But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Philippians 3:7
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
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Philippians 3:20-21
Last time, we examined the first part of Christian Commitment by asking, “What aspects enabled the apostle Paul to stay committed to his ministry mission given by Jesus Christ?” I said there were at least two answers found in Philippians 3. The first was: In joy and with patience, teach God’s Word because it safeguards all open to receiving gospel truth. In this article, we’ll examine the second answer: Let past victories in Christ be mere reminders while pursuing present faithfulness and looking ahead to Christ’s return.
Three points emerge from the passages above that explain the second answer:
- The past serves to remind, not determine.
- The present provides countless opportunities to press on.
- The future promises are appropriated to present circumstances.
When I was growing up, I loved to play football. I started in third grade on a little league team called the Redcats. We were pretty good. We also had some devoted coaches that believed in us, little rugrats. At one point, I was playing both offense and defense.
I still remember one game against the Klein Broncos. Somehow, we found ourselves on our own one-yard line. Backed into our endzone, I can still see Jared Baynum handing off the football to me right up the middle. You could have driven a truck through the hole created by our O-Line. I hit it with all the gusto and burst my legs could muster. Before I realized it, no one was around me, and I was running wide open toward the Bronco’s endzone. Boom. I crossed the goal line, causing us to advance our score and ultimately win that game.
As wonderful as that season was, other seasons weren’t as fruitful. In fact, in junior high, not only did many catch up and surpass my speed and strength, but I also found myself on a losing team and moved to cornerback, chasing receivers down the field. Just like I remember the 99-yard touchdown run, I also remember getting burned by a receiver and watching him make a catch past me for a significant gain.
While a football career pales compared to the Christian life, it nevertheless holds principles that transfer regarding Christian Commitment.
What do I mean?
First point… My football journey had highs and lows, which did not define or determine my future outcome. Similarly, the Christian life has highs and lows…ups and downs…triumphs and tragedies…sin and confession. In each case, we must remind ourselves that our past, though significant, does not determine our future. The Christian is not a fatalist but a realist who recognizes God’s work of redemption in and through all circumstances.
Take the apostle Paul in Philippians 3:7. He could have used his past to condemn and elevate himself depending on his situation. However, his past was counted as a loss to gain Christ. Indeed, though he understood his actions and the challenges they might have presented, he did not dwell on them so as to alter his present faithfulness. This leads to our second point.
Second point… Isn’t it easy to squander the present moment, dwelling on the past, or anticipating the future? You know what I’m saying? It goes like this… “I just can’t stop ‘thinking’ about this or that,” leading to distracting faithfulness in the present.
The apostle Paul reframes that mentality as he, in effect, says that he has not already obtained it or has already become perfect. In other words, his relationship with Christ was a work in process while he lived. He never assumed he would reach a state of so-called Christian perfection.
Thus, he ever remained hungry to grow in his knowledge of Christ. He pressed on! This leads to our final point.
Third point… The future promises to the Christian are not only admittance into God’s heavenly citizenship but also the transformation of our bodies into conformity with the body of Christ. This has at least two implications.
First, if we are citizens of a heavenly country, we are pilgrims, sojourners, and aliens in our current country. This perspective appropriates all my physical possessions, relationships, and spheres of influence. On the one hand, I hold them loosely, yet on the other hand, I seek to invest in them wisely.
Second, that our bodies will be transformed in the future offers us comfort that not only will our pain subside, but all will be made new. I don’t know about you, but I experience the effects of age. I’m just reaching the middle-age season, according to typical lifespans, and I’ve already had two surgeries that still impact me to this day. A transformed body sounds good from a material standpoint. However, it’s more than that. Indeed, transformed bodies mean that we’re made fit to exist eternally with our Creator. It’s the culmination and reversing of the Genesis 3 curse of sin that we’re looking forward to as Christians. Our resurrected body will be rejoined with our spirit, and we will be in perfect fellowship with God forever.
Thus, Christian Commitment, from the perspective of Philippians 3, has at least two answers:
- In joy and with patience, teach God’s Word because it safeguards all open to receiving gospel truth.
- Let past victories in Christ be mere reminders while pursuing present faithfulness and looking ahead to Christ’s return.
God help us, Amen.
— October 24, 2024