BIG IDEA:
PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL IS THE ONLY WAY TO RUN THE RACE OF CONFORMITY TO JESUS CHRIST
INTRODUCTION:
John Walvoord: On the one hand, discontent with one’s spiritual life can bring discouragement and unnecessary resignation to spiritual defeat. On the other hand, in overestimating one’s spiritual attainments, it is easy to become complacent with the measure of transformation which has taken place. Either alternative is falling short of the scriptural standard. What Paul is teaching in this section is that absolute perfection, such as exists in heaven, or attainment of spiritual victory which makes defeat impossible, is never achieved in this life. But there is the possibility of a high plateau of victory in Christ, of joy in the Spirit, and of the satisfaction of having served the Lord acceptably. It is this proper doctrine that the apostle is attempting to teach in this section.
Ben Witherington: Making progress toward the goal of full conformity to the image of Christ in the Christian life requires one to become a spiritual athlete according to Paul. It will not happen automatically or without human effort. Notice as well the perfect passive tense form of the verb for “to perfect”! Paul insists “not that I have already been perfected …” and what he means is, he has not yet been fitted with his resurrection body which is the ultimate goal. The passive tense makes clear that Paul sees this as something that will happen to him, not something he will do or accomplish.
Frank Thielman: According to 3:8–11, Paul had suffered the loss of all things in order to gain Christ, to be found in him, to know him in both his suffering and in his resurrection power, and to attain the resurrection of the dead. Did this mean that he had reached spiritual perfection? Paul was aware that at least in Corinth some would have drawn that conclusion from his words (1 Cor. 4:8; 15:12). He did not intend to allow such notions to take root in Philippi, however, and so in Philippians 3:12–16 he affirms the incompleteness of his own journey toward the final day stating that, paradoxically, only those who understand their lack of perfection (teteleiomai) have reached spiritual maturity (teleios). . .
Paul also speaks positively in verses 12–14 of what he is doing in light of the incompleteness of his spiritual journey. His language comes from the world of war and athletics and emphasizes the strenuous nature of his efforts to fulfill his vocation. In verse 12 he says that he presses on to take hold of the goals listed in verses 8–11, choosing a pair of words that could, in military contexts, refer to the pursuit of one army by another. Together the two terms connote a single-minded attempt to reach a particular goal.
Moises Silva: The statement of verse 12 ought not to be interpreted apart from verses 13–14, particularly in view of the parallelism between these two sections:
A I have not attained [lambanō] (12a)
B I pursue [diōkō] that I may reach [katalambanō] (12b)
A′ I do not reckon to have reached [katalambanō] (13a)
B′ I pursue [diōkō] toward the goal (13b–14)
The first set (A-A′) consists of negative statements; here Paul makes clear what he is not claiming. These negatives help to correct any false impression that may arise from verses 9–11. The second set (B-B′) consists of affirmations; because he does not yet possess all he expects, he presses on with confidence and determination.
John MacArthur: Some in Philippi might have mistakenly assumed that, having gained those marvelous benefits, Paul had reached spiritual perfection. The Judaizers may also have taught the Philippians that spiritual perfection was attainable through being circumcised and keeping the Law. There were also heretics (forerunners of the second-century Gnostics) who taught that spiritual perfection awaited those who attained a certain level of knowledge. To counter such false ideas, Paul quickly added this passage, which is a forceful disclaimer of spiritual perfection. Though he was a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), with a new heart (Ezek. 36:26), a new disposition that strongly desired holiness (Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16), was united with Christ (Gal. 2:20), possessed a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23), had the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), had right standing before God (Rom. 8:1), had been justified (Rom. 5:1), had been forgiven (Eph. 1:7), had Christ’s righteousness imputed to him (2 Cor. 5:21), and was indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9, 11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:14), Paul was not perfect. He was still subject to temptation, still possessed his unredeemed flesh, and was still a sinner (cf. Rom. 7:14–25; 1 Tim. 1:15). Far from having obtained perfection, he was pursuing it with all his might. Like Peter, Paul understood that the Christian life is a lifelong process of “grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18; cf. 1 Peter 2:1–2).
