How can we be perfect as our heavenly father Jehovah?

Jesus told his listeners: “You must . . . be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” How can humans today “be perfect”?—Matt. 5:48.
The key to answering this question lies in understanding how the words “perfect” and “perfection” are used in the Bible. Not everything that the Scriptures describe as “perfect” may be so in an absolute sense. Of course, Jehovah possesses such absolute perfection. People or things can be perfect only in a relative sense. The Hebrew and Greek Bible words translated “perfect” often mean “complete,” “mature,” or “faultless” according to standards set by an authority. In everyday speech, the word is generally used in a relative sense. The expression “perfect weather” is one example.
Adam and Eve were created perfect morally, spiritually, and physically. They were perfect according to the standard set by their Creator. Because of disobedience, they did not measure up to this standard and therefore lost perfection for themselves and their offspring. Thus it was through Adam that sin, imperfection, and death were passed on to humankind.—Rom. 5:12.
As Jesus made plain in the Sermon on the Mount, however, even imperfect people can be perfect in a relative sense. In that discourse, he set standards for perfect, or complete, love. This is love such as that shown by God toward humankind. Jesus said: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:44, 45) By showing love to this extent, Jesus’ disciples would be imitating God’s perfect example.