June 4, 2006
"The Mark of a Christian"
God's Not Finished With You Yet—Part 7
Philippians 3:12-16
He who thinks himself nothing is something.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 3:12
- Faithfully press on
- Forget the past
- Focus on the goal
- Fortify my attitude
FAITHFULLY PRESS ON
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."
—G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World
The Christian life is a journey, a process of growth, in that we are constantly laying hold of everything given to us in Christ.
Circumstances don't matter.
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
—Philippians 4:11-13
Perseverance through all circumstances, regardless of how we feel, is what sustains us.
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
—Luke 8:15
"So, under God, conquest has made you what you are, and conquest must sustain you."
—Charles Spurgeon
FORGET THE PAST
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 3:13-14
Your cannot go back and dwell there. Going back should not affect your present.
No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
—Luke 9:62
That's how many Christians live today—they have received many gifts, and yet they don't use them.
FOCUS ON THE GOAL
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 3:14
We pursue that very thing for which He saved us—a complete oneness with Him.
But seek first His kingdom...
—Matthew 6:33
"God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him."
—Oswald Chambers
Every Christian receives the prize.
FORTIFY MY ATTITUDE
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
—Philippians 3:15-16
The essential discipline of Christian growth is the newness of attitude that says "Yes" to Him in every area of our lives every day.
"Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that he is 'finding his place in it,' while really it is finding its place in him."
—C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
We are all gifted to run this "race" of Christianity.
LIFEWORK
He who never begins will never finish.
Your race can begin (again perhaps) today. It is a new day in which you can persevere in your pursuit of Christ. You can begin by forgetting your past and never letting old guilt or pride slow you down. You can run with strength and endurance because He has gifted you to not only run, but finish and finish well. And as you run, you will be made more complete, and more and more like Jesus. He has made you for this very purpose. Run today and feel His pleasure.
The Mark of a Christian
Personal and Small Group Study
Getting Started
- In your dreams of the ideal life, are you more like the pioneer (always pushing on) or the settler (settling down)?
- What are the circumstances that cause you to slow down and give up? What are the circumstances that motivate you to get up and get moving?
Digging Deeper: Read Philippians 3:12-16
- Using the imagery of a track race, where does Paul picture himself in his spiritual life? What prize is he after? How is he going to reach it?
- From what Paul says in this passage (particularly the second half), what do you think is going on in this Christian community?
- In contrast, what should characterize the "citizens of heaven"? What does "perfect" look like to you (the really "mature" Christian)?
Applying It To My Life
- In looking at your past are you more likely to feel a twinge of guilt or pride or nothing at all? Why? Does it have anything to do with how long you've been a Christian?
- If you had to compare your life in Christ right now to a track race, where would you be: Sitting on the sidelines? Warming up? At the starting blocks? Giving it your all?
- What are you passionate about? Are you more likely to strive for excellence in your secular life or your spiritual life?
- How would you finish the sentence in verse 13: "But one thing I do..."