This passage deals a devastating blow to the false doctrine of perfectionism that still prevails in some denominations and churches. Perfectionism is the teaching that believers can reach a place of spiritual and moral perfection in this life. Perfectionists teach that in a second work of grace, believers may instantaneously be made sinless. Some even go so far as to teach the eradication of the sin nature. But the apostle Paul, undoubtedly the most committed, dedicated, spiritually mature Christian who ever lived, confessed gladly that he had failed to reach spiritual perfection thirty years after his conversion. And that confession was clear evidence of his true and mature spirituality. Who, then, could make a legitimate claim to have done so? To maintain the fiction that they have achieved sinless perfection, perfectionists are forced to make an unbiblical distinction between willful sin and “mistakes.” But Scripture teaches that any violation of God’s law—whatever the intent—is sin. No Christian will ever become perfect in this life; that awaits the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:23). Perfection in this life will always be a goal, never an achievement. If we say we do not sin, we make God a liar, because He says we do (1 John 1:7–9).
Some may question why they should bother to pursue spiritual growth. After all, believers are promised “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for [them]” (1 Peter 1:4). But that question is a moot point. Spiritual children, like physical children, cannot help but grow (cf. 1 Peter 2:1–2); they have a built-in desire and drive for growth.
Apart from that, there are several compelling reasons that Christians must grow spiritually.
- First, it glorifies God.
- Second, it provides evidence that their salvation is genuine.
- Third, it adorns and makes visible the truth of God to others (cf. Titus 2:10).
- Fourth, it brings assurance of salvation.
- Fifth, it preserves believers from the sorrow and suffering associated with spiritual immaturity.
- Sixth, it protects the cause of Christ from reproach.
- Seventh, it produces joy in believers’ lives.
- Eighth, it equips them for ministry to others in the body of Christ.
- Finally, it enhances their witness to the lost world.
Gerald Hawthorne: Hence vv 12–16 may be viewed as relating to the previous section in this way: they provide a caution about past experiences and a plan of action for the future. Paul has just said that his supreme desire is to know Christ (and this is a worthy goal for any Christian). But lest some should assume that he (or anyone else for that matter) had already attained complete knowledge of Christ, he immediately proceeds to disabuse them of such an assumption. Christ is too great to be grasped in a single lifetime. And yet this fact does not discourage Paul or dampen his ardor. Rather, it drives him on to know more. The more he knows about Christ, the more he wishes to know. Hence he views his future as a race course stretching out before a runner who is pressing on to reach the goal and win the prize. Thus, the incomprehensible majesty of Christ is no deterrent to Paul’s quest, but a spur, urging him to press on to a still greater knowledge of Christ until it is finally complete when he is called up to receive the prize.
Dennis Johnson: Relying on God’s righteousness (received freely through faith in Christ) does not and must not foster complacency in sin or any illusion of having already achieved perfection. Paul evokes imagery drawn from the annual athletic competitions familiar to the Philippians in order to compare our present life in Christ to a race to be run with vigor and persistence. He does not consider himself to have arrived at perfection but strives toward the goal of complete conformity to Christ, his crucified and risen Lord. With confidence grounded in the fact that Christ has already grasped him firmly in grace, Paul strives to grasp the prize, God’s heavenward call that awaits believers at the resurrection. Instead of dwelling on things lying behind him, both his discarded credentials in Judaism (vv. 4-6) and his apostolic service to Christ, Paul sets his sights ahead, toward the objective of knowing Christ fully and reflecting Christ’s perfect maturity (cf. Eph 4:13). Paul’s humble longing for and striving toward that goal sets an example for all who are and wish to be spiritually mature. In the present we may have differences of perspective (cf. Php 4:2-3; Ro 14:1-12). He is confident, however, in God’s ability to lead all his children into unity in conviction and compassion (Php 2:2). In the meantime, each Christian must maintain the degree of maturity that God has already granted, relying completely on Jesus’ blood and righteousness while energetically pursuing holiness in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
I. THE GOAL IS CONFORMITY TO JESUS CHRIST
“in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of
by Christ Jesus“
“the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus“
THE MOTIVATION OF A LOFTY GOAL:
A. Salvation is Just a Starting Point
Tony Merida: What’s the “prize”? What goal is Paul pursuing? Based on the previous passage, it’s a fuller knowledge of Christ. It involves gaining Christ. That’s what Paul wants—to know Christ more and more; and in knowing Him more, he will become more like Him. This pursuit is a lifetime adventure. To illustrate this pursuit, Paul uses athletic imagery to convey his passion for the Savior.
John MacArthur: What was Christ’s goal in saving Paul? The apostle stated it in Romans 8:29: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” God chose Paul, as He did all believers, to make him like Jesus Christ. That purpose for which God saved us is also the purpose for which we live. “It was for this He called you through our gospel,” wrote Paul to the Thessalonians, “that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:14). The Christian life is a life-long pursuit of Christlikeness. That was the Lord’s goal in saving Paul and was his goal in response.
George Hunsinger: Paul might be saying that although he already knows Christ, he does not yet know him perfectly; that although he has already gained Christ, he has not yet gained him perfectly; and that although he is already in Christ, he is not yet to be found in him perfectly (at the level of lived experience). Whereas this way of resolving the ambiguities focuses more on the saving benefits of Christ in nobis, the former way focuses more on our possession of them extra nos. In any case, Paul’s saving relationship to Christ is such that he knows Christ, enjoys him, and partakes of him under an eschatological (or apocalyptic) proviso. Christ and his benefits are known under a very different aspect here and now than they will be there and then in eternal life.
Gordon Fee: Paul tends to see all of Christian life in terms of “God’s calling.” It begins as a call, call into fellowship with his Son (1 Cor 1:9), thus a call to “be saints,” and thereby joined to his people who are destined for glory. The present usage is unusual in that it looks at the believer’s calling from the perspective of its completion rather than its beginnings, as in most instances. This has been the aim of God’s call right along, to lift them “heavenward” to share in his eternal Presence.
B. Christ Jesus Sets the Standard
Rom. 8:28-29 = the purpose for which we have been called by God
G. Walter Hansen: The word heavenward indicates both the direction of the call and the origin of the call. God’s call is a calling from above and a calling to a heavenly reward. In his encounter with the risen Christ, Paul experienced God’s call from above. As a result he pressed on all his life with the eager anticipation of the future prize of being with Christ and knowing Christ in the heavenly realm, free from all earthly limitations.
C. The Prize is Worthy of the Effort
Gordon Zerbe: What constitutes the actual prize should be identified in the manner already explained: full knowledge of Messiah, union with Messiah, and participation in the resurrection life of the age to come.
William Hendriksen: When this perfection is called goal, it is viewed as the object of the human striving. When it is called prize, it is viewed as the gift of God’s sovereign grace … Though it is true that this believing and this striving are from start to finish completely dependent on God’s grace, nevertheless it is we who must embrace Christ and salvation in him. It is we who must strive to enter in. God does not do this believing and striving for us!
II. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE ALREADY “ARRIVED” YOU ARE OFF TARGET
“Not that I have already obtained it”
“or have already become perfect“
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet“
THE DELUSION OF PERFECTION:
A. Some People Feel They Have Reached the Spiritual Mountaintop
He had not received yet all that God has for him.
David Garland: He is concerned about the Philippians’ progress in the faith and now holds up the example of his own progress, which depends on single-minded, undistracted, earnest exertion that is locked on to the goal like a heat-seeking missile. He issues a caveat that Christians do not reach perfection in this life; the achieving of this perfection awaits the life to come (1Co 13:10–12).
B. Some People Feel They have Arrived
He had not been matured yet to the point where he was like Christ.
