This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. You can listen to the sermon here.
I hope you have realized by now that life is not easy. The Christian life is not easy. Contrary to prosperity theology, life is not always a bed of roses. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33).
As Christians, we look forward to the coming of Christ. I’ve mentioned that salvation is a process. We are justified by faith. One day we will get our new bodies and be glorified. But what does the Christian life look like between justification and glorification?
The answer is sanctification – the process of growing more like Jesus. The reality is that none of us have “arrived spiritually.” We see this in our text today in Philippians 3.
Paul uses the metaphor of a race to emphasize the need for us to continue to press on toward knowing and experiencing Christ more fully.
Sermon Text: Phil 3:12-4:1
There are three main things in this text I want us to see as we think about pursuing Christ until He comes.
(1) As disciples, we are to passionately pursue Christ (12-16)
In verses 12-14, Paul compares the Christian life to a race. The Christian life is not a sprint, but a marathon. Look at Paul’s words:
- 12 – “press on”
- 13 – “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”
- 14 – “press on toward the goal for the prize”
12 – 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.
Paul says that he has not obtained a perfect knowledge of Christ. In other words, he doesn’t know Christ as fully as he should.
This verse shatters any idea of perfectionism theology. If the apostle Paul, whom Jesus called out audibly on the Damascus Road (Acts 9) couldn’t become perfect in this life, then none of us can.
We all need to realize that none of us are perfect. We all still need to grow in our relationship with Christ. When you realize that you’re not perfect, it affects how you live:
- You will grow less self-righteous.
- Your view of others will change. You will be less critical because you know you still need to grow as well.
- You will be quicker to see God at work in others.
- Your love for the Savior will grow because you know how much you need his grace.
In the Christian life, the more you grow in maturity, the more you realize how much further you have to go to become like Christ.
We see this in Paul’s life[1]I saw this in a Twitter Post by Matt Smethurst.:
“I am the least . . .”
- AD 55: “of all the apostles” (1 Cor. 15:9)
- AD 60: “of all the saints” (Eph. 3:8)
- AD 62: “of all sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15)
Christian maturity is growing more aware of your unworthiness and your need for God’s grace. That’s why if you are truly saved, hymns are more precious to you now than they were years or decades ago.
Notice what Paul says at the end of v. 12: “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” In that statement, there is a balance of faith and works, of God’s call and the believer’s response.
Paul is not trying to earn his salvation. Instead, he is acknowledging that because he belongs to Christ, he is pressing on toward the end result of salvation – experiencing the power of Jesus’ resurrection and knowing him more fully.
The goal of the Christian life is not to get to heaven or escape hell. The goal of the Christian life is to know Christ (John 17:3; Phil 3:7).
Salvation is not simply fire insurance. Many churches in the southern United States have reduced salvation to walking an aisle, making a profession of faith, and being baptized.
Salvation is not simply fire insurance.
The reality is that once we are truly saved, we will begin to experience the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead. When we come to know Christ, we become new creations (2 Cor 5:17). We are raised to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).
Salvation is not praying a prayer and going back to living how you always have. True salvation leads to spiritual growth – growing in grace and knowledge of Christ.
Paul says in v. 12 that he presses on. How does he do that? Two ways we see in v. 13:
- “forgetting what lies behind”
- “straining towards what lies ahead”
13 – 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,
When you’re running a race, you cannot keep looking behind you. If you do, you will go slower, you will get distracted, or at worst, you might fall.
We are to forget what is behind us. In the Bible, forget doesn’t mean to not remember, but instead it means that we are “no longer influenced by or affected by.” In order to break the power of your past, you must live for the future.
Forget your failures and run forward.
Maybe you’ve had broken relationships or been addicted to drugs. Maybe your kids are not walking with the Lord. Maybe you’ve had wasted years or missed some opportunities for evangelism. Peter denied Jesus three times. Paul persecuted and murdered Christians before he came one.
Forget past achievements
Don’t use past victories as an opportunity to get complacent. Since I’ve been here, I’ve heard a lot about how our church used to be bigger. While that is true, we can’t continue to think about the glory days. Instead, we must, like Paul, press on! If we are stuck looking to the past, we will never move forward in the present.
Many Christians are satisfied with the spiritual race they are running because they compare their running with other people, many of whom are not making much progress.
In verse 13, Paul says, “One thing I do.” Paul is a man focused on one thing – knowing Christ. If I asked someone close to you, what would they say is your “one thing?”
- Work
- Family
- House and stuff
- Sports
- Academics
- Social media
- Video games
Our “one thing” must be forgetting what lies behind and straining forward in Christ. If we want others to know Jesus, then knowing Jesus has to be our one thing.
If we want others to know Jesus, then knowing Jesus has to be our one thing.
14 – I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The prize is “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” One day, Jesus will come again for His bride – the church. Will you be found in Him?
