Life is often described as a series of "mountain top" experiences.
When you think about it, that makes sense and is an appropriate visual of life.
We travel up and down the mountains (perhaps mountain range is better) of our lives. Sometimes the paths are well traveled; we follow where others have trod. Sometimes the paths are rocky and tricky; we have to watch ourselves along the way. Other times, there is no trail or path; we're blazing it for the first time. We expend time and energy as we struggle toward the peak. On our way up, we really don't have a good idea of what lies ahead, but we can see where we've been. As we reach the peak, there is a sense of accomplishment and relief; we have made it (at least to this peak) and we can see more of the oncoming journey. Often times we can rest on the peak.
Going up is arduous, but on our way down, the trip can be just as tough. We may be headed "down hill", but we still have to watch the path. We could slip and slide, and just because it's "easier" we may not take as much care in watching our steps.
As we progress from peak to valley to following peak, we move onward to our goal. We may remember the "mountain top" experiences, but we tend to forget the drudgery of the ups and downs of the journey. And yet we press on toward our goal. Our goal - the finish line if you will - is our focus. We don't linger or live in the past, we look to our goal.
This is where the apostle Paul is as we come to Philippians chapter 3. Paul writes:
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
"All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
"Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" Philippians 3:12 - 4:1.
This passage is sort of a continuation of the previous section. Paul continues his thoughts and actually expands on them. We begin to answer the "so what?" question. Now that we have these Divine Credentials, what do we do with them? How do we actively participate in God's Kingdom now and in the future? Paul realizes that this Christian life - using the racing metaphor - is not a sprint or dash, it is a marathon and a life long marathon at that. He knows that life is a series of mountains and valleys, verdant fields and rocky crags, deserts and babbling brooks. All of those make our journey interesting, challenging and fulfilling. And as we progress, God further develops (or even qualifies) our credentials.
In this passage we see four points that Paul - writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit - wishes to bring out: understanding who and whose we are, accepting that fact, understanding the nature of the world and people around us, and our continuing relationship with our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord.
This is not the first time that Paul uses racing or competitive imagery in his epistles. Look especially in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians (as quoted in Acts 20) and 2 Timothy. This imagery is something that all of us can relate to. We don't need to be athletic or enjoy sports. Paul - as do many of us - understands that life itself is a competition and regardless of the particular race or challenge or competition, we are to press on until we finish and participate as best as we possibly can, knowing that we are never alone in our competition. As we proceed, we'll look at some of those passages as they are appropriate.
But let's get back to this passage, Philippians 3:12 - 4:1.
The first point that I believe Paul is making as he fills out this idea of Divine Credentials, is that as we participate in God's Kingdom, it is necessary to remember and understand who and whose we are. Paul knows that he's in a race. More importantly, he knows beyond shadow of doubt that he is not a "perfect" runner. He hasn't yet attained the prize of God's Glory and being in His Heavenly Presence, but he knows that he'll get there in God's timing. God is in complete control of the race that Paul is running; and it is God's race, not Paul's. When we understand that distinction, the race is, I believe, a bit easier. He (as well as you and I) are racing under rules that are completely fair and honest. The time keeping is just. There will be no "photo finish". No one is given a head start or special rules to work with. No one is helped (per se) and likewise, no one is hindered.
Notice what Paul writes: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." That's right, JESUS took hold of Paul. Paul was the one chasing down and arresting Christians. Paul wanted nothing to do with Jesus. But Jesus - God - wanted everything to do with Paul.
Think about that fact in your own life. Were you really seeking after God and all of His ways? Some of us were like Jonah who although he revered God, wanted nothing to do with the great mission he had been assigned. Some of us were on the broad way to hell with all of its glitz and flashing lights and wild living. Others of us were content in our "religion" or religiosity. It was indeed God who came and took hold of us as individuals. God was the one who did the saving. We had nothing to do with our salvation except to believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and accept His death as payment for our sins and His resurrection as a guarantee of eternal life. God did and provided everything else, including leading us to Himself.
When God takes hold of us, I am, you are, we are His. Nothing can snatch us way from His firm and loving grip. It is amazing the lengths that God will go to keep us in His will. We were and are called according to His purposes, not ours. God has a plan in mind for each one of His children. The individual plans He has for each of us are not identical in scope or tactics, but the goal is the same: to bring to fruition the Kingdom of God.
And yet, we are not yet complete, which brings us to Paul's second point: accepting that fact. The fact of the matter is we are Christ's; we belong to Him. We are His ambassadors. We are to take on our new roles with our new credentials with gusto. God is proud of us and we need to be proud of Him.
So what does Paul remind us to do? We are to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. We need to forget what is behind because that is the "old self" or the "old nature". If you are struggling with your indentity in Christ, remember these verses: "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:16-18.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become new creations. We're not "like" something new; we ARE new! Accept that fact.