John MacArthur: Obviously, pursuing the prize of spiritual perfection begins with dissatisfaction with one’s present spiritual condition. Those who think they have reached spiritual perfection will not see the need to pursue a better condition; why should they chase something they believe they already have? Such complacent, contented people are in grave danger of becoming insensitive to their sin and blind to their weaknesses. It is only those who are aware of their desperate spiritual need who come to Christ for salvation (Matt. 5:6). And it is only those who continue to recognize the need to eliminate sin and cultivate holiness who will make progress in the Christian life. This pursuit by the power of the sanctifying Spirit produces a decreasing frequency of sin and increasing love for holiness, which makes less sin feel like more. The truly mature and godly have the most sensitive awareness of their sins, and are the humblest before God because of it.
Steven Lawson: Faith is always active and dynamic, always moving us out and forward. Paul is acknowledging that he has not come to a point in his spiritual life where he can say he has arrived. There is still much spiritual growth for him to realize in his Christian life.
C. The Reality is That We All Have a Long Way to Go
Charles Swindoll: God’s plan is progress . . . not perfection (3:12). Paul was clear: He had not yet obtained the full outcome of his salvation. As one commentator notes, the “it” in 3:12 probably refers to “the experiential process begun in his salvation. He looked forward to the resurrection from the dead and, secondarily, to the process of conformity to death which would bring it forth.” Paul was on the same path as every one of us. He had been justified (declared righteous by God) on the basis of the merits of Christ, and like all of us, he was in the process of being sanctified as he looked forward to one day being glorified through resurrection.
Perfection in this life is not possible. We are frail, fallen, feeble humans; and we will continue in this state until our death. Not only are we imperfect, but so is everyone around us. The best, most moral, most Christlike person who has ever lived is still a wicked sinner saved by grace, unable to be compared to the perfect standard of holiness we see in Christ.
But constant progress toward Christlikeness is possible. I’ve seen believers get very frustrated with their lack of stunning progress in their pursuit of Christlikeness. I’ve seen them peter out. I’ve seen them fail. They get down on themselves for their inability to measure up to an impossible standard in this life. This is precisely when they need to hear that the plan is progress, not perfection. We press on in spite of knowing that in this life we will never fully arrive.
R. Kent Hughes: The reality is, the more we come to know Christ, the more we will come to sense our need to grow. And when we imagine that we have arrived, stagnation sets in. We must understand that Paul’s prayer—“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death”—is a prayer of humble dissatisfaction that opens us to the blessing of God—and to a sublime cycle of dissatisfaction and satisfaction and dissatisfaction and satisfaction . . . it brings on a life that knows more and more of Christ and then desperately wants to know more and indeed does know more and more and more and more. Spiritual dissatisfaction is a blessed state. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). Do you long to know Christ better? If so, blessing rains upon your soul.
Gerald Hawthorne: Paul’s encounter with the resurrected and living Christ created within him not only a consuming desire to know Christ intimately and fully, but also an awareness that this was something that could not be achieved in a moment. To know the incomprehensible greatness of Christ demands a lifetime of arduous inquiry.
III. LOOKING AT THE PAST WILL SLOW YOU DOWN
“forgetting what lies behind“
THE PITFALLS OF THE PAST:
A. Weighed down by Sins/Failures of the Past (Heb. 12:1-2) / OR
Complacent because of Past Spiritual Success
(Past Positive Performance is no Indication of Future Success —
cf. the warning on commercials for mutual funds)
Charles Swindoll: Living in the past —whether basking in old glories or pouting over old defeats —keeps us from advancing boldly into the future.
O’Brien: He will not allow either the achievements of the past (which God has wrought) or, for that matter, his failures as a Christian to prevent his gaze from being fixed firmly on the finish line. In this sense he forgets as he runs.
George Hunsinger: In any case we may posit that Paul looks on his entire sinful past as having been blotted out and removed by the blood of Christ. His sinful past is therefore no impediment to the future. In Christ it is as good as gone. All anxiety about the past, whatever it may include, is done away with. It is spiritually irrelevant. The remembrance of past guilt can no longer be crippling. “The things that lie behind” might, of course, also include adversities and traumas. In any case, for Paul, the old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).
