Everybody sins, they tell us. None of us are or can be perfect, at least not in this life. Of course this is so, but this dismissal of the perfect obscures a magnificent principle of the kingdom of God for us here on earth.

The kingdom of God here on earth, you say? Oh no, that’s for heaven. If this is so, then we must ask, why did Jesus say for us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” (Matthew 6:10)

Yes, we all will continue to have a sinful nature while we are here on earth. Does this reality therefore, mean that it is unrealistic to live a life that is filled to all the fulness of Christ? Absolutely not. It is clear that the door is open to our inheriting Christ in any and every moment.

Does this seem impossible or unrealistic for an average Joe or Jane like you and me? Must we have extraordinary intrinsic qualities to inherit the perfect? Or must we have the capacity to sacrifice everything for God to get His best?

The Scriptures are clear that no one’s intrinsic characteristic or abilities qualifies anyone for anything in the kingdom of God. Does anyone have the capability of letting go of all that they love for the sake of Christ and the gospel? Unequivocally not! Those who imagine they can are profoundly self-deluded. Unfortunately, I was one of them. Oh boy, did I find out the hard way! What did I discover? I discovered just how profoundly self-interested I was.

The truth is, no one qualifies whatsoever, within themselves, for anything that God has for them. We are all inescapably self-serving at our core. Being tested by the law we come to realize that we are “utterly sinful,” as Paul explains (Romans 7:7-12).

Where does this leave us? It leaves us with an absolutely open door to the perfect for whoever seeks it, since none can earn it. God has made it available to us all through faith in Christ’s death on our behalf. “Seek and you shall find,” Jesus said (Matthew 7:7).

There was no qualification at all to that offer, that promise except to believe in Him who died and rose on our behalf; to believe His testimony that the death He died, fully satisfies the Father’s requirement for us to inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “Do not fear little children, it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” It is a free gift to all who will believe.

That sacrifice that was offered was a perfect sacrifice. It qualifies us to inherit Jesus’ perfect in us. As we receive this word, rest in it, and rely wholly upon it, we inherit that perfect – even in this weak and sinful imperfect. His perfect overcomes our imperfect, and so God is manifested in us, glorified in us.

It can’t be that easy. Oh, but it is. This is the unfathomable (and renown) graciousness of our God1