Can someone be described as perfect according to the Bible?

People can be described as "perfect"

There are examples in the Bible of people who were described as "perfect". For example:

"NOAH was a righteous man; being PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] in his generation" (Genesis 6:9.

"PAUL" (Philippians 1:1) wrote (in contrast to "YOU"): "all-who (are) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek], let-US-be-thinking this. And IF YOU-are-thinking anything differently, God will-reveal this also (to) YOU" (Philippians 3:15).

"PAUL" (1 Corinthians 1:1), including others with him, wrote: "WE-are-speaking wisdom AMONG the PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] (ones)" (1 Corinthians 2:6). If Paul (and others included with him) were speaking wisdom among the perfect ones, that means that there would have been perfect ones among whom they could have spoken wisdom.

The author of Hebrews could have implied to be PERFECT (in contrast to the ones he was writing to, addressing them as "YOU"), as the author of Hebrews wanted to write about the "High-Priest according-to the order (of) Melchizedek — concerning whom OUR message (to speak is) great and hard-to-interpret (so as) to-speak, since YOU-have-become sluggish (in) the hearing. For [...] YOU-have-become (ones) having (a) need (of) milk and NOT (of) SOLID FOOD [...]. BUT the SOLID FOOD is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:10-14). Here the author of Hebrews may have implied that he wanted to share things about the "High-Priest according-to the order (of) Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:10) which would have been "SOLID FOOD" (Hebrews 5:14) that only the "PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:14) could handle, implying that the author would have been perfect to handle this solid food that the author wanted to explain.

Jesus said that you "shall be" perfect

Jesus said: "YOU SHALL-BE PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Matthew 5:48).

The Greek verb for you "SHALL-BE" (Matthew 5:48) perfect is in the indicative mood in the Greek, which would simply have been a statement of fact. The imperative mood was not used, which would have expressed a command to the hearer to perform something by the order and authority of the one commanding. Here Jesus simply would have indicated something that would happen.

Description: Someone having a "perfect" heart does not mean that this person never sinned

Someone can be described in the Bible as having a "PERFECT" heart and yet to have sinned in the past. 

It was written about David that he had a perfect heart: "it happened in (the) time of (the) old age of Solomon, that his heart was not PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] with the LORD his God, as (was) THE HEART OF DAVID his father" (1 Kings 11:4). 

Yet the same "DAVID" (Psalms 51:1) confessed at some point prior to this, saying: "I sinned" (Psalms 51:4).

Thus someone having a "PERFECT" heart can also have sinned in the past. 

Description: Someone "perfect" is not "lacking" something

Jesus said to a man: "If you-wish to-be PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek], go, sell your possessions and give (it to) the poor, and you-will-have treasure in (the) heavens" (Matthew 19:21). In the parallel verse in Mark, Jesus said to the man: "ONE (THING) IS-LACKING [hustereо́ 5302 in Greek] (as to) you: Go, sell all-that you-have and give (it to) the poor, and you-will-have treasure in heaven" (Mark 10:21). Here someone who is not perfect would be lacking something. 

James wrote: "let endurance be-having (its) perfect work in-order-that you-may-be PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] and whole, LACKING [leipо́ 3007 in Greek] IN NOTHING" (James 1:4).

As an example: Jesus said: "be-loving YOUR ENEMIES" (Matthew 5:44), "if you-love THE (ONES) LOVING YOU, what reward do-you-have?" (Matthew 5:46), "THEREFORE you shall-be PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Matthew 5:48). Here to be perfect includes not just loving the ones loving you and LACKING in love for your enemies, but to love both. 

Description: Someone "perfect" does not stumble in speech (and is also able to bridle the whole body)

James wrote: "If one does not stumble in speech, this (one is a) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] man able to-bridle also the whole body" (James 3:2)

Description: Someone "perfect" have their senses trained for distinguishing good and evil

The author of Hebrews indicated that the perfect ones have because of habit their senses trained for distinguishing both good and evil, as it is written: "the solid food is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] — the (ones) because-of habit HAVING (THEIR) SENSES TRAINED FOR DISTINGUISHING (OF) BOTH GOOD AND EVIL" (Hebrews 5:14). 

