The Cry of the Excuse
Thus saith the Lord to the one who has hidden behind these words:
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, KJV).
You have said it. Perhaps a hundred times. Perhaps a thousand. "I'm not perfect."
You have used it as a shield. When confronted with sin, you shrugged: "I'm not perfect." When challenged to grow, you deflected: "I'm not perfect." When the Word convicted you, you dismissed it: "Nobody's perfect."
What sounds like humility has become a hiding place. What looks like honesty has become a stronghold. You have taken a true statement — you are not flawless — and twisted it into a permission slip to stay the same.
The world says, "Nobody's perfect." The flesh says, "Nobody's perfect." The enemy says, "Nobody's perfect." And they are all telling the truth — but not the whole truth. Because the same God who said "Be ye perfect" also said "I follow after" (Philippians 3:12, KJV). The command remains. The race continues.
"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12, KJV).
Paul did not claim perfection. But he did not use its absence as an excuse to stop running.
The Biblical Definition of Perfection
Before we go further, let us understand what perfection means. The Greek word is teleios. It does not mean "sinless flawlessness" — not in this life. It means mature, complete, fully developed, having reached its intended end.
When Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect," He was not commanding you to never make a mistake. He was commanding you to grow up. To mature. To become what you were created to be.
"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" (Ephesians 4:13, KJV).
Perfect man. Not an infant tossed to and fro. A mature son. A fully developed daughter. One who has grown up into Christ.
The perfection He commands is not a destination you arrive at overnight — it is a direction you press toward every day.
The Danger of the Excuse
When you hide behind "I'm not perfect," you are not protecting yourself from pride. You are protecting yourself from growth. Here is what the excuse produces:
Spiritual Stagnation. You stop growing because you have convinced yourself that staying the same is humility. But staying the same is not humility — it is disobedience. "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat" (Hebrews 5:12, KJV).
Seared Conscience. When you repeat an excuse often enough, you stop feeling the conviction. The warning light dims. The alarm goes silent. You can sin without guilt because you have convinced yourself that "nobody's perfect." "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:1-2, KJV).
Normalized Sin. What once shocked you now does not. What once grieved the Spirit now barely registers. You have lowered the bar so far that you can step over it without effort. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matthew 24:12, KJV).
Powerless Witness. The world is not impressed by a Christian who says, "I'm not perfect." They already know that. They are waiting to see someone who is pressing toward perfection. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid" (Matthew 5:14, KJV).
The Testimony of Paul — The Man Who Pressed
Paul did not claim perfection. He was brutally honest about his own struggle.
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Romans 7:18, KJV).
He knew the battle. He knew the flesh. He knew the pull of sin. And yet he did not stop pressing.
"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14, KJV).
I follow after. The Greek word is diōkō, meaning "to pursue, to run after, to hunt." Paul was not drifting toward perfection. He was chasing it. He was not waiting for maturity to arrive. He was running after it with everything he had.
Forgetting those things which are behind. He did not ignore his past. He learned from it. Then he let it go. He did not let yesterday's failure keep him from today's pursuit.
Reaching forth. The Greek word is epekteinomai, meaning "to stretch out, to strain toward." It is the image of a runner leaning into the tape, straining every muscle, reaching for the finish line.
Paul was not perfect. But he refused to use imperfection as an excuse to stop running.
Why This Testimony Matters for You
You have said, "I'm not perfect." Paul could have said the same. He did say the same — "Not that I have already attained." But he did not stop there. He added, "I press toward the mark."
What comes after your "I'm not perfect"? Do you say it and sit down? Or do you say it and stand up?
"This one thing I do" (Philippians 3:13, KJV).
One thing. Not a thousand distractions. Not a hundred excuses. One thing: press.
The Truth That Sets You Free
You are not perfect. That is true. But that truth is not a license to stay the same. It is an invitation to grow.
Grace is not a license to sin. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2, KJV). Grace does not excuse sin — it empowers you to leave it.
You are positionally perfect in Christ. "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14, KJV). In God's eyes, you are already perfect — not because of your performance, but because of Christ's sacrifice. That is your position.
You are practically being made perfect. "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:10, KJV). You are being renewed. You are being transformed. You are not there yet — but you are on the way.
The truth is not "I'm not perfect, so I give up." The truth is "I'm not perfect yet, so I press on."
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6, KJV).
He began the work. He will finish it. Your job is not to complete what He started — your job is to stop hindering it. Stop hiding. Stop deflecting. Stop excusing. Let Him work.
Two Kinds of "I'm Not Perfect"
There are two ways to say "I'm not perfect." One is humility. The other is hiding.
The humble confession says: "I am not perfect — but God is not finished with me. I press on. I reach forward. I trust Him to complete the work He began" (Philippians 1:6, KJV). This confession leads to repentance, to growth, to dependence on the Holy Spirit. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16, KJV). The Spirit is the Agent of change. Your imperfection is not a problem for Him — it is an invitation.
