The three levels of Perfection in Christ.
Only Perfection would stand The Judgement of God which is why Jesus Christ did not forget to make it a clear commandment to His disciples. Matthew 5:48. The world which is in itself corrupt cannot define or critique perfection. In fact, the closest they can come is to deny perfection altogether. The only misfortune of Christianity is the denial of perfection through imitation of the world whose deed and confession confirms that they are not perfect and have no intention to be perfect. Isaiah 28:17. Denying this particular commandment of Christ is a seemingly convenient excuse to accommodate sin regardless whether enveloped in the Church or the world. If sin prevails by deed then confession is of little worth.
How the world judges is irrelevant since the world condones corruption. The real question is "How does God judge"?
God judges justly by applying three criteria.
Intention
Followership of Christ
Knowledge
God can judge you by the intention of your heart. Do not mistake this for ordinary thoughts(even if they are improper) because intention entails planning. Thoughts combined with the desire to possess make up a plan and only opportunity can delay or deny execution of a plan. Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 16:2; Hebrew 4:12. The desire to possess is pride in a nutshell. It means the desire to control or gain full access to ownership despite God's disapproval. Opportunity is probably only relevant to the physical realm. The spiritual realm is solidly defined and leaves no space for opportunity as it operates by authority and permission. Yes, we have to be perfect in our intention regardless of what the world or a church says.
God can judge you by your followership of Christ. Depending on whether you follow with the right or wrong intent, this could make or break you respectively. Isaiah 28:16; 1 Peter 2:8; Romans 9:33. So how do you follow Christ? This is the whole point of discipleship whence you agree to become trained by The Power of The Holy Spirit to:
1 - Watch and Pray like Jesus Christ
2 - Think and See like Jesus Christ
3 - Give and Receive like Jesus Christ
4 - Walk and Talk like Jesus Christ
Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Luke 9:23; 1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6. Yes, we have to be perfect in our followership of Christ regardless of what the world or a church says.
God can judge you by your knowledge. Although we might not attain perfection in knowledge until the first Heaven and Earth pass away, we must strive to progress to our possible maximum as provided by The Holy Spirit. Revelation 21:1; 1 Corinthians 13:9 - 10. The minimum requirement now is to know that you are not God and you cannot deceive God and it is foolishness to lack this very minimum knowledge. Children are often likened to little angels and they prove a frank point when they ask "why" to the point of saturation confirming without shame that they do not have all the answers.
John 17:3; Hosea 4:6; James 4:17; John 9:41; John 15:22; John 15:24
This third and final level of Perfection(perfection in knowledge) is the only level that is usually not achieved in this current dispensation of physical existence. Until you become perfect in knowledge there is the risk that you could make mistakes along the way because of incomplete knowledge but you will not commit sin due to perfection in intention and perfection in followership of Christ. 2 Timothy 3:17. When you attain the final level of perfection in knowledge which is after the passing away of the first heaven and earth, you will not make a single mistake. This is the untold joy of the prize we look forwards to with precision faith. Philippians 3:14. The devil is not perfect and this prize is not for the devil.
In conclusion, we must attain perfection in intention and perfection in followership of Christ now in this current physical life! This is the whole purpose of the gospel now. We still have to press on for our birth rite and the big prize - to be perfect in knowledge. Do not let the enemy confuse you by whispering like a parrot that "no one is perfect and we cannot be perfect" because that cheap trick of the devil is the only advantage he can get to keep the world and Christianity in bondage. You are closer to victory and have nothing to lose so resist the devil(let him flee) and proclaim God's commandment - be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Nothing stops us from achieving it. Knock and it shall be open.