Description: Someone "perfect" is not untried in the word of righteousness

The author of Hebrews set in contrast those "UNTRIED (IN THE) WORD (OF) RIGHTEOUSNESS" being "INFANTS", and those who are "PERFECT", as it is written: "everyone partaking (of) milk (is) UNTRIED (IN THE) WORD (OF) RIGHTEOUSNESS, for he-is (an) INFANT. BUT the solid food is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:13-14). Here the infants who are untried in the word of righteousness are set in contrast with the perfect ones, suggesting that the perfect ones would not be untried in the word of righteousness.

The Greek word "UNTRIED" [apeiros 552 in Greek, adjective] comes from the opposite of the Greek word for "trials" [peira 3984 in Greek, noun]. 

The Greek word for "UNTRIED" (Hebrews 5:13) is for example used in the following verse in Numbers 14, reading: "CHILDREN which are with Me here, as many as DO NOT KNOW GOOD FROM EVIL, every UNTRIED youth" (Numbers 14:23). Here the "UNTRIED youth" (Numbers 14:23) "DO NOT KNOW GOOD FROM EVIL" (Numbers 14:23). The author of Hebrews set in contrast the "INFANTS" with the "PERFECT" ones "HAVING (THEIR) SENSES TRAINED FOR DISTINGUISHING (OF) BOTH GOOD AND EVIL" (Hebrews 5:14). In Numbers 14, the "UNTRIED youth" (Numbers 14:23) were those who did not go through the trials of the wilderness. 

Description: Someone "perfect" is not fleshly

Paul wrote to "INFANTS IN CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 3:1) that "you-are STILL FLESHLY. For where (there is) jealousy and strife among you, are-you not fleshly and walking in-accordance-with human (thinking)?" (1 Corinthians 3:3). The author of Hebrews set in contrast those who are "INFANTS" with those who are "PERFECT", as it is written: "everyone partaking (of) MILK (is) untried (in the) word (of) righteousness, for he-is (an) INFANT. BUT the solid FOOD is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:13-14). If the infants in Christ were still fleshly, and infants can be set in contrast to those who are perfect, it could be inferred that those who are perfect would not (still) be fleshly. 

Someone is not automatically "perfect" because they are merely in Christ

Paul wrote: "And-I, brothers, was not able to-speak (to) you as (to) spiritual (ones), but as (to ones) made-of-flesh, as (to) INFANTS IN CHRIST. I-gave you MILK to-drink, NOT FOOD, for you-were not-yet able" (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). Here the audience were "INFANTS IN CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 3:1) who were given "MILK to-drink, NOT FOOD" (1 Corinthians 3:2). The author of Hebrews indicates that "MILK" is for "INFANTS" in contrast with "FOOD" which is for the "PERFECT", as it is written: "everyone partaking (of) MILK (is) untried (in the) word (of) righteousness, for he-is (an) INFANT. But the solid FOOD is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:13-14). This would indicate that "INFANTS IN CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 3:1), even though they were in Christ would not yet have been "PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:14).

The reason why someone is not automatically perfect in Christ is because they are to grow in Christ first. For example Peter wrote: "yearn like NEWBORN BABIES for the deceitless reasonable milk in-order-that by it YOU-MAY-GROW" (1 Peter 2:2). 

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Someone can grow in Christ:
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How to become "perfect"? Gifts are given to the church to perfect people

Gifts such as APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS, PASTORS and TEACHERS are given to the church to perfect people. 

Paul wrote that gifts are given to the church so that by them we might become perfect, as he wrote: "He gave some (as) APOSTLES, and some (as) PROPHETS, and some (as) EVANGELISTS, and some (as) PASTORS and TEACHERS, for the completeness (of) the holy (ones)" (Ephesians 4:11-12), "until we all attain to the unity (of) the faith and (of) the knowledge (of) the Son of God, TO (a) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] man, to (the) measure (of the) stature (of) the fullness (of) Christ, so-that WE-MAY-BE NO-LONGER INFANTS" (Ephesians 4:13-14)." 

