This isn't what the scriptures tells us.
That's what Jesus and Paul tell us.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.
1 Corinthians 11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ
And we must accept God's Grace.
2 Corinthians 6: 1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.
Shoot, you can go back farther than that. God was constantly telling the Israelites that they were to be holy to the Lord. Fat lot of good it did them.
Yes, we are to imitate Christ. But the power to imitate Christ comes from the Holy Spirit who gives faiths and gifts in various measures. So it is not by our strength that we do anything. As our Lord stated, "Apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) And as Paul stated, "I can do all things in him [sic:Christ] (Phil 4:13) who strengthens me." We are to encourage one another to good works, but those good works are the results of God's Spirit choosing to work through us. We submit to God but it is only because God helps us to submit to Him.
Remember Augustine's prayer, "Command what you will, and grant what you command."