Pressing Toward The Goal

by Jeremiah Cox

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

The apostle Paul was not shortsighted. His vision reached beyond this present world to that above where he stored his heavenly treasures. Yet, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (I Corinthians 15:50). Paul wished to “attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:11). While all men will be raised in the end (cf. John 5:28-29), those who long for the “resurrection of life” must live in such a way to attain it. So, Paul pressed on.

The Christian should always view life through a spiritual lens. He should “not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:18). This should already be our daily focus. We, like Paul, should “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

The Holy Spirit calls it “a living hope” (I Peter 1:3) for a reason. It is a motivating power. “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:24-25). The one who truly hopes for the promises of God is not idle. Hope is meant to activate the Christian toward spiritual living. “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

Truly, Paul pressed toward the goal. He gave up all he counted as gain to “know [Christ] and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). The knowledge of Christ’s victory over death is transforming. As Paul grew in knowledge of the power of Christ’s resurrection, he did so in “the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (verse 10). He explained, “always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (II Corinthians 4:10-11). Jesus requires His disciples to follow Him in His suffering, even to the point of death (cf. Mark 8:34-38). It is the necessary path to glory. Paul was devoted to Christ to the degree of suffering for His sake. As he lived faithfully for Jesus, he grew in the hope of the resurrection. Such hope of being raised to live with Jesus forever in heaven activated him to a life of faith. He pressed on through temptations, trials, and tribulations. In the weakness of his flesh, he was strengthened by the grace given him by Christ in the gospel (cf. II Corinthians 12:7-10).

Pressing on is not simply an expression of desire, but a constant action which reflects that desire. The way Paul lived was an exclamation to the world that his home was elsewhere; that what he valued could not be held in his hands, nor gazed upon with his eyes. His actions were perplexing to those who did not share in the same faith, hope, and love. Festus called him mad (cf. Acts 26:24). Paul exclaimed his victory, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day.” He then added, “and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (II Timothy 4:7-8).

When tempted, make heaven your desire. James explained, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). Temptation is not sin. It is the Adversary exploiting the weakness of our flesh, drawing us away with what we know to be transitory, and corrupt. When we are tempted we must focus on our desire to go to heaven. To deny that such a desire exists is to deceive yourself. An enemy must be identified for it to be destroyed. We must not yield to temptation. For when we become entrapped with the pull of fleshly lusts they conceive, and the end of such is spiritual death. Temptations “war against the soul” (I Peter 2:11). We must win! It is a matter of spiritual life and death. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Heaven is the goal, and such outweighs the lure of the Devil. When we sin, we show our shortsightedness. When we are tempted we must look to the goal of heaven. We will be strengthened in hope to sow to the spirit instead of the flesh, for we wish to reap everlasting life (cf. Galatians 6:7-8).

When suffering, make heaven your relief. Suffering is inevitable (cf. II Timothy 3:12). God prepares us for the inevitable. He has given us the knowledge in the gospel necessary to endure suffering. Most in the world do not understand the necessity of suffering. However, the Christian is given to know. When we search the scriptures, we begin to recognize that suffering is not only inevitable, but necessary. Its source may be Satan, used as a weapon of destruction – as is seen in the story of Job – but our omnipotent God can use it as a tool for growth. When Paul was given his “thorn in the flesh,” the Lord refused to remove it at his request. He answered Paul saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). We need God! In times of suffering, we need Him the most. Suffering is necessary to impress us with our dependence upon God! The only lasting and worthwhile relief is offered by God. Paul wrote, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). He writes of Christians as the creation of God whom He has subjected to futility. But He “subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (verses 20-21; cf. I John 3:1-3). When we turn to God in suffering, and look to His promise of glory, we are strengthened to “eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (verse 25).

When sorrowful, make heaven your joy. Like suffering, times of sorrow are inevitable. Sorrowing is not wrong, but we must not let ourselves be consumed by sorrow. Concerning the man that the Corinthians withdrew from, with the knowledge of his penitence Paul wrote, “you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow … lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:7, 11). The faithful Christian can always avoid being led away with too much sorrow by thinking of his future with God. This must always be our focus. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Thus, Christ gives us guidelines we must follow even in our times of want, and sorrow. We may sorrow, but we must not “sorrow as others who have no hope” (I Thessalonians 4:13).

When weary, make heaven your reward. “We are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). As we work to fulfill our purpose in Christ Jesus we must not grow weary. Weariness comes from impatience, and lost perspective. In a society which seeks instantaneous gratification, we must not lose sight of the goal. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:7-9). Our reward is certain, and well worth our every effort to patiently wait.