"Paul, (AN) APOSTLE (of) Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:1) wrote that he was laboring so that he may present every person perfect in Christ, as he wrote about Christ "Whom we are-proclaiming, admonishing every person, and teaching every person with all wisdom, in-order-that WE-MAY-PRESENT every person PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek] IN CHRIST, FOR WHICH I AM ALSO LABORING" (Colossians 1:28-29).

People could be sent to different churches to complete the things lacking, as Paul wrote "(to) the church (of the) Thessalonians" (1 Thessalonians 1:1) that him and fellow workers of his were "praying super-abundantly (by) night and (by) day that (we may) see your face and COMPLETE the (things) LACKING (from) your faith" (1 Thessalonians 3:10). 

Paul wrote to "Titus" (Titus 1:4), a fellow worker of Paul: "I-left you behind in Crete: in-order-that YOU-MIGHT-SET-STRAIGHT the (things) LACKING" (Titus 1:5).

How to become "perfect"? By enduring the trials of your faith

James wrote about enduring the trials of our faith in order that we may be perfect, indicating: "Regard (it) all joy, my brothers, whenever you-fall-into various TRIALS, knowing that the TESTING (of) your FAITH is-producing endurance. And let ENDURANCE be-having (its) perfect work in-order-that you-may-be PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (James 1:2-4). 

The author of Hebrews wrote that in contrast to those who are "PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:14), the ones who are infants are "UNTRIED (IN THE) WORD (OF) RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Hebrews 5:13). The Greek word for "UNTRIED" [apeiros 552 in Greek, adjective] comes from the opposite of the Greek word for "TRIALS" [peira 3984 in Greek, noun]. These would not have endured through the trials in the word of righteousness. This may be why the author of Hebrews proceeds later to add examples of people who endured in their faith, writing for example of those "through FAITH" (Hebrews 11:33) who "received (a) TRIAL [peira 3984 in Greek, noun] (of) mockings and whippings, and furthermore (of) bonds and prison" (Hebrews 11:36) "having-been-attested through (their) FAITH" (Hebrews 11:39), "So-therefore we also, having so-large (a) cloud (of) witnesses surrounding us, having-laid-aside every weight and the easily-entangling sin, we-may-be-running the race being-set-before us with ENDURANCE" (Hebrews 12:1).

How to become "perfect"? By going beyond the message of the beginning concerning Christ

One must end up at some point going beyond the foundational message concerning Christ which contains:

Repentance from dead works.

Faith upon God.

Instruction about baptisms.

Laying on of hands. 

Resurrection of the dead ones. 

Eternal judgment. 

The author of Hebrews wrote in the next verses after mentioning those who are "PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:14): "Therefore, having-left THE MESSAGE (OF) THE BEGINNING (CONCERNING) CHRIST, let us be-carried-along to PERFECTION [teleiotés 5047 in Greek]" (Hebrews 6:1). The author of Hebrews then indicates what this message of the beginning concerning Christ would be, as it is then written: "not again laying-down (a) FOUNDATION (of) repentance from dead works and faith upon God, (of) instruction (about) baptisms and laying-on (of) hands, and (about the) resurrection (of the) dead (ones) and eternal judgment. And this we-will-do if-indeed God permits" (Hebrews 6:1-3). A few verses earlier, the author of Hebrews indicated that if those things needed to be taught still, then such a person would still be partaking of milk, as it is written: "you AGAIN have (a) need (that) someone be-teaching you the elements (of) the BEGINNING (concerning) the oracles (of) God. And you-have-become (ones) having (a) need (of) milk and not (of) solid food. For everyone partaking (of) milk (is) untried (in the) word (of) righteousness, for he-is (an) infant. But the solid food is (for the) PERFECT [teleios 5046 in Greek]" (Hebrews 5:12-14). The author of Hebrews told them that they "AGAIN have (a) need (that) someone be-teaching" (Hebrews 5:12) so as to "AGAIN laying-down (a) FOUNDATION" (Hebrews 6:1) of these things, suggesting that at this time they would already have been taught these things and probably were expected thus to have gone beyond them at that time. 

For more information about repentance from dead works and faith upon God:

What is repentance from dead works?:
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What is faith upon God?:
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