Galatians 2:16 - Perfection now.

"[But] having come to know that man not being justified out of works of law if not through trust of Jesus Christ, even we unto Christ Jesus did trust, in order that we should be justified out of trust of Christ and not out of works of law, since out of works of law all flesh will not be justified."

-Three times Paul says these words here - justified, not works, trust of Christ.  The Good News in a nutshell, this, the very simple formula of how to be right with God.  And that is precisely what we mean when we talk about being justified.  Declared right with God.  In His eyes, I am having done everything right.  Justified - just as if I had never sinned.  Perfection.  This is the bar-set-high, the gold standard for gaining entrance into the eternal dwellings of heaven, into that perfect paradise where no filth or moral stain can intrude.  I must be perfect, and the only way for fallen me to get that way is to be justified.  Justification.  I must be declared perfect, innocent, right with God - BY God Himself.  And to be sure, this perfection cannot ever come through works.  The word in the Greek is ergon, which gives us our English word ‘erg’, a scientific term for a unit of work or energy.  There is no unit or any amount of energy I can expend which can ever remove the guilt and stain of my transgressions or in any way make me right in the eyes of almighty God.  Not any unit of work or formula thereof.  Work happens to be the default posture of fallen man, however.  I instinctively try to work my way back into God’s good graces.  In fact, every other religion in the world besides Christianity is based on work, or works, founded on the principle of self-effort, that I must exert myself and perform a prescribed set of works and rituals in order to achieve whatever religious goal is set before me.  Every single one.  Nirvana, Enlightenment, Paradise - you name it.  It’s all works, and it’s all false, a fools paradise, leading the masses down the primrose path.  And it’s all about me, what I do, what I must do - the focus is on self.

-Becoming right and perfect is not a work, it is an undeserved gift.  And God’s good grace is not about me, and it is not ever warranted or earned in any way.  It comes simply and solely through trust.  Trust Christ, trust in Him today... And discover that true soul rest and peace which comes from being able to really and finally rest from work, from forever trying to earn God's favor because I am not right with Him.  Come to that place where you can exhale a huge sigh of relief knowing that finally and forever in His eyes you have done everything right.  Perfection now.  Not because of any work you did, but solely because of what Christ did...