Pressing On To The Right Goal

Daily Bread

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From Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi we get our text,

“Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.” (Philippians 3:12 – NASB)

Paul had this burning desire to know Christ,

“. . . I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . and may be found in Him . . . that I may know Him” (Philippians 3:8-10 – NASB)

He had been a man with many fleshly credits to his account,

“If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more; circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.” (Philippians 3:4-6 – NASB)

But then, on the Damascus Road Paul met Jesus. And after that encounter his whole intent in life changed,

“But whatever things were gain to me, those thing I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 7-8 – NASB)

Paul was now one who had moved from being “a persecutor of the church” to a voice for the choice, an apostle (“sent one”) whose sole goal was now to serve Jesus the Christ, the Lord. And in that service He noted,

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:13-14 – NASB)

Are you of that mind also? Is this that for which you “press on?” Paul writes,

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17 – NASB)

My past credentials are not as lofty as Pauls’ were, but as is the case with every disciple of Christ, I have a past, one that was without Christ. It was a pretty lucrative past, one most satisfying to the flesh. But I now say with Paul, “whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ,” and “more than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” The “surpassing value of knowing Christ,” oh brethren, I am convinced this is the right goal for which to press on for, yes it is! And it involves “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead . . . and with great expectation, “following . . . the pattern,” the “example” that Christ has given us in Paul.

Pressing on to the right goal . . . . “not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold by Christ Jesus.”

Have a good day brethren . . . and keep pressing on, not for worldly rewards that only satisfy the flesh, but for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus . . . . . . pressing on for that which you were laid hold of for by Christ.

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