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Philippians 3:13, 14 - JESUS - The Clear Objective!Philippians 3:13, 14 (NLT) No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.Philippians 3:13, 14 (CWR) I certainly don't consider myself as having reached perfection. However, this one thing I do: I forget the things of the past and press toward the goal to win the heavenly prize God is calling me to receive through Jesus Christ. INTRODUCTION Paul said that his goal was to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ intended for him. This goal absorbed all of Paul's energy. This is a helpful example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal - knowing Christ. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from living like Christ. What is holding you back? Paul had reason to forget the past - he had held the coats of those who had stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:57-58; note that Paul is called Saul here). We have all done things for which we are ashamed, and we live in the tension of what we have been and what we hope to become. Because our hope is in Christ, however, we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us become. Don't dwell on your past. Instead, grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on your relationship with him now. Realize that you are forgiven, and then move on to a life of faith and obedience. Look forward to the prize of heaven later and a fuller and more meaningful life now because of your hope in Christ. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARL Forget What's Behind An Amazing Fact: There are many types of amnesia. One of the more unusual types is prosopamnesia, which causes an inability to remember faces. Lacunar amnesia involves loss of memory about a specific event. Dissociative amnesia can be caused by repressed memories following psychological trauma. The most popular type portrayed in Hollywood is retrograde amnesia, in which a person loses past memories due to a traumatic injury. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul advised "forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Philippians 3:13). What did he mean by forgetting those things that are behind? Paul obviously didn't mean that we should forget everything in our past history. After all, remembering the way God has led us helps us spiritually. But there are things in our pasts that could hinder us spiritually. Dwelling on our past sins, endlessly mulling over our mistakes, and contemplating our failures can be self-destructive. After we have confessed our sins to God and accept His forgiveness, it should be a closed subject. Sometimes, though, we reprocess those sins; sometimes the enemy throws them in our faces. Either way, it can be very discouraging. "Leave them in the past;" is Paul's wise advice. Instead of rehashing our failures, we should reach forward to the things that are ahead, pressing toward the spiritual victory that God will give us. [Moving Mountains by Amazing Facts] COMMENTARY Only One Race to Run When we're running the race of life, our competition is not with each other. The goal is not to outrun someone else. The goal is to outrun the wicked influences that could bring us down. So, what race should we run? The race that is set before us. We are not to concern ourselves with who is behind or ahead of us. We are to run the race that is set before us. The apostle Paul, who had walked with the Lord for years, made this statement: "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection ... No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT). God has called each of us to run our own race. An incident from the life of Peter illustrates this truth. After Peter had been restored following his denial of the Lord, Jesus said, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:17 NLT). Then Jesus went on to tell Peter how his life would end. As they were talking, Peter noticed someone was behind them: the apostle John. So, Peter said, "What about him, Lord?" (verse 21 NLT). In other words, "Lord, You told me to follow You and that I am going to die for the faith. And I am willing to do that. But what about John?" Jesus told him, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me" (verse 22 NLT). Jesus was saying, "Peter, it's none of your business. You just do what I've told you to do." Like Peter, we might be tempted to say, "What about so-and-so? Why have I had this setback in my life and they haven't? Why has this tragedy befallen me, and it has not come to them?" That is not your concern. You are to deal with what God has allowed in your life. You are to run your race and keep your eyes on Jesus. Seeing Jesus gave the young martyr Stephen the ability to run his race and finish it. And seeing Jesus gave Simon Peter the ability to step out of the boat and walk on the water. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus "lives forever to intercede with God on [our] behalf" (Hebrews 7:25 NLT). Circumstances will disappoint and, at times, devastate us. People will let us down and fall short of our expectations. Feelings will come and go. But Jesus always will be there with outstretched arms, saying, "Come on, you can do this. You can live this life. You can finish this race. I am here with you. Let's do it." Are you running the race of life as well as you ought to? Or, are you just offering a half effort? [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] CLOSING THOUGHT The Scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctification is progressive. When in conversion the sinner finds peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the Christian life has but just begun. Now he is to "go on unto perfection;" to grow up "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Says the apostle Paul: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13, 14. And Peter sets before us the steps by which Bible sanctification is to be attained: "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity ... If ye do these things, ye shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:5-10. GC 470 LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Philippians 3:13, 14 - JESUS - The Clear Objective! https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240120-0801.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230824-1046.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220504-0906.html Philippians 3:13, 14 - Is It a Wing or a Weight? http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220503-0915.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |