• 2 Peter 2:1-3 KJV But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

MANY today try to use the word ‘mature’ instead of the word perfect or any of its synonyms, but ‘maturity’ is not a synonym nor a definition of the word ‘perfect.’ It is not even a word used in Old Testament or the New.

NOTICE THAT MATURITY IS NOT A SYNONYM OF PERFECTION.

https://www.freethesaurus.com/maturity (see a graphic example of synonyms)

Webster defines maturity thus:

Synonyms & Antonyms for maturity

Synonyms

• adulthood,
• adultness,
• majority

Antonyms

• immaturity,
• minority,
• nonage

Examples of maturity in a Sentence

His behavior shows a lack of maturity.

He reached emotional maturity late in his life.

According to Strong’s Concordance, SYNONYMS OF PERFECT OR PERFECTION are COMPLETE, COMPLETED, FINISHED.

Look at all the Scriptures that mention perfect, perfectly or perfection and see that the meanings all agree:

Matthew 5:48	2 Corinthians 12:9	Hebrews 9:11
Matthew 14:36	2 Corinthians 13:9	Hebrews 10:1
Matthew 19:21	2 Corinthians 13:11	Hebrews 10:14
Matthew 21:16	Galatians 3:3	Hebrews 11:40
Luke 1:3	Ephesians 4:12	Hebrews 12:23
Luke 6:40	Ephesians 4:13	Hebrews 13:21
Luke 8:14	Philippians 3:12	James 1:4
Luke 13:32	Philippians 3:15	James 1:17
John 17:23	Colossians 1:28	James 1:25
Acts 3:16	Colossians 3:14	James 2:22
Acts 18:26	Colossians 4:12	James 3:2
Acts 22:3	1 Thessalonians 3:10	1 Peter 5:10
Acts 23:15	1 Thessalonians 5:2	1 John 2:5
Acts 23:20	2 Timothy 3:17	1 John 4:12
Acts 24:22	Hebrews 2:10	1 John 4:17
Romans 12:2	Hebrews 5:9	1 John 4:18
1 Corinthians 1:10	Hebrews 6:1	1 John 4:18
1 Corinthians 2:6	Hebrews 7:11	Revelation 3:2
1 Corinthians 13:10	Hebrews 7:19
2 Corinthians 7:1	Hebrews 9:9

Some also try to say that when someone wants to obey Matthew 5:48, that he/she is actually talking about becoming ‘sinlessness’ (quoting Romans 3:23 and Romans 5:12) “all have sinned.” Instead of acknowledging that Scripture does not define the word that way nor does it teach that perfection is sinlessness anywhere, these unlearned people claim ‘sinlessness’ is the meaning, and that is why Christians can never become perfect.

We know the apostle Paul sinned when he was covetous in Romans 7:7-9, yet he was finally able to overcome that sin and become complete (fight the good fight, finish his course, keep the faith) before he died (2 Tim. 4:7-8). And there was a crown laid up for him.

• Matthew 5:48 KJV “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
• Romans 7:7-9 KJV “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
• 2 Timothy 4:7-8 KJV “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
  • Beth Johnson
• • Women’s Studies
  • Muliebral Viewpoint