Detail: Ministers Corner « Philippians Bible Study « Lesson 16: "Pressing on", Phil. 3:12-16:
Lesson 16: "Pressing on", Phil. 3:12-16
May 5, 2020
Lesson 16: "Pressing On", Phil. 3:12-16
READ Phil. 3:12-16. As we have stated before, chapter three of Philippians is Paul's testimony. Verses 4-6 is Paul's case for self-justification in the eyes of God. His credentials were his identity and his accomplishments in Judaism. His works of the Law.
But one day while traveling to Damascus to capture Jews who had turned to Christ, Paul met Jesus personally. You can read about his conversion to Christ in Acts 9: 1-18 and Acts 22: 3-16. In brevity, Paul suddenly realized he was wrong about Christ, about Christians, Christianity and about what God requires of man to be saved. He was baptized and began a new life in Christ.
What Paul learned in Christ was that nothing he could do could save him. It was the finished atoning work of Christ and Christ's righteousness imputed to him that would save him. So, in v. 7, Paul concludes, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." This led him to desire fellowship in Christ, that he "might know Him and the power of His resurrection." (Phil. 3:10,11)
At this point some might think Paul has attained the resurrection of life (Jn. 5:29) and that he is certainly assured of his salvation. Paul certainly had confidence in Christ. If he didn't then he wouldn't have given up all things for Christ. Still, Paul knew he must "press on".
Paul viewed his life in Christ as a race. Not a short sprint event, but a marathon. A test of endurance. Read 1 Cor. 9: 24-27. Paul knew it was a life that required a plan. It required endurance and perseverance. If he failed in his personal walk with Christ, he recognized that he might somehow be disqualified from the prize. What is the prize for the Christian? Eternal life.
He recognized that his preaching must teach the believer that their walk must display "perfection"; completeness in Christ. (Col. 1:28) The Greek word used here can mean either, but here as it applies to the nature of sinful men redeemed by Christ it should denote completeness in conduct "worthy of the gospel of Christ". (Phil. 1:27) Not perfection as in incapable of sin.
To do this Paul realizes in our text in v. 13, that he had to "forget the past and be reaching forward to what was ahead of him." (Phil. 3:13) Everyone of us in Christ have a past, whether good or bad, we cannot live in the past, but "reach for what is ahead". That which is ahead is the "goal", "the prize", eternal life with Christ.
Christ Jesus, Himself had to do this. Look at Heb. 12:1,2. Here we are told that Christ did not focus on the suffering and shame of His death on the Cross. Instead He focused on "the joy that was set before Him". That joy was the knowledge that many would believe in Him and be saved because of what He suffered.
We need to do the same. Instead of focusing on what we once desired and lost for Christ, we should focus on eternity and our reward in Heaven. Each of us is called to deny ourselves and "take up our cross daily." (Lu. 9:23) That denial is that which Christ has taught us to forfeit for Him. Those things we have counted as loss. (Phil. 3:7)
When we were baptized into Christ a new life began. (Rom. 6:4), (2 Cor. 5:17) This life should mirror Christ! Literally when people see me; they should see Christ living in me. (Gal. 2:20) Those who are in Christ have their lives hidden with "Him in God". (Col. 3:1-3) So we should set our "hearts on things above". These are spiritual priorities for our lives; those behaviors and values taught by Jesus in the four Gospels. Learning these teachings will bring us to spiritual maturity.
In v. 15 Paul reminds us that if we are spiritually mature we will "have this mind". What mind is this? It is the attitude or mindset that was just stated in v. 14, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14) This word for "press" in the Greek is a strong word. It means "to pursue" or "to chase". You and I must chase salvation. Not because it's hard to find, but because it is TOO VALUABLE to lose!
So maturity or "attaining to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13) is a MUST! In Eph. 4:12-15 Paul presents the whole reason that Christ has given the Church teachers, evangelists and pastors (elders). It is to "equip the saints for the work of ministry". Each of us is in some way a minister. If your not, then you need to start equipping yourself. But it is also because we need to identify true doctrine from false teaching. (Eph. 4:14,15)
The last time I saw a statistic on the number of denominations of Christianity in America it was just under 500. Think about this fact. Can there really be 500 different systems of truth? Is truth variable or is it constant? Jesus prayed to the Father in Jn. 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth." Only an accurate knowledge of God's truth, the Bible can keep you sanctified and safe from false teachings. If you want to see the most spiritually mature believers in any church don't come on Sunday. Come to mid-week Bible Study. The few that come regularly to study God's word are the one's who are hungry for God's word. They are also the one's who are heeding Paul's message to "press on." This is the "rule" that Paul says "Let us all walk by. (Phil. 3:16)
Study Questions:
1. Did Paul think he had already "attained" to the "power of the resurrection of Christ?
2. What things did Paul tell us we "should forget"?
3. "Therefore we were buried with ______ through _____________ into death, that just as __________ was raised from the dead by the ___________ of the Father, even so we also should ____________ in newness of ____________.
4. What kind of sporting event did Paul compare his "walk with Christ" to?
5. What does the writer of Hebrews say that Christ focused on to help Him endure the cross?
6. What two reasons did Paul tell the church at Ephesus that Christ gave them teachers, pastors and evangelists for?
7. "Forgetting those things which are __________ and reaching _____________ to those things which are ____________."