Pr 3:1 ¶ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;

1. Pr 3:1 ¶ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 ¶ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

2. 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 13 ¶ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

3. 1Jo 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Jn 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

4. The Call to • Christian Growth • or • Going on to Perfection Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 1 ¶ Therefore, leaving the discussion of the

5. elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. • A Problem in the Body? Stunted Growth Christians Stuck at the New Birth 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. “It is dangerous to remain only a babe in Christ, or not to diligently seek to keep growing”

6. A Brief Look at the Six Foundational Doctrines 1. “Repentance from dead works.’ 2. “Faith toward God.” 3. “The teaching of baptisms,” 4. “The teaching of the laying on of hands.” 5. “The teaching of the resurrection of the dead.” 6. “The teaching of eternal judgment.” • Three Points on The Call to Christian Growth • or • “Going on to Perfection”

7. 1. TheMaturing of Christian Knowledge. Eph 4: 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 2Pe 2:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Going beyond the foundational principles to a higher & deeper understanding of God’s truth. i.e. Purity of heart, humble service, sacrificial living, godly forgiveness, loving your enemies, separation from this ungodly world, the Christian battle, marital & familial relationships, submission to authority, Christian priorities, love in the Church Doctrines on- Sin, Condemnation, Justification, Sanctification, Creation, Original Sin, Angels, the 2nd Advent, the End Times etc.

8. 2. TheMaturing of Christian Experience. The truth grasped by our minds must be absorbed by our heart and soul. (drop 18 inches) Mental knowledge must become heart convictions. We must go beyond repentance and initial faith and peruse with all strength “Christlikness” Eph 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 18 in.

9. 3. Maturity of Christian Conduct The truth grasped by our intellect and absorbed into our hearts, must now be expressed in the practice of our lives. Growing religious faith and feeling should be manifested by our words and actions in growing conformity to the will of God. (Ph 3:13-14) Ro 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

10. Conclusion Today, will you answer God’s call to go on to Perfection or Will you be content with just the new birth? It is always our choice.