The hiding excuse says: "I am not perfect — so I will stop trying. Nobody else is perfect either. I am fine as I am." This excuse leads to stagnation, to seared conscience, to powerless witness. It uses grace as a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2, KJV). It is not humility. It is resignation dressed in religious language.
A warning against the other ditch. Some believers hear "Be ye perfect" and fall into false perfectionism. They try in their own strength. They fail. They feel condemned. They give up. This is not the answer either. You cannot manufacture perfection through willpower. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord" (Zechariah 4:6, KJV). The answer is not self-effort — it is Spirit-dependence. The ditch of complacency says, "I cannot change, so I will not try." The ditch of perfectionism says, "I must change by myself, and I am failing." The narrow path says, "I cannot change by myself — but the Spirit is changing me."
The Excuse vs. The Truth
Let us be clear about what you have been saying and what you should be saying.
You have been saying, "I'm not perfect, so I cannot change." But the truth says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13, KJV). Your imperfection is not a barrier to change — it is the reason you need a Savior who changes you.
You have been saying, "I'm not perfect, so God is disappointed in me." But the truth says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1, KJV). God is not disappointed in you. He is developing you. The disappointment is in your own imagination, not in His heart.
You have been saying, "I'm not perfect, so I will never be useful." But the truth says, "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6, KJV). God does not wait until you are perfect to use you. He uses you in the process. He used David when he was running from Saul. He used Peter when he was denying Christ. He used Paul when he was still struggling. Your imperfection does not disqualify you — it qualifies you for grace.
You have been saying, "I'm not perfect, so I will stop trying." But the truth says, "Not as though I had already attained... but I follow after" (Philippians 3:12, KJV). Stop trying is not an option for the believer. You may not be perfect, but you are commanded to press.
You have been saying, "I'm not perfect, so nobody can judge me." But the truth says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1, KJV). That verse is not a shield against all correction. It is a warning against hypocritical judgment. Be willing to be judged by the Word. Be willing to be corrected by the Spirit. Be willing to be confronted by a brother who loves you enough to tell you the truth.
What to Do When You Hear Yourself Say "I'm Not Perfect"
The next time those words rise to your lips, stop. Ask yourself:
1. Am I confessing or excusing? Confession leads to repentance. Excusing leads to stagnation. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13, KJV). Are you covering or confessing?
2. Am I humble or hiding? True humility acknowledges weakness and seeks strength from God. Hiding acknowledges weakness and uses it as a shield. "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9, KJV). Do you want grace or do you want an excuse?
3. Am I using imperfection to justify staying the same? The mark of spiritual maturity is not perfection — it is progression. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18, KJV). Are you shining more and more? Or are you standing still?
4. What comes after my "I'm not perfect"? Do you sit down or stand up? Do you quit or press? "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before" (Philippians 3:13, KJV).
Sword Verses for the One Who Presses
You need these verses not as a table, but as weapons in your mouth. Speak them. Memorize them. Wield them when the excuse rises.
The command remains. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, KJV). You cannot dismiss this word. It is not optional. It is the call.
The confession remains honest. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12, KJV). You are not perfect. But you are following.
The warning remains clear. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2, KJV). Grace is not a license to stay the same. Grace is power to become different.
The example remains before you. "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6, KJV). You are not called to admire Jesus from a distance. You are called to follow Him.
The promise remains sure. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18, KJV). You are not expected to be perfect today. You are expected to shine more and more. The light grows. The path brightens. The perfect day is coming.
A Prayer for the One Who Has Used the Excuse
Father, I come to You — convicted by my own words.
I have said "I'm not perfect" a thousand times. But I have used it as a shield, not a confession. I have hidden behind it. I have excused myself with it. I have let it become a permission slip to stay the same.
Forgive me. I repent of using Your grace as a license for my laziness. I repent of lowering the bar to avoid the effort of reaching. I repent of calling stagnation humility.
Today, I change my confession. "I'm not perfect — but I press on."
I cannot do this in my own strength. I have tried. I have failed. But I believe that You who began a good work in me will perform it. I believe that Your grace is sufficient — not to excuse my sin, but to empower my growth.
Help me to forget what lies behind. Help me to reach forth to what lies before. Help me to press toward the mark.
I am not perfect. But I am running.
In the name of Jesus, who calls me to follow Him — not to admire Him from a distance,
Amen.
A Final Word
The world does not need to hear you say, "I'm not perfect." They already know that. They need to hear you say, "I'm not perfect — but I press on."
The enemy wants you to say "I'm not perfect" and sit down. The Spirit wants you to say "I'm not perfect" and stand up.
So stand up. Press on. Run the race.
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV).
Not perfect. But running.