Philippians 3:12-17

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, 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. (3:12-14) In stating that he had not yet obtained all this or arrived at his goal, Paul refers to his deep desire to go further in his faith and in his experience and identity with Christ: I want to know Christ and the power of the resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings (10) The Christian life is a great mystery (Colossians1:27) we are given the righteousness of Christ at our initial point of faith based on Christs death for us on the cross (justification), yet we become the righteousness of God (II Cor 5:21) as we walk with Him in faith (sanctification) Paul knew Christ when Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-19), yet he longed to grow and learn how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Ep 3:18) Pauls goal was Christs goal to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (12) In striving for the goal, Paul forgets the past which represented tremendous success as a Jew This verse is often quoted to forget past failures, but Paul refers to past accomplishments But these Jewish accomplishments (5-8) were actually failures in attaining Gods righteousness, so this truth of forgetting what is behind refers to success (Paul) or failure (thief on the cross) Like a skilled sprinter who never looks back, Paul forgets the past and strains toward the goal Paul often used athletic imagery to describe the Christian life (I Cor 9:24, I Tim 6:12, II Tim 4:7 Greek contests offered a prize of a wreath of leaves, but Paul pressed on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (12) and to win the prize for which God has called me (14 All of us, then, 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 together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. (3:15-17) Paul uses the word mature to describe wise and spiritually knowledgeable believers , as opposed to infants who are still on milk and not yet solid food (I Cor 3:1-2, Hebrews 5:13-15) Rather than inviting argument or debate , Paul trusts God with their differences of opinion There is strength in stating the truth then trusting the Holy Spirit (the Teacher) to change hearts Often our insecurity pushes us to pound a point until we gain agreement or a sort of surrender Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans to allow God to bring brothers to maturity: to his own Master he stands or falls, and he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand (14:4) Earlier in this letter, Paul expressed confidence in the Holy Spirits ability to bring them to maturity when he wrote: He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion (1:6) We are responsible to live up to what we have already attained (16) by living in obedience to the revealed truth of Gods Word Paul encourages them with a clear conscience to follow his example and model his behavior