What Jesus and Scripture really mean by these impossible-sounding words
Let’s be honest—when you read “Be holy, for I am holy” or “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect,” it can feel a little… intimidating. Like, how in the world am I supposed to do that?!
But friend, these verses weren’t meant to crush us under the weight of religious perfectionism. They were meant to "lift us higher" into the beauty of living set apart, on purpose, and full of God’s Spirit.
Let’s take a deeper look at what these words actually mean—and how we can live them out without spiraling into striving.
🕊 “Be Holy, for I Am Holy” — 1 Peter 1:16
The word “holy” in Scripture comes from the Greek word hagios, which simply means:
Set apart. Different. Devoted. Sacred.
It doesn’t mean “perfect,” and it doesn’t mean “better than.”
It means marked by God.
To be holy means you live differently.
You respond differently.
You value what He values.
You belong to Him—body, mind, spirit, and even your calendar.
This is a call to live awake—to detox from the distractions and distortions of the world and live with clarity, reverence, and purpose. Not in fear, but in intimacy. Not in shame, but in devotion.
Living “holy” sounds like:
Saying no to what numbs you.
Choosing purity even when no one sees.
Walking in the Spirit when it’s easier to react in the flesh.
Creating rhythms of worship, not just Sunday routines.
Detoxing your heart and home from what no longer aligns.
God isn’t after perfect performance.
He’s after a heart that says:
“Here I am, Lord. Set me apart. Use me.”
💛 “Be Perfect, as Your Father Is Perfect” — Matthew 5:48
Now this verse can feel like a gut punch. But guess what?
The word “perfect” here is not about flawlessness—it’s the Greek word teleios, which means:
Whole. Mature. Brought to completion.
Jesus isn’t telling you to get your act together or never mess up. He’s calling you to grow. To be complete in love. To walk in wholeness and spiritual maturity—not just in action, but in heart.
This verse comes right after He says to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and do good to those who don’t deserve it. That kind of love? It’s the love that looks like the Father’s love.
It’s the grown-up kind of faith that doesn’t just live off emotion or convenience. It’s a deep, abiding trust and obedience that reflects the character of God.
Living “perfect” (teleios) looks like:
Growing in grace and not staying stuck in spiritual infancy
Letting God finish the good work He began in you
Loving when it’s hard
Healing the parts of you that want to stay hidden
Surrendering the pressure to perform and walking instead in purpose
🌱 Here’s the bottom line:
God never says, “Be holy” or “Be perfect” and then leaves us to figure it out alone.
He gives us His Spirit. His Word. His people. And His unshakable grace.It is Him living in us
You don’t have to strive for holiness or maturity.
You just have to surrender to it.
Every time you turn your eyes upward instead of inward…
Every time you choose truth over trend, or obedience over comfort…
Every time you remember who you belong to…
You are walking in His likeness. You are growing up in Him. You are living what this world desperately needs to see:
A woman made whole, set apart, and deeply rooted in the love of her Father.
✨ Don’t let the enemy twist these verses into shame.
Let them become a call to rise into the identity you were always created to carry.
You were never called to be perfect in the world’s eyes.
You were called to be His.
