--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfection... is clearly not achieved…" description: "\"Perfection... is clearly not achieved simply by being naked, by the lack of wealth or by the rejection of honors, unless there is also that love whose ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fe/john-cassian-13822_apostles_perfection-is-clearly-not-achieved-simpl_2279179.jpg" --- # Perfection... is clearly not achieved simply by being… ![“Perfection... is clearly not achieved simply by being naked, by the lack of wealth or by the rejection of honors, unless there is also that love whose ingredients the apostle described (cf. I Cor. 13) and which is to be found solely in purity of heart. Not to be jealous, not to be puffed up, not…” quote by John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fe/john-cassian-13822_apostles_perfection-is-clearly-not-achieved-simpl_2279179.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fe/john-cassian-13822_apostles_perfection-is-clearly-not-achieved-simpl_2279179.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fe/john-cassian-13822_apostles_perfection-is-clearly-not-achieved-simpl_2279179.jpg) > “Perfection... is clearly not achieved simply by being naked, by the lack of wealth or by the rejection of honors, unless there is also that love whose ingredients the apostle described (cf. I Cor. 13) and which is to be found solely in purity of heart. Not to be jealous, not to be puffed up, not to act heedlessly, not to seek what does not belong to one, not to rejoice over some injustice, not to plan evil - what is this and its like if not the continuous offering to God of the heart that is perfect and truly pure, a heart kept free of all disturbance?” [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True perfection is a pure heart loving God, free from pride, jealousy, and selfish desire. **In simple terms:** Pure love of God is the path to perfection. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and selfless love. Themes spirituality humility purity Mood contemplative devotional Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - prayer - service - self‑examination Key Concepts theology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What does a pure heart look like in daily life? - How can you guard against pride? A Different Perspective Human frailty often leads to ego‑driven actions that undermine purity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apostles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apostles/) [Being jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-jealous/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Offering to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offering-to-god/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Pure heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure-heart/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Purity of heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity-of-heart/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of... purity of heart... we must practice the reading of the Scripture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/everything-we-do-our-every-objective-must-be-undertaken-for-the-sake/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [“Purity of heart illuminates your life with light and strength of character.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-p-perez/purity-of-heart-illuminates-your-life-with-light-and-strength-of/) Hector P. Perez > [“But purity of heart isn’t limited to matters of sex. It’s about not letting lesser loves or sins distract us from the Lord. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-chaput/but-purity-of-heart-isn-t-limited-to-matters-of-sex-it-s-about-not/) [Charles J. Chaput](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-chaput/) > [Work hard every day at increasing your purity of heart, which consists in appraising things and weighing them in the balance of God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/work-hard-every-day-at-increasing-your-purity-of-heart-which-consists/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Purity oF heart nd cLarity oF mind giveS the surety oF ''LIFE''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravis/purity-of-heart-nd-clarity-of-mind-gives-the-surety-of-life/) [Ravis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravis/) > [Purity of heart is to will one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/purity-of-heart-is-to-will-one-thing/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Peace of heart is the natural outcome of purity of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiros-zodhiates/peace-of-heart-is-the-natural-outcome-of-purity-of-heart/) Spiros Zodhiates > [Real beauty is in the purity of heart. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-beauty-is-in-the-purity-of-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Holiness does not consist in doing uncommon things, but in doing every thing with purity of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-edward-manning/holiness-does-not-consist-in-doing-uncommon-things-but-in-doing-every/) [Henry Edward Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-edward-manning/) > [“Then what is good? The obsessive interest in human affairs, plus a certain amount of compassion and moral conviction, that first made the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/then-what-is-good-the-obsessive-interest-in-human-affairs-plus-a/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > ["Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." This sentence alone would save mankind if all books and prophets were lost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/blessed-are-the-pure-in-heart-for-they-shall-see-god-this-sentence/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Doesn't the bible say "blessed are the pure in the heart, so they shall see God?" when? Only when there is purity in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-satchidananda/doesn-t-the-bible-say-blessed-are-the-pure-in-the-heart-so-they-shall/) [Swami Satchidananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-satchidananda/) > [Purity of heart is what enables us to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/purity-of-heart-is-what-enables-us-to-see/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [William Saroyan wrote a great play on this theme, that purity of heart is the one success worth having. "In the time of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/william-saroyan-wrote-a-great-play-on-this-theme-that-purity-of-heart/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Love doesn't mean to win someone . . . But , It mean to loose your self for someone . . . It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addy/love-doesn-t-mean-to-win-someone-but-it-mean-to-loose-your-self-for/) [Addy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addy/) ## More by John Cassian > [...just as the edifice of all the virtues strives upward toward perfect prayer so will all these virtues be neither sturdy nor enduring unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/just-as-the-edifice-of-all-the-virtues-strives-upward-toward-perfect/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [ ...the souls of the dead \[are\] not deprived of their intellectual faculties but... they also are not lacking in feelings such as hope and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/the-souls-of-the-dead-are-not-deprived-of-their-intellectual/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [...we should realize that there are three sources for our thoughts - God, the devil, and ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/we-should-realize-that-there-are-three-sources-for-our-thoughts-god/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [In proportion as the ardor of divine love brings you nearer to God, so will a larger concourse of saintly brethren flock to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/in-proportion-as-the-ardor-of-divine-love-brings-you-nearer-to-god-so/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of... purity of heart... we must practice the reading of the Scripture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/everything-we-do-our-every-objective-must-be-undertaken-for-the-sake/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [When we say 'hallowed be Your name' to God what we are really saying is 'Father, make us such as deserve knowledge and understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/when-we-say-hallowed-be-your-name-to-god-what-we-are-really-saying-is/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [When the soul is solidly rooted in... peacefulness, when it is freed of the bonds of every carnal urge, when the unshaking thrust of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/when-the-soul-is-solidly-rooted-in-peacefulness-when-it-is-freed-of/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [We are often indifferent to our brethren who are distressed or upset, on the grounds that they are in this state through no fault…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/we-are-often-indifferent-to-our-brethren-who-are-distressed-or-upset/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [The apostles were very sure that everything of theirs which had to do with salvation was a gift to them from God. 'Increase our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/the-apostles-were-very-sure-that-everything-of-theirs-which-had-to-do/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [...we must first scrutinize thoroughly anything appearing in our hearts or any saying suggested to us. Has it come purified from the divine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/we-must-first-scrutinize-thoroughly-anything-appearing-in-our-hearts/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [“It is not an external enemy we dread. Our foe is shut up within ourselves. An internal warfare is daily waged by us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/it-is-not-an-external-enemy-we-dread-our-foe-is-shut-up-within/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [If you want to correct your brother when he is doing wrong? you must keep yourself calm; otherwise you yourself may catch the sickness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/if-you-want-to-correct-your-brother-when-he-is-doing-wrong-you-must/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [The thief who received the kingdom of heaven, though not as the reward of virtue, is a true witness to the fact that salvation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/the-thief-who-received-the-kingdom-of-heaven-though-not-as-the-reward/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [...whoever is guided solely by his own judgment and decision will never climb up to the summit of perfection and will not fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/whoever-is-guided-solely-by-his-own-judgment-and-decision-will-never/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [All of our holy fathers knew this and all with one accord teach that perfection in holiness can be achieved only through humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/all-of-our-holy-fathers-knew-this-and-all-with-one-accord-teach-that/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) [Explore all 49 John Cassian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) ## More Apostles quotes > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [As a Fundamentalist I had discovered while I was in college that it is possible to dismiss the entire Church as having gone off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-howard-3rd-duke-of-norfolk/as-a-fundamentalist-i-had-discovered-while-i-was-in-college-that-it/) Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk > [Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/amidst-the-flood-of-dangerous-reading-i-plead-for-my-master-s-book-i/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-we-look-at-the-love-of-christ-we-make-a-wonderful-discovery-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“I argue that the Jesus of the Gospels is essentially a myth. The Gospels are largely fiction. They were created around the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-elleg-rd/i-argue-that-the-jesus-of-the-gospels-is-essentially-a-myth-the/) Alvar Ellegård > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [The Apostle John said, " Beloved, now we are the sons of God." He didn't say by and by we are going to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-holmes/the-apostle-john-said-beloved-now-we-are-the-sons-of-god-he-didn-t/) [Ernest Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-holmes/) > [The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny himself. To deny oneself means to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-of-alaska/the-first-duty-of-a-christian-of-a-disciple-and-follower-of-jesus/) Innocent of Alaska > [The gifts that Yeshua left in the earth realm to enforce His authority were apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists. The gift that gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-pierce/the-gifts-that-yeshua-left-in-the-earth-realm-to-enforce-his/) [Chuck Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-pierce/) > [... faithfully and strenuously you should resist the heretics in defense of the only true and life-giving faith, which the Church has received -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-clement-i/faithfully-and-strenuously-you-should-resist-the-heretics-in-defense/) [Pope Clement I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-clement-i/) > [ Listen to these words of \[apostle\] Paul: "We war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/listen-to-these-words-of-apostle-paul-we-war-not-against-flesh-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [Our Lord Jesus Christ, a little before his departure, commissioned his apostles to Go, and teach all nations; or, as another evangelist expresses it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/our-lord-jesus-christ-a-little-before-his-departure-commissioned-his/) [William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/) > [What cursed spirit of falsehood moveth priests to close themselves within stone walls for all their life, since Christ commanded all his apostles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/what-cursed-spirit-of-falsehood-moveth-priests-to-close-themselves/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [...it is proper that the duty of helping the poor and unfortunate should especially stir Catholics, since they are members of the Mystical Body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-xxii/it-is-proper-that-the-duty-of-helping-the-poor-and-unfortunate-should/) [Pope John XXII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-xxii/) > [“The Ancient Church Fathers, including disciples of the twelve apostles, were firmly premillennial, pretribulational, and very pro-Israel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-johnson/the-ancient-church-fathers-including-disciples-of-the-twelve-apostles/) Ken Johnson [Browse all 366 Apostles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apostles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perfection... is clearly not achieved simply by being naked, by the lack of wealth or by the rejection of honors, unless there is also that love whose ingredients the apostle described (cf. 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