“”I think Genesis 1:27 lays it right out and fully explains what is meant by the later scriptures. For us to become by grace what Christ is by nature is the whole point, HD.””
Matthew 5:48 spells this out very clearly as well
Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.(Matt 5:48 Douay Rheims)
This is our Christian goal.It does not make us equal to God because only God can give Grace, it allows us to be in union with God, so He can use our human nature .
I would suggest as St. Clement of Rome wrote in his First Epistle to the Corinthians that our goal and obligation is for us to humble ourselves before God. Works is a nature outpouring of this humility.