It sure would be nice to be perfect right now, wouldn't it? But it doesn't take much self-examination to realize we are still far from perfection. There are still flaws in our make-up; there are still areas that need work. There are still times when we do or say things that we know aren't right. We have to admit that perfection is a long way off. At times we find ourselves wondering: Will it ever happen? Can it ever happen?

But did you know Heavenly Father demands perfection right now? He never commanded us to become perfect; He commanded us to be perfect! Note carefully what he says in Matthew 5: 48: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Even Joseph Smith translated: "Ye are therefore commanded to be perfect..." That's sobering, especially when we hear how serious God is about our being perfect............

.............But Heavenly Father has not deserted us. He sent Jesus not to show us how to be perfect, but to be perfect for us. As our Substitute Jesus freely and fully conferred His perfection on us. "For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14). Because Jesus kept all of God's law perfectly in our place, because Jesus removed forever our debt to God with the offering of His life, Heavenly Father accepts us as perfect right now, not because of what we are, not because of what we have done, not because of what we can still do, but because Jesus was already perfect for us!.........