"...you are to be perfect" Matthew 5:48
"be holy; for I am holy" Leviticus 11:44
During a group Bible study of the book of Daniel, the topic of holiness came up as we examined the chapter five account of King Belshazzar. The question was asked of the group: "do you think you are holy"? Nearly everyone in the group answered "no". What followed was an enlightening discussion which sent me home to seek God's wisdom and the study of this word.
It was easy to understand (within the group) that to most people the word "holy" is believed to be synonymous with "perfect". This is a misconception. The basic English dictionary will help us get on the right track. The English definition of the word perfect means "to be flawless; excellent beyond improvement". The word holy means "to be devoted to the service of God; to be set apart". While we can easily see that these two definitions are not the same, let's look into the original Biblical languages- because in ancient times, God did not inspire English speaking people.
In the Old Testament, the main Hebrew words for perfect and holy are respectively: "tam" (and the derivative "tamiym") and "kadash". The Hebrew "tom/"tamiym" mean "entire, whole; also "integrity of mind", "innocent". An example of the use of this word is in Job 1:1. "Kadash" means "to set apart", "distinct" (Leviticus 11:44, today's devotional Scripture).
In the New Testament, the Greek words for holy and perfect respectively are: "hagios" and "teleios". "Hagios" means "to separate" (1 Corinthians 3:17). "Teleios" means "mature". (Other Greek words used in the Bible for perfect have the meaning of "whole" and "completely fitted"). The derivative "teleioo" of "teleios" means "to carry out a thing to the full end". An example of this is Matthew 5:48, our devotional scripture for today.
If you care to agree with me, it is a mental and spiritual revelation -as well as a relief to know that our common English meaning of the words holy and perfect and not the expectations God has of us. No one is truly flawless or excellent beyond improvement but God Himself. To become perfect, in God's eyes, means we are to live to carry out to maturity or completion what God has asked of us. To be holy means we are devoted to the service of God while separating ourselves from those things which God has called us apart, and being distinct from those who are not devoted. Mistakes are probable. We are human. The comfort is that when we make mistakes as we walk the path of holiness and perfection, we have forgiveness.
Reach out to God and find freedom in being perfectly holy.
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