Every new year I revisit this short passage in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In chapter 3:12-14, Paul reveals his passion for staying strong in the Christian life, and identifies three attitudes that will trip us up as we seek to live that life. Remember, Paul wrote this while in chains, imprisoned for his faith…
1. Self-satisfaction with life in the present. 12, 13
12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
When we won’t admit our need for growth, perseverance becomes unimportant. The Apostle Paul saw himself as in a process—he saw himself as having a lot to learn about the Christian life. He’d personally met the resurrected Lord on the Damascus Road, had been transported to “the seventh heaven,” had planted churches all across Asia Minor and Greece, and had written correspondence that was nothing short of the inspired Word of God. And yet…he still needed to grow, he hadn’t “arrived” yet, but was still on the journey, complete with wrong turns, detours, and all kinds of off-the –map experiences and challenges.
We can be satisfied with life in the present; we should be in many respects. But we cannot afford to remain in the present, either refusing to continue to grow into the people God would have us grow-up into, or living the pathetic delusion of thinking ourselves able to keep things the way they are or have been. We must live in today, as we are moving ahead to tomorrow, armed with the lessons we’ve learned from our past. Enjoy the scenery, but don’t stop to get out of the car, in other words.
2. Pre-occupation with life in the past. 13
13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
When we are crippled by the memory of past failure, perseverance becomes unbearable. Paul could have dwelled on his past of thinking himself righteous before God merely on the basis of his racial and religious credentials (see verses 1-12) or the painful memories of being the greatest persecutor the Church had yet known, but Paul refused to dwell on his past sins. You can’t move forward in spiritual growth if you’re looking backwards—you’ll keep running into things, and you might get hurt. The embarrassing, painful memories of our failures over the past year or perhaps even further back, are not a valid excuse to fall out of the Christian life. Are you a sinful person? Fighting addiction? Experiencing frequent failure? Beset by sinful patterns that seem to go on and on and on, with very little perceptible change? Then, you’ve come to the right place, at the foot of the cross. Although the Serpent would parade our sins before our eyes day and night, the Savior has taken all of those sins on Himself when He died in our place on the Cross. Past sins are to be repented of, learned from, and left behind. Remember, Jesus said, “Anyone who, having put his hand to the plow, looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.” An unhealthy, preoccupation with your past failures is one of many reasons you might be tempted to give up in the Christian life.
3. Lack of motivation for life in the future. 14
14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
When we don’t care about our appearance before the Bema seat of Christ, perseverance becomes unnecessary. I’ve noticed something about people who have persevered in their faith. They think about the fact that they’ll one day stand before Christ—and they care a great deal about it. Look in the Bible—Paul (1 Cor 9), Peter (1 Peter 5), and John (1 John 2, 3) all lived with a healthy sense of fear concerning the day when they would meet their Master and be evaluated for the faithfulness of their earthly lives. It’s a wonderful reason to obey, to love, to confess, and work hard in our faith—the simple reason that we will one day stand before the most wonderful, loving, wise, and righteous Person who ever existed, and give an account of ourselves. I’d like for things to go very, very well for me on that day! C.S. Lewis said, “Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us…We are far too easily pleased.” This year, I hope to be much less “pleased” with life as it is, and much more persistent in following the Lord Jesus in increasing closeness, more deeply, in more areas of my life. If I start falling behind, lend me a hand. If you start looking ragged, I’ll be there for you. Let’s stay on this road we’ve begun, of following our King!
downtownpastor