B. Tainted by Bitterness and a Lack of Forgiveness / OR
Over Confident because of the Evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit
Tony Merida: We must deal with sin, but if you’ve been forgiven and sought to make wrongs right, then forget and run. Don’t let Satan bring up accusations against you if Christ has forgiven you. Flee to Christ; remind yourself of the gospel and press on.
C. Resigned to Powerlessness / OR
Distracted from Continuing to Rely on the Lord
F. F. Bruce: A competitor in a race does not look over his or her shoulder to see how much ground has been covered already or how rivals are getting on: the runner keeps eyes fixed on the winning post.
(cf. my experience in sixth grade relay race)
James Boice: What is the nature of the forgetting then? I believe that it is the kind of forgetting that occurs when we cease to let things that are in the past overshadow the present, that lets the past be past, both the good and the bad, and that constantly looks forward to the work that God still has for us.
Grant Osborne: Paul outlines two stages for achieving his goal. The first is “forgetting what is behind.” The image is powerful: Paul is like a runner refusing to be distracted by the competitors behind him. The effectiveness of this approach has been proven many times. I recall one of the most famous footraces ever, in 1954 between Roger Bannister of England and John Landy of Australia. Earlier that year, Bannister had become the first runner to cover one mile in less than four minutes; six weeks later, Landy beat Bannister’s time by 1.4 seconds. Their first head-to-head matchup came later that summer and drew worldwide attention. Ninety yards from the finish line, Landy had the race won until he looked over his left shoulder to check for Bannister—who sprinted past him on the right to a dramatic victory. It became known as the “miracle mile.”
The question in verse 13 is: What does Paul mean by “the things behind”? It is unlikely that this indicates his achievements before he had become a Christian (vv. 5–6), for he is speaking in verses 12–14 of the more recent past. More likely, “the things behind” refers to all that Paul had attained since becoming a Christian. It is important for us to note carefully what he is saying here—and what he is not saying. Paul does not mean that our service for Christ and the gospel does not matter; such a view would contradict the teaching about storing up treasure in heaven. Instead, he is insisting that we dare not sit back and be satisfied with our accomplishments. We can never have enough of Christ, and we should never become complacent about where we are in the Christian life and what we have done for Christ. We must be insatiable in our desire to attain more of Christ and to achieve more for him. By “forgetting” Paul does not mean to be uncaring; rather, he does not want to be distracted or led astray by dwelling on the past. We live for the future, not for the past.
Max Anders: Paul, in this verse, underlines his denial of personal power or attainment and his single-minded focus. To describe that focus, he employs the image of a runner in a race who hopes to win the prize. He cannot look back. He cannot cloud his mind with past memories. He strains every muscle in his body to achieve forward motion. Eyes focus on the finish line. Paul forgets the guilt of persecuting the church. He forgets the pain of prison and physical punishment. He forgets the frustration of disobedient church members and false teachers. He looks ahead to see the resurrection, where he will meet Jesus face-to-face.
IV. PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL IS THE ONLY WAY TO RUN THE RACE
“I press on“
“but one thing I do… reaching forward to what lies ahead“
“I press on toward the goal“
THE CHALLENGE OF PERSEVERING IN MAKING PROGRESS:
A. Requires a Perspective of Hope
Tony Merida: The gospel humbled Paul. Look at the way Paul talks about his life here, compared to his pre-conversion experience in verse 6, where he said, “in the law, blameless.” He previously thought of himself as having arrived, but the gospel has a humbling effect. In telling the Philippians that he wasn’t perfect, Paul not only corrects any misunderstandings that they might have had regarding legalism or perfectionism, but his words surely brought hope to them as well! How so? Paul is identifying with them as a fellow Christian. He doesn’t want them to think that he is somehow superhuman and superior. He’s made some remarkable statements about his life in the book of Philippians, but he’s admitting that he hasn’t arrived. So you and I shouldn’t despair. Keep running with Paul!
