What defines Christian perfection? [THREAD]

We desire, and are ordered to be perfect, "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). God requires the completeness of perfection from us, that is that we must be perfect in every virtue.

The highest and most perfect matter one hopes to attain is to draw near to God, and abide as one with Him.

Perfection is not a matter of ascetical efforts, rigorous praying, mental prayer in seclusion, keeping all the rules, and so on. All these virtues, while important, are merely methods for obtaining it.

Still, these virtues may bring us harm if we employ them in a way that they should not be used, that is to say, when we attend only to the outward exercise of such virtues, and allow our heart to be moved by its own desires and by the will of the devil.

Anybody can see just how obviously sinful such people act and how far they really are from genuine perfection, if they examine their character. In general they always want to be preferred over others. They are defiled by pride.

Their inmost eye is obscured in darkness, and they behold themselves with this and see poorly. Supposing their outward devout works are good, they believe that they have attained perfection already and, inflating themselves, start to pass judgment on others.

A clear sinner will turn to good more readily than a hidden one, concealed under a robe of manifest virtues.

We must have a heartfelt understanding of the righteousness and majesty of God, an understanding of our own worthlessness and our predisposition to all evil; love of God and disdain of ourselves; submission not just to God but also to all creation, on account of our love of God.

Complete renunciation of our will and obedience to God's will; but also our desire for all these things and its performance with a pure heart to God's glory, from an absolute desire to gratify God and only because He desires it and because we love Him and labor for Him.

This is the law of love, written by God's finger on the hearts of His genuine servants.

Ready yourself for work, sweat and toil from your very first steps on the way. You need to sacrifice all things to God and perform only His will. Suppress your own desires and compel yourself towards what is righteous.

Ready yourself for this fight and warfare and understand that the crown is granted to no one else save to the courageous among fighters and wrestlers.

If this is the most difficult of all battles, because in warring against ourselves it is within ourselves that we encounter opposition, victory is the most wonderful of all, and, the principle thing, it is most gratifying to God.

Thus, if you truly want to win this unseen warfare, plant in your heart these four inclinations and spiritual works:
(1) never depend on yourself;
(2) carry always in your heart a perfect and bold trust only in God;
(3) always struggle;
(4) keep steadfast in prayer.