September Passage: Philippians 3:12-4:1
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with their minds set on earthly things.
But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. (ESV)
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Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text. Today we will discuss...
Pressing On Toward the Goal
Last month we spent a lot of time going through the dangers of putting our hope in our own “good” works to be saved instead of trusting in the perfect finished work of Jesus Christ. And we finished the last passage with this simple truth: “The Goal is Resurrection.” The goal of everything we do on this side of eternity is to stand with Jesus on the other side and bring as many others with us as we can through the Holy Spirit empowered proclamation of the Gospel.
So, Paul continues on with that theme this month. Paul wrote that the goal was the resurrection but he wanted to make sure it was clear, he hadn’t made it to the finish line just yet…
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:12-14 - ESV)
So we start well. We look forward to the resurrection, all the while admitting that none of us is perfect, at least not yet. But there are two ditches that some people have fallen into because of this passage and others like it.
One group throws their hands up and says, “Oh well, nobody’s perfect. Don’t sweat it. We can go ahead and sin now, and eventually Jesus will come back and clean up our mess.”
While it is true that we are still suffering the effects of indwelling sin, which pulls us away from our walk with God and lures us with lies and worldly, fleshly temptation (see Romans 7:18-25; 1 John 1:8-10); we are never to just give up the fight and actively participate in (or give approval for) the things that Jesus died to save us from.
The same Apostles who admitted and demonstrated with their lives that they battled indwelling sin, also warned us not to give up the battle. (See Romans 8:13; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 3:8-10; Galatians 5:19-21).
The famous theologian, John Owen is quoted as saying,
“Be killing sin,
or sin will be killing you.”
Don’t fall into the first ditch of making a practice of sin.
But also watch out for the second ditch… It’s the same ditch that Paul railed against before, the ditch of self-righteous legalism that puts hope in your works instead of God’s work. Look at the passage again…
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:12-14 - ESV)
Like the passage that we discussed in Chapter 2:12-13, it almost appears that Paul goes back to counting on his ability to finish the race. “I press on…” “One thing I do…” “…(I’m) straining forward…” “I press on…” As if we were to count on Jesus to save us, but then had to depend on our own broken selves to make it from there to the end. As if Jesus shoved us off the starting block, and then just watched us run by our own strength.
But, whether we are talking about justification, sanctification or glorification, if it were Paul’s ability (or yours, or mine, or anyone’s but God’s) then we would have a reason to boast in ourselves and we would fall back into the trap of works based salvation instead of faith.
This would lead us to feel really great about ourselves when we were doing “good” and hating ourselves when we stumbled back into sin (have you done that?). We would look to others who weren’t as far along the path as us and we would become conceited instead of humble (have you done that?). Or we’d look to others who “appeared” to have sin under control better than us, and we’d want to throw in the towel (have you done that?).
This is why it is important to read this passage in it’s context. Read the verses around this one and even the words within these verses and it will free you up from the ditch…
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:12-14 - ESV)
I don’t give up fighting sin, and I don’t get puffed up when I’m doing well against sin. I fight and I do well because “Christ Jesus has made me His own.”
I don’t look at my works or anyone else success or failure in the battle against sin. I “forget what lies behind me and strain forward to what lies ahead.” What lies ahead is the day when Jesus completes His work of Restoration and HE makes me perfect - once and forever in Glory.
I don’t keep my eyes here on the problems of this life or the temptations of sin, Satan and self. “I press on to the goal,” (resurrection). I remember that God the Father Called me and made a way for me through Jesus Christ. I remember that once I am His, nothing - NOTHING can take me out of His hand (See Romans 8:31-39; John 6:37; John 10:28-29).
The “I do’s” of this passage are not WORKS for salvation. They are declarations by Paul - statements for us all to hold onto and to shout to our own hearts. I WILL FIGHT to believe, to keep the faith in Jesus no matter what the World, no matter what Sin, no matter what My flesh or Satan himself throws at me in this life!
I will Fight the Good Fight of Faith!
Will you?
Let’s fight sin together and press on toward the goal.
