{"id":55884,"date":"2024-05-25T00:53:25","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=55884"},"modified":"2025-09-21T15:31:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T12:31:00","slug":"55884","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/05\/25\/55884\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Difference Between Holiness and Perfection?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Question: What is the difference between being holy (1 Peter 1:15\u201316) and being perfect (Matthew 5:48)?<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/p>\n

A holy person is someone who has been sanctified, cleansed, set apart, and does what is good. The Bible teaches us to be holy just as our Father in heaven is holy:<\/p>\n

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1 Peter 1:15\u201316<\/p>\n

\u201cBut just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: \u2018Be holy, because I am holy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This command is repeated in the Old Testament:<\/p>\n

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Leviticus 19:2<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: \u2018Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But a perfect person is a holy person who has gone further\u2014who has reached maturity in holiness. There are those who are holy but not yet perfect, and those who are both holy and perfect.<\/p>\n

A perfect person does something extra in their holiness that sets them apart from others and makes them more like God. Jesus gave examples of this in Matthew 5:<\/p>\n

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Matthew 5:43\u201348<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have heard that it was said, \u2018Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.<\/p>\n

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?<\/p>\n

And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?<\/p>\n

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, we must pursue not only holiness, but also perfection.<\/p>\n

Here are some comparisons:<\/p>\n