the glorified soul!
Moroni taught how to gain this glorious objective. His
instruction stands in any age as an antidote for depression
and a prescription for joy. I echo his plea: “Come unto
Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all
ungodliness; . . . love God with all your might, mind and
strength. . . . [Then] ye may be perfect in Christ, . . . holy,
[and] without spot.”39
Meanwhile, brothers and sisters, let us do the best we
can and try to improve each day. When our imperfections
appear, we can keep trying to correct them. We can be
more forgiving of flaws in ourselves and among those we
love. We can be comforted and forbearing. The Lord
taught, “Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now
. . . ; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are
perfected.”40
We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward
perfection now seem so arduous and endless. Perfection is
pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and
only through the Lord. It awaits all who love Him and keep
His commandments. It includes thrones, kingdoms,
principalities, powers, and dominions.41 It is the end for
which we are to endure.42 It is the eternal perfection that
God has in store for each of us. I so testify in the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Those words were given additional intensity in the Joseph Smith Translation: “Ye are therefore
commanded to be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (JST, Matt. 5:50).

2. See 2 Ne. 2:25.

3. See D&C 130:18–19.

4. James 3:2; emphasis added.

5. See Gen. 6:9; D&C 107:43; Job 1:1.

6. Alma 13:12.

7. See Heb. 5:8.

8. Heb. 12:6.

9. See D&C 137:9.

10. Incidentally, the feminine form of this noun is teleia, the Greek term for a period at the end of
a sentence.

11. Footnote b for Matt. 5:48 states: “gr complete, finished, fully developed” (LDS edition of the
King James Version of the Bible, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
1979, p. 1195).

12. A few examples include:

• “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise” (Matt. 21:16; emphasis
added).
• “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master”
(Luke 6:40). In both of these verses, perfect came from the Greek term katartizo, which means
“to fit out, equip, put in order, arrange, adjust; to fit or frame for one’s self”—an act of
preparation.
• Another speaks of “perfect understanding” (Luke 1:3; emphasis added). In this instance,
perfect came from the Greek adverb akribos, which means “exactly, accurately.”
• Another verse refers to those who touched the hem of the Master’s garment and “were made
perfectly whole” (Matt. 14:36; emphasis added). Perfect in this instance came from the Greek
diasozo, which means “to preserve through danger, to bring safely through, to save, keep from
perishing, to rescue.”

13. Luke 13:32; emphasis added.

14. In the Greek text of that proclamation, the verb teleiono was again used, in its future
tense—teleiouma.

15. Matt. 28:18; see also D&C 93:2–22.

16. See John 17:23–24.

17. See Moses 1:39.

18. See 3 Ne. 27:13.

19. See Moses 4:1–2; Moses 7:62; Abr. 3:22–28.

20. See Acts 3:19–21.

21. John 19:30. In modern revelation, Jesus used similar language. He said, “I partook and
finished my preparations unto the children of men” (D&C 19:19; emphasis added).
22. 3 Ne. 12:48; emphasis added.

23. See Matt. 5:48.

24. See Alma 11:45; D&C 76:64–70.

25. See Lev. 17:11.

26. LDS Bible Dictionary, s.v. “resurrection”: “A resurrection means to become immortal,
without blood, yet with a body of flesh and bone.”

27. See Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection (Independence, Missouri: The
Genealogical Society of Utah, 1946), p. 331; Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. (Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), p. 237.

28. Joseph Smith taught, “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances”
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 162).

29. See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., comp. Bruce R. McConkie (Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56), 2:45.

30. Heb. 11:40; emphasis added.

31. Teleioo

32. D&C 128:15; see also Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 159.

33. 1 Jn. 3:1–3. For additional commentary, see Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection,
pp. 7–9.

34. 1 Pet. 1:16; see also Lev. 11:44–45; Lev. 19:2; Lev. 20:26.

35. 3 Ne. 27:27.

36. See Neal A. Maxwell, We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1984), p. 145; Hugh B. Brown, The Abundant Life (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965),
p. 199.

37. 3 Ne. 12:48.

38. Eph. 4:12–13; emphasis added.

39. Moro. 10:32–33.

40. D&C 67:13.

41. See D&C 132:19.

42. This concept is supported by the fact that in verses of the New Testament that refer to the
end for which we are to endure, the Greek word from which end was translated was also derived
from telos (see Matt. 10:22; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13).