An Overview of Philippians 3
It is my desire that all of us believers might be identified with the message that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to and through the apostle Paul, and how it controlled his thinking and living, I begin this by quoting from my literal and conservative translation of Philippians.
vv.12-14 "Not that I have already obtained or already have been made perfect, but I pursue, if also I may lay hold upon that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not count myself to have laid hold, but one thing, on the one hand forgetting the things behind, and on the other hand reaching out unto the things before, I pursue the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
The apostle Paul never claimed that he had reached the spiritual status unto which end the Lord had laid hold of him. On the one hand, Paul and all those who believe that Jesus Christ died for their sin, are counted sinless and righteous in Christ Jesus for good works, which God previously prepared, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
In the context surrounding the preceding verses, we need to identify with Paul in that which is all-important: the pursuing of "the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord" (Phil. 3:8). We need with Paul to be found having "the righteousness that is through the faithfulness of Christ" (Phil 3:9). We need to also be reaching out "unto the end to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" (Phil. 3:10).
In the third paragraph above, I have explained how God changes a sinner into one fit to serve Him. Also, in the light of what is said in this portion of Philippians, I indicated that salvation by grace should result in our living according to the good works prepared by God. The Pauline Epistles certainly make it dear, while the Apostle was focusing on the future, he was preparing for the reward which would accrue to his account (2 Cor. 5:9-10; 1 Thess.1 :9-10).
After bathing my mind in Philippians 3:5-21, I have concluded that the apostle Paul is sharing with us an overview of his spiritual pilgrimage, beginning with his deliverance from the Law, and ending with the acquisition of a body of the same form as Jesus Christ's glorious body (Phil. 3:21).
I want you to observe an important aspect of Paul's spiritual pilgrimage with which we all can identify. He says, "but one thing," then proceeds to mention the focus of his ministry, what he concentrated on. He says that, on the one hand, he was "forgetting the things behind." The Greek word translated forgetting is a present participial and means that Paul continually forgot and obliterated his past blasphemous conduct from his mind, for he had received mercy and forgiveness because he did it when he was an ignorant unbeliever (1 Tim. 1:13). We should identify with Paul in not doting on things we did in ignorant unbelief.
It is interesting that the Apostle links together the negative forgetting and the positive reaching out as one thing. Negative doting on the unalterable past has the potential to have a deleterious effect on our minds. Apparently, the apostle Paul is looking at it as that which stymies spiritual growth, maturity, and progress.
Summarizing we all need to be more closely identified with Paul in his intimate relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. He wanted to know experientially the power involved in His resurrection; he wanted, in a deeper sense, to feel His sufferings leading to the Cross; also, he wanted to be progressively molded and conformed to the death of Christ.
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