To be found in Jesus, you must believe the gospel.
One indicator that you are truly saved is that you long for Jesus’ return. If you’re here and you’re fearful about Christ’s return, you probably don’t know Him.
15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
In vv. 15-16, Paul says that if you think you’re perfect and don’t need to keep pressing on in your relationship with Christ, then you are not mature.
If this is how you think and you do have the Holy Spirit, then God will reveal that to you (v. 15b).
These verses are challenging. I want to ask you. How are you living?
- Have you come to know God through faith in Christ?
- Are you experiencing the power of the resurrection? By that, I mean are you growing in Christlikeness?
- Are you looking forward to the return of Christ?
- Are you content with baptism and church membership or are you continually growing in your faith?
In verses 12-16, we see that we are to passionately pursue Christ. How do we do that? By following the right examples.
As disciples, we are to follow the right examples (17-19)
17 – Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
So far in Philippians, Paul has pointed to Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples (2:19-30). He has pointed to Jesus as our supreme example (2:5-11). Now, Paul encourages the Philippians to imitate him and others like him (17).
What kinds of people are we to look to as examples?
- Those who promote unity (Phil 2:1-2).
- Those who are humble and put the needs of others ahead of their own (Phil 2:3-4).
- Those who are not grumblers and complainers (Phil 2:14-15).
- Those who are trusting in Christ, not religious works (Phil 3:1-11).
- Those who are pouring out their lives for the sake of the gospel (Phil 1:29; 2:19-30).
- Those who are passionately pursuing Jesus (Phil 3:7-11).
These are the kinds of people that we should follow in the Christian life. Paul tells us who to follow, but he also warns the Philippians about ungodly ones. Paul calls these people “enemies of the cross.” Look at vv. 18-19.
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
It’s likely Paul is here referring to people who were led astray by the Judaizers that he mentioned in Phil 3:2. Paul said in Phil 3:3 that we are to have no confidence in the flesh.
In contrast to Paul, who is pursuing Christ, the Judaizers were pursing earthly things. These “enemies of the cross” were trusting in their own spiritual deeds rather than in Christ.
Look at how Paul describes them:
- First, “their end is destruction.” They will be condemned to hell.
- Second, “their god is their stomach.” They were perhaps given to gluttony. More likely, they were preoccupied with Jewish dietary laws.
- Third, “their glory is in their shame.” They were focused inappropriately on their circumcision.
- Fourth, their “minds are set on earthly things.” They were living for earthly things instead of looking to eternal things.
In the Christian life, there are two kinds of people you can look to as an example:
The first are people like the Judaizers who profess to be Christians but are really trusting in their works.
The people in vv. 18-19 were confident that circumcision and some moral living (dietary laws) were sufficient. Their hearts had not been changed and they were not focused on Christ.
There are many today who live like this. They think that walking an aisle, being baptized, living a moral life, and voting Republican will get them to heaven. All the while, their minds are set on earthly things–perhaps work, hunting, or football. They are not straining towards the goal of knowing Christ. They are not seeking to build the kingdom of God.
Let’s get real there are many people on our church roll that don’t bother to come to church. Their minds are set on earthly things, and they don’t have any desire to worship Christ or hear the Word preached or to fellowship with other believers.
You can follow the first group of people or you can follow those who are in Christ and humbly admit they don’t have it all together but are seeking to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.
As disciples, we are to stand firm as we look for the return of Jesus (3:20-4:1)
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 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. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
As opposed to the Judaizers, whose minds are on earthly things, we as Christians are rejoice in our heavenly citizenship.
Philippi was a Roman colony with many Roman military veterans. These veterans were proud of their Roman citizenship.
This is something we need to remember. We are proud to be Americans. We celebrate America on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veteran’s Day.
We are grateful for our American citizenship, and we are thankful for our military veterans. But brothers and sisters, Christianity is not an American religion. There are many Americans who are not Christians and there are many Christians who are not Americans.
As Christians, our true citizenship is in heaven.
As Christians, our true citizenship is in heaven.
You may not know this, but Roman citizens called the emperor “savior.” Roman citizens were looking to an earthly savior. Friends, we live on earth, but our Savior is not an earthly king. He is the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End.
We have a Savior that has “the power…to subject all things to himself” (Phil 4:1).
When we see Christ coming in the clouds and get our new bodies, at that moment, all the things of this world will be worthless to us! If they will be worthless then, they should be worthless today. When Jesus comes, he will “subject all things to himself.”
If you don’t know Christ, turn from your sin and trust in Him.
4:1 says to “Stand firm.” Roman soldiers were commanded to “stand firm” and never retreat even when their life was in danger.
Whatever happens in this life, we are to stand firm in the Lord and pursue Him with all we have as we look for His return!
References
| ↑1 | I saw this in a Twitter Post by Matt Smethurst. |
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