Yes, our goal in this life is to become full grown as Christians. Paul speaks for the need of us as Christians to do this “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect” (or “complete”) “man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Ephesians 4, verse 13. This maturity is a goal we are to press on toward in our Christian life, Philippians 3, verses 12 through 15 [“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”].

How do we become more and more like Jesus? What is our guide? Well, it’s God’s Word, isn’t it! We’re all familiar with 2 Timothy 3, verse 16 and 17, telling us that the Scriptures furnish us completely unto “every good work.” [“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”]

Seventh, in our Christian life, we are to have fellowship and community with those of like faith and like mind. Go back and refresh your memory about what the first church of Christ in the City of Jerusalem did right after the Day of Pentecost and those days following. Read Acts, chapter 2, verses 43 through 47 [“Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”]. They were together. They had all things in common. They shared meals together. They worshipped together. They prayed together. They were together!

The church is a community, or family, in which we as Christians worship and work together regularly to carry out the work of the church. We are to be a community that shares a common faith, shares a common hope, shares a common mission, and, yes, shares a common love.