Be ye holy... Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. I have always viewed these words as intimidating, through fear and guilt. They are most often used to promote perfectionism and accompanying fanaticism. Then we have lengthy studies to unpack what they really mean in lifestyle and/or attitude change.
But God shared with me this morning what I believe may be His perspective on this command. Jesus was expressing the heart-cry of the Godhead in their everlasting passion to reunite the hearts and lives of all the beings of the universe. Without holiness it is impossible to see God. The only way He can fully reveal Himself to us is if we are in complete harmony with His character. Otherwise we will be consumed and destroyed by any dissonance inside us.
Of course it is impossible for us to make ourselves holy. That is Satan's suggestion. But God still intensely desires all of us to become holy so He can fully share His intimacy with us. Therefore, it is imperative that He communicate to us the prerequisites for us to know so we will cooperate with His arrangements to make us holy in Jesus Christ.