R. Kent Hughes: “But one thing I do” introduces a single sentence that draws on the metaphor of a foot race described in the graphic present tense but with clauses that reference the past (“forgetting what lies behind”), the future (“and straining forward to what lies ahead”), and the present (“I press on toward the goal”). It is a picture of absolute focus and intensity.
B. Requires a Work Ethic of Diligence
Grant Osborne: Paul’s second stage for achieving his goal involves “straining toward what is ahead.” This continues the athletic imagery, depicting the runner with every muscle in her body taut and straining toward the finish line. This is what makes the Olympic Games so compelling; we are privileged to witness the world’s greatest athletes at the apex of their careers, with their entire being and all their energy focused on winning. We have all seen runners collapse at the end of a race, lying on the ground and heaving for air while smiling from ear to ear at the sheer joy of reaching their goal. Victory is unbelievably difficult in any race, but it is worth the effort—and that is precisely Paul’s point here. The Christian walk is not intended to be an easy stroll through life; it is incredibly hard work, demanding the utmost of our effort to live for Christ.
Ben Witherington: The verb “press on” is further explicated by the participle epekteinomenos, “straining forward” (found only here in the NT). It can in fact refer to the relentless pursuit by a predator of its prey, or can be used of an army in hot pursuit of a foe, and in any case conveys the notion of deliberate, strenuous maximum effort, straining forward like a runner who is expending every ounce of energy to reach the finish line.
G. Walter Hansen: Paul’s dramatic imagery of his race cuts both ways: perfectionists who claim to have already arrived at the goal and libertines who have dropped out of the race are both called to get back on track and press on.
C. Requires a Large Dose of Perseverance
John MacArthur: It is such singularly focused people who succeed in athletics and in other pursuits of life. Many people dabble in much, but succeed at nothing. Despite all the energy they expend, they accomplish little. Their lives are full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. James called them “double-minded . . . unstable in all [their] ways” (James 1:8). To avoid such lack of focus the psalmist prayed, “Unite my heart to fear Your name” (Ps. 86:11), and Solomon counseled, “Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left” (Prov. 4:25–27). When believers have one driving compulsion, to be like Christ, they will move toward spiritual perfection.
Dennis Johnson: It may seem counterintuitive that confidence of victory at the crack of a starting pistol would stimulate a sprinter’s most strenuous effort. Aesop’s ancient fable tells how the hare, with a swift start and a long lead, smugly lay down to nap, while the tortoise’s perseverance proved the maxim: “Slow but steady wins the race.” In other sports, when a dominant team is outscoring its opponent to the point of embarrassment, the second string is sent in to “coast” to the victory. Yet God’s sovereign initiative in salvation, far from making our response in faith and love superfluous, actually makes our perseverance both necessary and possible. Paul has already told the Philippians that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion19 at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). On the basis of that assurance, he has urged them to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” grounding that exhortation in the truth that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (2:12–13).
Gordon Fee: The future, however, belongs only to those who persevere (to use the language of theology). Paul thus immediately sets them right regarding the future that is “not yet”: “but I press on,” he says. In this first case the object of his present “pursuit” is expressed with a set of clauses that play on a compound of the verb “take” in the first disclaimer: “whether I also may take hold of that for which I was also taken hold of by Christ Jesus.” If that comes out a bit awkwardly, both in Greek and English, it is because Paul is simultaneously playing on the word “take hold of” while “putting it straight” theologically. His meaning is plain enough, since it is clarified by the elaboration in vv. 13–14. Precisely because he has not yet arrived at the goal specified in vv. 10–11, he is “pursuing” it with all his might, which in this first instance is expressed in terms of “taking hold of” the very thing for which Christ first “took hold of” him. While Paul is indeed pursuing the eschatological goal with all his might, that is only because Christ was there first, pursuing him as it were, and “apprehending” him so as to make Paul one of his own. Paul’s point, as always, is that Christ’s work is the prior one, and that all his own effort is simply in response to, and for the sake of, that prior “apprehension” of him by “Christ Jesus my Lord.”