Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV]
Paul teaches with such authority that it is easy to think that he has "arrived" spiritually. I take a great deal of comfort in his confession that he is not perfect. It helps me to know that I am not alone in my imperfection. More practically, his discussion of it gives me direction for handling my own shortcomings.
Paul says to forget what is behind, reach forward (picture stretching your hand forward as far as it will go) for what is ahead, and race, running as fast as you can, toward the goal to collect the prize.
And what is the prize? The high call of God - literally the call from above - in Christ.
Most of us are familiar with Jesus' teaching of grace and forgiveness;
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." [Luke 6:37 NKJV]
As a normal part of Christian growth, most Christians learn to forgive others. But we have a harder time forgiving ourselves. We are our own worst critics.
But it is essential to understand that God has forgiven you. You must let go of the failures of the past. When running a race, it is necessary to keep your eyes forward, on the goal. The runner who looks behind will slow down and lose the race.
Will you make a mistake? Count on it! But if you keep looking back at your mistakes, you will not be able to reach forward toward the goal. If you focus on your mistakes, they will drag you down, and make you feel unworthy.
What should you do about the mistakes? Forget them. God has forgiven them. Press forward so that you can collect the prize.
It works like this: God calls you. You respond obediently. You receive the prize, which is a higher call. When you obey that call, you receive the prize of a higher call.
An athlete who is hoping to enter the Olympics trains for a race. He wins the local race, and is rewarded by being entered into a regional race. His victory is then rewarded by being entered into a statewide race, then a national race, then an international race. He is then rewarded by having the privilege of entering the Olympic trials, and ultimately, the Olympics.
Our ultimate prize isn't a crown of gold, but that we may be more useful for Christ. In the parable of the talents, Jesus said;
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey....After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [Matthew 25:14-21 NKJV]
The principle is; if we are faithful in small things, he will reward us with greater responsibilities.
In context, Paul is talking about living a life of faith, apart from the Law. Every attempt to live by a set of rules, or a moral code, is of the flesh and is doomed to fail. Every advantage our flesh, or our own will, gives us is considered rubbish. The only valid life is the one in which we are led by the Spirit of God. He defines our righteousness; not the Ten Commandments, not the church bylaws, and not your own set of rules that say "do this" or "don't do that".
Trusting the Holy Spirit for every moral decision is scary, and takes faith. You will make mistakes, but His grace will be waiting. The reward is the upward call of God in Christ.
Father, I thank You for Your calling. I thank You that, by Your grace, You have forgiven all of my missteps and mistakes. I pray for strength to continue the race, that I may win the prize.
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