Philippians 3:12-21 - Pressing into the Kingdom

Philippians 3:12-21

Pressing Toward the Goal

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. 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, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

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. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

The direction of the Christian’s life must be pressing to enter the kingdom of heaven with Christ.  We acknowledge the fact that we are not perfect yet also understand that our sanctification worked by God in us is perfecting us all the while we journey through life in Christ and in His righteousness.  We must make choices to put on holiness by putting to death the sinful works of this corrupt flesh in thoughts and actions as we learn to keep in step with His Spirit living in and guiding us to that upward call of God in Christ.  It is not a journey of simply “letting go and letting God” do everything while we just sit back and watch.  He is looking for loyal hearts of willing obedience that rely on His knowledge of good and evil taught to us (Hebrews 5:14) as we are attentive to His leading (Isaiah 30:21) toward the goal of this heaven-bound race which leads us to fall before Him in the New Jerusalem and worship our Lord God face to face (Job 19:25-27).  We run the race to obtain what He has obtained for us, eternal pardon from sin and a new life in and with Him now and forever in this kingdom in which we stand.  We are implored to keep running and not grow weary (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13) or give up because we need to keep the end in sight as we look forward and not back at either our past failures or even successes.  We reach forward as if to put ourselves over the finish line tape to win the exhausting run of life to gain the prize at the finish line.  This prize is the call of God in Christ to Himself and not an earthly treasure (Luke 12:34, Hebrews 11:26) which we run the race of life in the direction of Jesus Christ Himself to gain as our great reward in pleasing Him.  If we are mature in our faith in Christ, we will acknowledge these things and pursue this life with all our heart and mind and soul.  We cannot force others to run beside us but we can encourage them by word and example to take the baton as we run and relay these truths.  We are to be likeminded in the race and not condemning or judgmental.  Our example must be as the apostle’s here, to urge one another to run together toward our Lord into the fullness of the kin when God steps down onto earth to stay this time.  We are not to be the bad example that leads others away from this pursuit or suffer the consequences; there are many false believers who pull others away through immorality and idolatry of false promises and false teaching that focuses on self-destruction and self-glory.  These worldly agents we are to expose (Ephesians 5:11) as enemies of the cross of the gospel of Jesus Christ as we show the true value is in following Christ and emphasizing our heavenly citizenship over the transitory nature of this earthly one that fades in the winds of time into worthless dust (Matthew 6:19-20).  Do we listen and lay up treasures in heaven instead of temporal pleasures?  How can we when we know we will be resurrected into perfected bodies at the end of time that we might be like our Lord and enjoy Him forever in presence and in worship?  He is sovereign over all that is here now and all that will be, so we should live in the direction of Him and His Kingdom and not entangle ourselves (2 Timothy 2:4, 15) with the things of this life that do not last.  Our lives here must be heavenly good as we live and bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel of hope and life and truth.  May we consider all these truths and determine to press into (Luke 16:16) the kingdom by running a straight and true race with our gaze set on the goal, pressing into the Kingdom as we run the race to see our Lord face to face.  Amen!