Do you know the concept of 'already, not yet'? That Jesus came, bringing the Kingdom of God to earth, but it's full consummation is not until the end of this age.
The same applies to us. With our 'new birth in Christ' we are given the Holy Spirit, and the desire to follow good, not evil. But we cannot bring the perfection of Christ to a full consummation into these sinful bodies. If it were even remotely possible, Paul wouldn't have accounted himself as the 'chief of sinners' just before his death. You say you seek this perfection because it will give glory to God...but how can that be when God tells us that perfection will only come in our new bodies in the new earth? How can that be when Jesus asks of us to share with the lost, how we ourselves are so weak...that it is only in Jesus that we are saved....His righteousness made perfect in our weakness.
And I'm sorry, but I think you are just blatantly wrong in your "it's not metaphorical". Remember when Jesus said:
But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
(John 16:6; John 16:7-10 ESV)
Jesus returned to the Father, in order that we might have the Holy Spirit. And yes, the Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity, but He is not Jesus. He helps us remember everything Jesus taught:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
(John 14:26 ESV)
By 'having Jesus in us'...by 'putting Him on' like clothing, it means that we draw Christ and all that He taught into us...not Christ Himself. Remember the 'amour of God'? All the things that Jesus taught us and did for us, we use, with the Spirit's help, to live our lives for Him.
I am very much afraid for you Prentis. You are taking some secondary passages and turning them into doctrines that scripture just doesn't teach, and the more you expand them, the more I feel concern. You give the right answers "for Gods' glory", "for love", "for Jesus"...but then what you are actually teaching and espousing is not what the bible or Jesus teach. Salvation is by grace alone...not through anything that we do. Salvation is assured because it rests completely on Jesus, and we are told that He is faithful while we are faithless. We are not going to be perfect in this life, in these bodies...nothing in scripture leads us to think this, in fact, the opposite. If we are to truly 'die to ourselves' then the last thing we should be seeking is our own perfection and glory. And despite what you say, working towards our own perfection is just that. We are new creations, but our old nature and Satan will always fight us, and in striving for perfection we will only fall into pride. I really pray that you will truly see these things, for they are so important.