This section of scripture can be used as an outline for us as we move forward through the year (and our life) — whether it be at this point in the end-time, after the holy days, or even at this time in our lives.
Philippians 3:12 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.
Philippians 3:13 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,
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Philippians 3:12 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.
Not that I have already attained…
Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained [lambanō], or am already perfected[teleioō]; but I press on, that I may lay hold of [katalambanō] that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of [katalambanō] me.
laid hold of me:
Notice how fully and thorough and definitive Paul’s calling was
Acts 9:3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
Acts 9:4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
Acts 9:5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Acts 9:6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
God gave Paul a job to do, a big job! Paul recognized the magnitude of it. It did not consist of just going to the Gentiles, Paul had to change as a person as well.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
It is a fight
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things….
Romans 7:19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
Romans 7:20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
already perfect: teleioō
to complete, that is, (literally) accomplish
Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Hebrews 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
This is the way and manner that He called Paul and gave him a work to do. God is doing the same with us today:
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Ephesians 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect….
God will do His part and we need to do ours.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting (epiteleō: fulfill further) holiness in the fear of God.
I press on…
Paul knew he was not in many respects even close to where he needed to be personally – he realized that he needed to continue to move forward earnestly in his pursuit of God and His way.
Psalms 63:1 A Psalm of David When He Was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
Psalms 63:2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
Psalms 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
Psalms 63:8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
We need to press and push forward, because it will take some work
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
But, it is a worthwhile endeavor!
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
2 Corinthians 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me….
1 Timothy 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
1 Timothy 6:14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
Philippians 3:13 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 do not count myself to have apprehended…
Not that I have already attained [lambanō]… I press on, that I may lay hold of [katalambanō] that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of [katalambanō] me.
Philippians 3:13 I do not count myself to have apprehended [katalambanō] [he is nowhere close yet].
BUT that being said:
forgetting those things which are behind…
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Luke 9:61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…
Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
Ephesians 4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Ephesians 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Philippians 2:12 …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I press toward the goal for the prize…
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
1 Corinthians 9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Corinthians 9:26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
This has been Paul’s connotation all along – striving for the goal ahead, like it’s a race that we want to win. It should be our desire and what we are willing to work towards and if necessary sacrifice. We should want to win!
the upward call of God…
1 Thessalonians 2:12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Not shooting for just the [lambanō]… I press on, that I may lay hold of [katalambanō]
I don’t just want to barely do this, I want to wholeheartedly get to where I am going and where I should be.
Philippians 3:15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
as many as are mature…
Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected[teleioō];
Philippians 3:15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature [teleios],
teleios/teleioo to make perfect, complete, to carry through completely, to bring to the end (goal)
Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
1 Corinthians 2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Colossians 1:28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
James 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
have this mind: (the mind we see exemplified in Philippians 3:12-14)
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Philippians 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
Philippians 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you…
If you do not think that this is right (what Paul is saying) then God can and will help you out :)
Psalms 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
Psalms 25:9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
Proverbs 2:2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
Proverbs 2:3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
Proverbs 2:4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Proverbs 2:5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
kanōn: a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged.
let us walk:
Galatians 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Colossians 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
Colossians 2:7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
Colossians 2:10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
let us be of the same mind…
Philippians 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
Philippians 2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
Philippians 2:2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Wherever we find ourselves now, in our walk with God, let’s keep going (in the same direction and by the same standards) asking ourselves:
Conclusion: verses 12-16
What do you need to be doing? What are you supposed to be doing? What have you attained? What do you still need to apprehend? Do you understand specifically what it is that God has in store for you? Have you begun to accomplish that?
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called….
2 Timothy 4:7 …I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
…if we continue to press toward the Goal of our high calling.