I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-21
Although Paul did not know, when he wrote Philippians, whether his path to his resurrection body would go through death as a martyr, by natural death or, by his being translated at the return of Christ, he was willing to persevere through any of these means. He knew that his participation in the glorification of God’s people was certain. He had abandoned all of his own efforts at securing a righteous status before the Lord and had cast himself entirely upon Jesus, the only One in whom sinners can be reckoned righteous and acceptable to God. Now, some misinterpret this doctrine of justification by faith alone and the certainty it gives Christians about the resurrection of the just as giving permission to, “let go and let God,” an heretical attitude of perseverance in faith. Paul explains, in Romans 8:38-39, that all those who have faith persevere to the end, for nothing can separate God’s elect from His love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Still, only those who persevere to the end have true faith, for, in Philippians 2:12-13, we must “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” even as our work results from God’s own work in us. So, in our verses today, Paul is repeating his teaching on our role in perseverance that he introduced earlier. Knowing that he had not yet reached the consummation of his redemption in his glorification, Paul told the Philippians that he was pressing on in service to Christ until that final day. Paul was certain that God would not fail to complete the good work of salvation begun in him. This certainty encouraged Paul to seek to know Jesus in every way possible. The security of being declared righteous in the Savior moved him to diligently attend to the Holy Spirit’s work, through sacred Scripture, to convict him of sin, bring him to repentance, and warn him to stay active as a runner in the race of faith. All those who rightly understand what it means to be declared righteous in Christ heed the Holy Spirit’s work in these ways. John Chrysostom, a noted ancient church preacher, says that the pursuer of Christ “sees nothing, he thrusts away all who impede him with great force, he cherishes his mind, his eye, his strength, his soul and his body, looking at nothing other than the crown.” We should embrace our pursuit of Christ the same way, that we might stay faithful until the end of our lives.
Source: S C Ball February 18, 2024
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