| Matthew 5:39,43-48 39 But I say to you, do not resist evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek to him also. 43 You have heard that it has been said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you; 45 So that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the tax collectors [or pagans] do the same? 48 Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect."8 [There are many scripture references to the requirement of perfection in the New Testament, (click to see), and in the Old Testament too! (click to see). Only the power of God can change a man to be perfect, and the completion of His perfection process of you is when Jesus appears to crush the head of the Satan under your feet. Rom 16:20. We must be righteous as He is righteous, 1 John 3:7-10. We must be merciful as He is merciful, Luke 6:36. We must become pure as He is pure. 1 John 3:3. But as he who has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conduct, 1 Pet 1:15. So that we walk as he walked, 1 John 2:6, and as he is, so are we in this present world. 1 John 4:17. There is no flexibility and no equivocation in any of these stated requirements.] | Matthew 26:52 52 Then said Jesus to him, "Put up your sword into its place, for all those who take up the sword will perish with the sword. | ||||||||