Nobody can go to the kingdom of heaven who is not perfect. “The Lord requires at this time just what He required of Adam in Eden—perfect obedience to the law of God. We must have righteousness without a flaw, without a blemish. God gave His Son to die for the world, but He did not die to repeal the law which was holy and just and good. The sacrifice of Christ on Calvary is an unanswerable argument showing the immutability of the law. Its penalty was felt by the Son of God in behalf of guilty man, that through His merits the sinner might obtain the virtue of His spotless character by faith in His name.” Faith and Works, 89, 90
We are imperfect, but there is One who is perfect, with a divine character that He wants to impart to us: “Our claim to Christ’s righteousness is without a flaw, if we meet the conditions upon which it is promised … if we accept Christ as our personal Saviour.” Sons and Daughters of God, 189
“The Son of God so conducted His life that even His unbelieving countrymen were compelled to say, ‘He hath done all things well.’ His character was without a flaw. He did not leave the example of a life of idleness and self-indulgence, although He was heir of all things in heaven and earth, the only-begotten Son of the Father.” The Signs of the Times, November 12, 1896
“The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human character after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can ‘be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ Romans 3:26.” The Desire of Ages, 762