Philippians 3: 12-16
(12) Not that I have already obtained it (the resurrection, see yesterday's entry) or have already become perfect,
Paul is not claiming to have reached the goal of maturity, the word he used here for perfect is teleioo, which means "to finish," which he considers will be accomplished when he is resurrected.
but I press on
He will keep on keeping on.
that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Jesus laid hold of Paul when He knocked him to the ground on the road to Damascus. Now Paul is working out what Christ worked into him.
(13) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
Paul knew he still had a ways to go yet. As we all do.
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
He is single-minded and focused like a laser-beam. He doesn't let any distraction pull him away from his goal. He doesn't think about the past, he is stretching forward, to whatever God has placed in front of him, to go where He leads, and talk with the people He puts in his path. To share with as many as possible. And when he can't go, he writes. He never lets up.
(14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul is really longing for his Lord! He will stay here in the world as long as God lets him, doing everything he can, every way he can, to promote God's Kingdom, helping his brothers and sisters to grow and sharing with everyone else to draw them into God's family, also.
(15) Let us therefore, as many as are perfect,
Paul uses a different form of the word for perfect here, telios, that means "mental and moral character," which refers to their maturity in Christ.
have this attitude;
He wants them to focus on doing the Lord's work, not letting themselves be distracted by worldly things or opinions.
and if in anything you have a different attitude,
If anyone doesn't agree with Paul's mindset in this ...
God will reveal that also to you;
He trusts that God will get hold of them, if they are true Christians. We don't need to nag them.
(16) however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
He says to be careful not to slide back into any less godly thinking. Continue to make your lifestyle as closely aligned with Christ as we can, and continue to follow His leading in the paths He is leading each of us in.
O my Father, thank You for all You are and all You do and have done already for us! You have taken care of all of our needs, even those we weren't aware of, and still aren't. You know us better than we know ourselves, and You love us more than we will ever be able to imagine!
Father, continue to be with us now. So many are floundering in this sea of confusion. Show us Your Truth in the midst of all the deception rampant in the world around us. Let us help one another whenever and wherever we can, to hold You close as You hold us.
Let our love for one another show the world that Jesus really did come to be their Savior, and draw all of Your embryonic children to the spiritual birth into Your family. And no one will have any excuse.
Every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
