It's true He is not saying we can ever be worthy of Him, but I believe He is saying here that if we don't take up our cross and follow Him, we will not be COUNTED worthy of Him. .
We are never worthy of Christ.
He is Holy, you are not.
So, here is the Thing.
Salvation, is God coming here, dying on the Cross, so that all your sin can be forgiven and God can GIFT you with His Righteousness.
That is how you become Holy.,
as a born again Spirit.
That is NOT Your body or your mind.
So, understand that.
You can't do that for yourself.
So, when you read a verse that says..>"be ye holy as God is holy"...or anything related to doing works..... then that is never teaching you that you can do any righteous works or you can become righteous by works, as all your works are "filthy rags". Isaiah 64:6.
You can do works, saved or lost.
You can carry your Cross. You can be obedient. You can do whatever you like, but you can't be righteous....
of yourself, as "all have sinned". Romans 3:23
So, as God can't have you in His Heaven, unless you are as Holy as God, then He had to come here and die on the Cross to provide you, with the "Gift of Righteousness" so that you become HIS righteous. "the righteousness of God, IN Christ".
This is to become : Born again.
That is NOT a work.