“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded.” Philippians 3:13-15
All Christians have the goal to be with God at the end of this earthly life. We know, that the things of this earth will all be left behind. The ancient Egyptians buried the wealth of their rulers with their mummified bodies; sometimes in grand tombs so that they, at least in their minds, could continue to live as they did here on earth. They had reached their goals, and had every desire to take all the trappings of this life with them in death. Much of this wealth attracted grave robbers and ultimately the riches came to rest in the museums of the world. Being in this world, it will ultimately be destroyed with the earth itself.
The very first word of this text assures us that Paul is writing for the benefit of his brothers and sisters in the Lord. He addresses them as “brethren.” Then, he makes it clear that they, and we, need a goal in life, but that we will not actually reach it in this life. The important thing is to leave the bygones behind; and to live in the present but for the future. Our goal is ahead, but our means of reaching it are in the present. What we do today, determines where we will spend eternally.
As we grow older, and we all do, we are tempted to live in the past and to think on past accomplishments, or digressions. Whether good or bad, we cannot change what is past. We can repent of it, asking the Lord to forgive us, and forge ahead determining never to repeat those failures again, being confident that He is just to forgive us, and has written them off in our record, just as I have done that very thing with the misspelled words of this document. I consulted “spell check,” corrected the errors, and the computer removed them forever. I can go on with a clean record, but I still misspelled the words in the first place and I must be more cautious in the future when I use them again. I know that. It does not change my goals, but it should make me a better typist now.
Paul urges us to “press on toward the mark.” South Africa is famous for its annual marathon, and runners from all over the world go there to compete; others, are contented to stand by the side of the route and watch, or to sit at home and watch the festivities on their television sets. Only those who actually cross the line at the end of the race will receive the bronze, the silver, or the gold metals, and the applause of the crowds gathered there. We too run before a great crowd of witnesses. Christians have entered the race. Some will drop out, because, perhaps, they kept looking back, and not forward. The non-contestant, can nevert win the reward, but even the contestant may drop out, and thousands do every year. The non-contestant needs to know that “all have sinned and fallen short” and that only those who have repented and obeyed the Lord are even qualified to achieve the goal. Even those must make every effort to run well, for there are levels of awards. Christians are saved by the grace of the Lord, but those who “barely reach the goal” will not receive the same award as those who steadfastly remained serving to the very end. “Grace” is defined as “unmerited good favor”. No one can deserve to be saved by his good works, but God is gracious to extend his grace toward all who make every effort and who reach the conclusion of life faithfully serving him.
You will never reach perfection in this life, but God in his love will, nevertheless welcome his children to the home he has prepared for them. Personally, I like the description of that home as being a “mansion” in the King James Version Bible, but any home the Lord has prepared will be a mansion compared to the very best this world can offer. He is offering a place in his own home. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” That is a goal we all want to reach. How can we look back, with such a goal as that ahead. Our Lord has said, “Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
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