GROWING TOWARD PERFECTION

Far too many people have the attitude that if they simply accept the Lord Jesus into their lives, that is sufficient. This is not true. There is more, far more. Jesus instructed us in parable that to cleanse the demons out of a life without replacing them with the Holy Spirit is simply to make room for more demons to joint the first that has been cast out and that the end would be worse than the start. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives can we hope to grow in faith and practice. We must set a goal to strive toward perfection. We must strive to be less and less like the people of the world.

1. Hebrews 6:1 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith toward God."

A. Paul in writing to the Hebrews urges them to do what? Not to stagnate, but to move on toward perfection.

B. Does he promise that they will reach that

C. Who is the only person to attain that goal and therefore have the right to be our guide?

D. Why should be not continue to teach foundation lessons to mature Christians?

(There is no real challenge to mature.) V-2

E. What does he mean by "repentance from dead works"? (Salvation through good works, these are unable to save us.)

2. Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

A. What is the "living sacrifice"?

B. Is this type of sacrifice acceptable to God?

C. Is it too much of a sacrifice? Why or why not?

D. How can we make such a sacrifice? (V-2)

E. Can you list a few examples of how to do this?

3. Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom, of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

A. Is simple acceptance of the Lord sufficient if we do not obey Him? Why or why not?

B. Is preaching and teaching, or casting out demons, or doing other marvellous things even in Christ’s name, able to save a person? V-23

C. What ought this to say to us in regard to being attracted to an evangelist by the works and deeds of his team more than by his message?

4. Matthew 15:9 "But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

A. Where must the things that we teach come from? (Men? or God?)

B. How does Matthew describe those things which come from men? ("in vain")

C. Why are they "in vain"?

5. Matthew 7:20 "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

A. What does Matthew mean by "by their fruits"? (The source of their teachings and their lives.)

6. Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

A. What would be "the mark"? (The goal, the pattern set by Christ).

B. What is the prize?

7. I Corinthians 3:13-15 "Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

A. Will the "works" done on earth be rewarded?

B. Is this reward salvation?

C. How can our works be burned and destroyed?

8. I Corinthians 3:16,17 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy. Which temple ye are."

A. What is the reward for defiling the temple of God?

1. Think on the strict laws of the tabernacle and the temple, especially of the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant.

2. How can one defile the "temple of God", himself ?

B. How is doing good works because the Spirit of God dwells in us different from doing them to seek a reward?

9. Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

A. How are the dead to be judged? (According to their works)

B. Why are the works of the "dead" not acceptable. (Not of the Spirit)

C. How is one’s name added to the Book of Life?

D. Who adds the names. )Acts 2:47. (The Lord)

E. Who does He add to the book? (FT.@:X<@LH - "were being saved") 10. II Peter 1:5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love).

A. Where will we find a perfect example of one who had these characteristics?

B. These will assure that we are growing Spiritually.

11. I Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

A. This text should assure us that any "sacrifice" of earthly things is worth making

because of our love for the Lord.

12. Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

A. What does Paul liken to a race in this text?

13. II Peter 1:10 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."

A. What are the "these things" of verse 10? (Verses 5-7)

B. Note the "ye shall never fail."

14. Ephesians 6:13 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

A. That is the "whole armour of God"? (Eph. 6:11-17)

B. What would be another name for "the evil day?" (The Great Tribulation)

C. When is the Great Tribulation? (Just prior to Judgement Day)

D. Why would these verses be especially meaningful to our age?