Our individual thoughts and attitudes about God and Who He is ultimately the most important thought we can have on any given day. The great 20th century theologian A. W. Tozer wrote in his book "The Knowledge of the Holy": "What comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you...".
That, brothers and sisters in Christ, is a paradigm shift of being in this world but not of it. Our goal is Heaven and to hear the words "well done, good and faithful servant".
The past is exactly that: the past. It is behind us. It may occassionally nag us due to the consequences that we may have to suffer, but it is still the past. The devil knows that fact all too well and seeks to trap each and every one of God's annointed for the purpose of tripping us up or taking us out of God's race. But we are to stay in the race. We - each and every man or woman who has ever trusted Jesus as their personal Savior - will finish the race and achieve our Heavenly reward. We are to live up to "what we have already attained" - verse sixteen. And that's a fact.
Third, the world is what it is. The world is natural. It is and has been corrupted and sinful. We may (in fact do), live in it, but it's still the world. God does love the world and gave Jesus for its salvation, but the world is still the world. And the people in the world, unless they are persuing God, are in AND of the world.
Let's take a look at another of Paul's racing analogies found in 1 Corinthians: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24-25.
One of the great things about the Christian life is that we're all winners. We all get prizes. We all get gold crowns. But we are still called to "run" a race. We are to run in such a way that our goal is First Place. We cant' dog this race. We race with believers as well as unbelievers; and as Christians we're running a different kind of race. The believer's race has God as its goal. The unbeliever's race has themselves as the goal, which in a way almost means that they are chasing their own tail. But look at the distinction Paul makes between the believer and the unbeliever:
"...many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control,..." verses 18 - 21.
That's a lesson unto itself! The unbeliever is an enemy. At one time we were enemies too; but no longer. Look at the course they are racing on: the stomach or physical needs and desires, personal pride and glory, earthly issues. All of these ultimately lead to or are brought to completion to their destiny which is destruction and eternal separation from God in hell. I would further note that the unbeliever is not "eagerly" awaiting a Savior - well, maybe one that saves them from temporal trials - and especially not one that demands control over every thing and every part of every persons life. The unbeliever doesn't want any of that. Their demanding, self centered nature is their focus of achievement.
We believers should want all of what God offers. Our destination is Heaven. Our god is God. We desire that God has all glory and honor and power. Our mind is (better be) on God, heavenly things and His Word. We already have a heavenly citizenship (our credentials). Christians wait expectantly for our Savior, because we know that when He does return, He will make everything new, the way He intended it to be in the first place, with brand new bodies to boot! It can't get any better than that.
So finally what are we to do? We are to run a fine race along with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul writes that we are to "stand firm" in this race. Sounds a little crazy doesn't it? Standing firm while running... But that's how God operates.
How do we stand firm along with other believers? We hold each other up in prayer. We come alongside one another as friends in ministry (like Timothy and Epaphroditus). We are not to run our race as if "in vain," Galatians 2:2.
Furthermore, we are to help make sure that the world isn't cutting in on us. Galatians 5:7 says and asks: "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" The world will always throw whatever it takes to distract us from our goal and our prize. We are to run, as it were with blinders on so as to eliminate or at least minimize the distractions of this life. And sometimes we need to help each other adjust those blinders so that our focus is on Christ alone.
That's hard, but it must be done. In many ways, we are our brothers and sisters keepers. That's what Christian love is all about, isn't it? Out of love we keep one another from falling and we cheer as the race progresses. I couldn't do life without any of you praying for me and coming alongside me. Each of us are the physical hands and feet and ears and eyes and kind and loving words of a Great and Holy God. We run alone, yet as a group or family. We are participants and spectators at the same time.
Let's wrap this lesson up with one of my favorite passages. This passage was read at my dad's funeral. Like Paul, he had run a good race. The road had come to an end. Paul writes to his son in the faith and friend in ministry Timothy his "victory speech"; they are words of encouragement:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Paul may have written those words while he was in a lonely, rat infested dungeon shortly before his death by beheading, but there is a sense of overwhelming victory in those words. Paul was not defeated. The message of the Gospel was not defeated. No, there were none of those negatives; there were only positives: there was victory and a crown.
The race was long and at times arduous. Sometimes we thought we would never arrive. But with perseverance and God's loving and guiding hand, we'll make it. We'll cross the finish line.
And not only is there victory and a crown, but God Himself is there applauding Paul - and us too when the time comes. Paul would hear the words from Jesus say,"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful ... Come and share your master’s happiness!"
Heaven is where we belong. That's what we were made for. Let's run our race or climb those mountains and get there. We're almost there. Press on!
Click here to return to the study of Philippians.
Music video: Building 429, "Where I Belong"
