Phil. 3: 13-14 (v.13) Brothers, I do not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before. (v.14) I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward. (v.13) Paul has experienced and gained Christ tremendously, yet he did not account himself to have experienced Christ in full or gained Him to the uttermost. He still endeavored to pursue toward the goal.....the gaining of Christ to the fullest extent. In order to gain Christ to the fullest extent, Paul not only forsook his experiences in Judaism but also would not linger in his past experiences of Christ. He forgot the past. Not to forget but to linger in our past experiences, however genuine they were, frustrates our further pursuing of Christ. Christ is unsearchably rich. There is a vast territory of His riches to be possessed; Paul was stretching out to reach the farthest extent of this territory. (v.14) Pauls goal ...the fullest enjoyment and gaining of Christ. His prize...The uttermost enjoyment of Christ in the millennial kingdom as a reward to the victorious runners of the New Testament race. To be called upward is for the obtaining of the prize to which God has called us from above, from the heavens. This heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1) corresponds with the heavenly commonwealth in v.20. It is not an earthly calling like that given to the children of Israel in the flesh. This upward calling is to take possession of Christ, whereas the earthly calling to the children of Israel was to take possession of the physical land. Blessings to you all, In the Name of Jesus.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 12:56:27 +0000
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