But I Press On

Philippians 3:10-16 ESV

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

The predominant gospel message which is permeating the American church today is not the one taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles. For the one most taught today teaches that we can make a once-in-our-lifetime decision to “believe” in Jesus (a faith not usually biblically defined), and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, and it can’t be taken away from us, end of story, or regardless of how we live our lives from that moment forward.

Well, Paul’s teaching here alone “blows that out of the water,” i.e. it destroys that notion completely. For Paul made it clear all throughout his writings that we have to die with Christ to sin and live to his righteousness in obedient walks of faith or we don’t have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, then we will not inherit eternal life with God. For our salvation is progressive, and we must walk in it, not just profess it.

So, pay close attention to Paul’s words here and his words in other passages of Scripture, too, in their full context. For by God-given faith in Jesus Christ Paul was endeavoring, in the power of God, to know Christ and the power of his resurrection in his life, and to share in his sufferings, and to be becoming like Jesus in his death, in dying to sin and in living to God and to his righteousness, so that he may attain the resurrection from the dead. And this is not works salvation. This is living out the salvation God provided.

And then he went on to explain that he hadn’t already obtained this nor was he already perfect (complete in Christ), but that he pressed on to make this his own, because Christ Jesus had made him his own. So, again, this is speaking of progressive salvation. We are not yet perfect (complete) in Christ, and our salvation from sin will not be complete until Jesus Christ returns and he takes his bride, his faithful ones, to be with him forever. And so we must walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

So, what did Paul do? He made it his practice to put his past behind him and to strain forward to what lies ahead. He died daily to sin and to self and he walked in obedience to the Lord in godly and holy living, by the grace of God, by God-given faith in Christ, and in the power of God, and not of his own flesh. And he pressed on toward the goal for the prize up the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, not in human effort, but in the strength of the Lord and under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.

But, again, this wasn’t Paul trying to earn his salvation. He was walking in the salvation which God already provided, but which God also set as the criteria for us to receive that salvation that we walk (in conduct, in practice) no longer according to the flesh, but now according to the Spirit, in the power of God, in obedience to his commands (New Covenant). For Jesus said that not everyone saying to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father (Matt 7:21-23).

And Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him, in practice. For, if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we die with him to sin and we now live to him and to his righteousness, in his power and strength, then we have eternal life with God. For if we are ashamed of Jesus and his words in this life, then when he returns he will be ashamed of us (see Luke 9:23-26).

And the apostles taught what Jesus taught, and they, too, taught that if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness, holiness, and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, that we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips professed. So we need to all think this way, and if you think otherwise, then please read the Scriptures in their full context and let the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. And for those who are following the Lord in obedience, keep on walking the walk, and follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads you in doing whatever he has called you to do.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Video Talk

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The Lord’s Anointed  

An Original Work / December 16, 2011

Based off Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Sov’reign Lord on me;

Anointed to preach the Good News;

Sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;

Proclaim freedom for the captives.

He sent me to preach release for pris’ners

Who are walking in sin’s darkness;

Proclaim God’s grace to all men who’ll listen;

And tell them about God’s judgments;

Comfort all who mourn;

Give crowns of beauty;

Oil of gladness and thanksgiving. 

They will be called oaks of God’s righteousness,

A planting of our Savior, God,

For the display of our Lord’s splendor, and

They will rebuild God’s holy church.

God will renew them, and will restore them,

And you’ll be called priests of the Lord.

You will be ministers of our God, and

You will rejoice in salvation.

The Lord loves justice;

He is faithful to 

Reward those who are seeking Him.

I delight greatly in the Lord;

My soul rejoices in my Savior, God.

He has clothed me with His salvation,

And in a robe of His righteousness.

He has given me priestly garments to wear, 

As the bride of Jesus Christ.

As the garden of our Lord and Savior, 

He causes us to grow in Him.

He makes righteousness, 

Praise, and thanksgiving

Spring up before all the nations. 

https://vimeo.com/114836524

For additional context, please read: https://runwithit.blog/2023/07/28/quoting-who-i-am-in-christ/