Why isn't perfection possible?

[McCulloch]

[T]he Sermon on the Mount [...] sets a high standard of Godliness, and convicts of sin, but anyone who understands the Biblical issues involved in progressive sanctification by the Holy Spirit should admit that perfection is not possible by mere mortals on this earth.

Matthew 5:48
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Why is it that many Christians feel that the Holy Spirit cannot actually do what Jesus said should be done? Why is it that Christians, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, cannot choose to stop sinning? What are the Biblical issues supporting this doctrine of inevitable failure on the part of every Christian's best effort?

[I AM ALL I AM]

Is perfection of self based upon what you think, speak, act, or is it based upon the result that you get from thinking, speaking, acting ?

My presumption, based on the way I understand the Biblical record, is that it would be all of the above.

What is "the Biblical record" ?

The Bible

Would this also mean that the combination of thoughts, actions, words give you the perfect result BECAUSE of the specific thoughts, action, words that you have chosen ?[/b][/color]

I have no idea what u mean here, sorry.

G'day Elucidate.

Thank you for your response.

I'll elaborate upon what I mean.

When I scratch body, I have done so perfectly BECAUSE the thoughts and actions have been combined by the choices that I have made to give me the result, that is, me scratching my body. If I had chosen to rub my body instead of scratching it, then the result would also be perfect BECAUSE the result of the thoughts and actions gave me exactly what the choices I made intended.

Therefore, every thought, action, word, perfectly gives you the result that is chosen. The idea of imperfection would be a misunderstanding of the thoughts, actions, words that are required to create an experience, or result. The idea of imperfection within another would be the misunderstanding of the choices of thoughts, actions, words, which have been combined by the choices made to give a result AND the judgement of the result based upon the one making the judgement.

Even the misunderstanding would be perfection, that is, it is a perfect re-presentation of thoughts, actions, words, combined to give the result of misunderstanding.

A simple way of stating this would be, what you put in you get out.

Still lost in whatver u r trying to say, but if you imply that "perfection" is relative, then yes it is. Relative to me, to you, to God, etc

G'day Elucidate.

If perfection is relative, then any judgement of imperfection is a relative judgement based upon misconceptions of what it is that is being judged.

How can something then be inherently imperfect ?

Especially if you consider your 'God' to be perfect, for by definition, that which is perfect can only create perfectly. Thus if your 'God' created all things, then all things are inherently perfect as they were created by your 'God' which you claim to be perfect.

[Fallibleone]

Moderator Action - thread moved to T,D&D due to the OP request for biblical issues supporting doctrine.