Pressing On
Philippians 3:12-16
January 1, 2012
Morning Message
A prudent question is one half of wisdom – Francis Bacon
Are you closer to Christ today than you were on January 1, 2011?
It seems like such a simple question but the answer is anything but simple. The question calls into account our progress in faith and in our personal spiritual growth.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Paul opens this passage with both a disclaimer and a declaration. The disclaimer is simply put that he had not yet been made perfect. The point that Paul was making is that there was still room for him to grow in his relationship with God. He had not yet arrived. The declaration is that he was pressing on to get everything that Christ desired to give him. It is so sad that so many realize they have not yet gained all that Christ has for them but give up the pursuit.
Forgetting what is behind
The image that Paul pulls from society is one of a runner. Not just any runner but the lead runner. The lead runner needs to forget those who are behind and focus on the remainder of the race that lies ahead. The same is true of our walk with God.
There are things that are left behind, why do we insist on continually reliving those things? There are things that are in the past that are washed away by the redeeming blood of Jesus, we bear them no more. Why do we insist on looking back on those things? We are called to run our Christian race in the leader status. We are called to live the Christian life focused not on what we have left behind but on what we have yet to embrace.
Paul had a past that would be haunting to say the least. Before Paul had his life changing encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road, he was Saul the persecutor of the church. The only goal that Paul had was to wipe out Christianity and he was doing a good job. Paul became what he was trying to stop and destroy. He was changed by Christ and would never be the same. The memory of his past, made Paul view his previous life as rubbish. Paul moved beyond his past and we need to do the same. There is no way for us to do great things for God while we are wrapped up in the past.
Straining toward what is ahead
Paul continues the metaphor and imagery of the race. The goal of the runner is to reach the finish line. The goal that Paul is looking toward is the completion of Christ’s work in his life. The completion of that perfect relationship he was meant to have with God. Paul was looking forward to the day when the victory over sin would be complete. Paul was straining toward the moment when everything that Christ had died to provide would be his. The finish line is found only in heaven. It is in heaven that the work of Christ is made complete.
Paul was making a commitment to no longer live chained to his past. Paul was living with a glorious future in mind. Paul was focused on the finishing of Christ’s work. We need to set our sights on the work that is to be finished. We need to get focused on the day that Jesus completes His work in us.
Judgmental behavior flows out of the unfinished work of God. The problem is that we often look at what Jesus is doing in other people and judge the unfinished work. We do not have the right to judge anyone. We should be asking the question, how do we want God to treat us? Are we treating other people in the same manner? If the answer on our treatment is no, we have a major problem that needs correcting. Stop looking at others and strain toward what is ahead.
Why do we need to press on?
1. The work of perfection is not yet finished
Paul states that he has not yet been made perfect. The issue that many have with the word perfection is that we become perfect in every way and beyond the ability of doing anything wrong. The power of the Holy Spirit does give the ability to live above the corruption of sin. The understanding of perfection is not that we become perfect and do no wrong.
John Wesley said the following about Christian Perfection: By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love of God, and our neighbour, ruling our tempers, words, and actions.
Sanctification is about making us more like Christ for the purpose of a perfected relationship with God. Paul was simply stating that his relationship with Christ was not yet perfect in that sense. The issue that Paul raises is that Jesus is not done working in us. If we are honest, we all have areas that need the perfecting love of God. We all have struggles that keep us from enjoying the perfected relationship with God. The goal is become closer and closer to God with each passing day. The understanding is that our hope is built on the fact that being like Jesus is possible through the empowering strength of the Holy Spirit.
2. Christ has more for us
Jesus did not die to just give us salvation. While salvation was the goal for all people, it is not the only goal of Christ. The power of the resurrection gives us the ability to live a redeemed life. The power of the resurrection gives us the ability to become more and more like Christ. There is no aspect of your life that the power of the resurrection cannot change. There is no problem or shortcoming that the power of the resurrection cannot solve. The truth is so amazingly simple, Christ has more for us and we simply settle for less.
We press on because there is more that God wants to do in us and through us. The work is not complete until either we die or Jesus returns. The promise is that Jesus will see this work through to completion. We press on because the unfinished work of Christ in our lives calls us to pursue a forward focus; a focus that is intensely set on heaven.
3. Pressing on helps us to overcome the past
What is behind is past and there is nothing that we can do about it. The past is water under the bridge and there is no time machine to take us back. We can do nothing about yesterday. Yesterday ended last night. Let yesterday live in the past. We waste so much time and energy looking back. Put the effort into changing today. Put the energy into being more like Jesus today. The call of God is to change, to grow and to progress in the faith. Stop looking back and start looking ahead.
Notice that the past is source of our problems, our pains and our personal regrets. Why on earth do you want to re-live that garbage? Jesus is far more concerned with your future than He is with your past. The past can be forgiven and forgotten. Jesus is waiting for you to surrender the past to Him. Jesus is waiting to give you a future worth straining toward.
Call to obtain
Paul stated that he had not already obtained perfection. The point of pressing on is to continually pursue becoming more like Jesus. There should be a desire within the heart of those who believe that they want to be more and more like Christ. The only way to become more like Christ is to obtain it from God.
Key questions
Am I following Jesus more closely today than …
• 1 year ago
• 1 month ago
• 1 week ago
• 1 day ago
Am I really committed to following Christ?
• Does my lifestyle show it?
• Does my spiritual growth show it?
• Does my obedience show it?
Am I serving Christ more faithfully?
• Does my attitude reflect it?
• Does my behavior reflect it?
• Do my motives reflect it?
Living up to what has been attained
We are accountable for our relationship with God.
Many people set personal goals for the year
Weight loss
Get out of debt
Spend more time with the family
Personal growth decisions
Set a pattern
Set a practice
Set a progress
Set a purpose
The key is doing something – Start small because all change begins with a small step. All significant changes start with the
Key Questions
What are you going to do to draw closer to Christ this year?
How is your devotional life?
How are the fruits of the Spirit being exampled in your life?
