“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

The Bible regularly calls followers of Jesus to a humble realism—a humble recognition that we have not yet arrived. In Philippians 3:12, the Apostle Paul has the humility to say, “I’m not yet everything that I one day will be.” And this humility itself is a sign of his spiritual maturity.

I remember listening to a radio talk show several years ago (this was an allegedly Christian radio station), and being shocked to hear the host claim to have reached a state of sinlessness. I had a double take, and I remember thinking, Did I hear this guy, right?  I played the sequence back a second time and confirmed that I had indeed heard him correctly.

The guest he was talking with seemed equally puzzled. He asked, “So, you’re saying you have no sin?” “That’s right,” he replied confidently. “I have a new nature. Praise the Lord!” Then the guest said, “Well, what about 1 John 1:8?” 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The host continued to try to argue for his position, but his arguments seemed weak and unconvincing.

We need the humility to say with Paul, “I haven’t already arrived, but I’m pressing on!” The Christian life is much more akin to a marathon than a 100-meter dash. But let’s not miss something key in Paul’s statement. Paul’s confidence didn’t come from his pursuit of Christ. His confidence was rooted in the fact that “Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). Nothing compels us to pursue Christ more and more like knowing more deeply that He has already taken hold of us.

One Thing

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14, ESV)

I love the way Paul boils down for us his great motivation in living the Christian life. He says, “I’ve learned to simplify my whole life by focusing on this one thing that matters most.” This is a word we all need to hear. It’s so easy for us to get caught up in all the clutter of busyness in our lives that we forget to focus on the eternal things.

My older two boys have birthdays coming up. Recently, they each told me the “one thing” they desperately wanted for a present. They were emphatic that this one thing is all they cared about; they didn’t need any ancillary presents. This one thing (in this case, a Lego set) would most assuredly be all they needed. Undoubtedly, they understand that if they narrow down their birthday wish list to only one thing, they are more likely to get it.

Paul understood the beauty of simplifying life to one tremendous pursuit, one glorious ambition. In our digital age, we can let so many distractions pull our attention away from what matters most. The urgent overshadows the essential. Our phone is constantly buzzing, dinging, and chiming. Our watch is telling us we’re running behind. Our calendars are chock full. And after a busy day, it’s so easy to want to just plop down in front of the tube, isn’t it? Paul knew that if you want to be effective in this life for Christ, then you can’t be driven by worthless distractions which are constantly vying for our attention. Instead, we’ve got to lock on to the “one thing” that matters above all.

Selective Amnesia

Notice Paul says, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on” (vv. 13b-14a).

Paul says he’s learned to forget what lies behind him. There were many things Paul could have looked back at that could have slowed him down, or even tripped him up. He could have let the guilt and shame from his past in persecuting the church drag his feet. But he chose not to look back. I’ve heard my dad say, “If you’re always looking in the rearview mirror, you won’t be able to see where you’re going.”

Paul understood the beauty of self-forgetfulness. He wasn’t caught up with all the “what ifs” of life. He was in hot pursuit of Christ. Christ was his goal and his aim. He wanted to know Christ better. That’s the one thing that mattered most to this great man of God.

Believe it or not, God calls us to have “selective amnesia” and forget about our shame in the past so that we won’t lose our stride in the race of life. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead on the goal. Nothing matters more than crossing that finish line with eyes on Christ!

Whether it feels like it or not at this point for you, Paul wants us to understand that there is nothing in all reality that compares with knowing Christ. And yet, millions of people every day consider this idea foolishness. They hardly even think about Christ. But He is the reason we are here. Our life comes from Him, and He is the purpose for our existence (Colossians 1:16-18). It’s all about knowing Jesus.

In 1923, a race took place involving runners from Scotland and France. The best from each nation were there to compete and to win the title. Then came the famous 440-meter race. The gun fired, and all the runners took off. The runners were bunched together, shoulder to shoulder, and then came the first turn, where one runner was shoved to the ground just inside the track.

The crowd gasped and hopes were dashed, as the well-known runner hit the dirt. It looked like it was all over for this young Scotsman. But he had different plans. A moment later, he was flying down the track again. After only a few seconds, he was already catching up to the pack. The leaders continued to sprint hard. But there he was: “the Flying Scotsman!” With knees high and head back—Eric Liddell somehow managed, against all human odds, to cross the finish line first! This astonishing come-from-behind win was memorably captured in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. That race catapulted Liddell on to the international stage as a living legend.

What do you think most runners would have done after falling on the first turn? Shake their fist in anger? Maybe kick the dirt and storm off the track? Not Liddell. Perhaps he was motivated by this very passage. After all, he was a passionate follower of Christ who would later go on not only to win an Olympic medal, but also go on the mission field in China.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on” (Philippians 4:13-14).

Press On

Paul urges us here to “press on,” even when things look bleak, even when it looks like it is time to throw in the towel. Paul says, “Don’t give up and don’t look back! Press on, because the goal that awaits you is worth every ounce of your sweat!”

In Paul’s mind, success in the Christian life is not about never getting knocked down. It’s about what you do after getting knocked down—with knees skinned and mud splattered across your face.

In 1941, the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave a famous speech during a perilous time for England. He knew he needed to spur on every British citizen if they were to outlast the Nazis. As he stood before the captive audience, Churchill said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

In the same way, Paul urges every one of us—wherever we are at in life and no matter what we’re up against—press on! Press on in the strength the Holy Spirit supplies.

I ran in the Cascade Lakes Relay back in 2010. The race covers some 216 miles divided up among 12 runners who run either two or three legs each. In the race, you get a breathtaking view of lakes, mountains, and golden sunrises. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also exhausting because, aside from running a total of 22 miles or so, you also get very little sleep. Runners are given the opportunity to sleep in a school gym filled with cots. So you can imagine that if one guy in the middle is snoring, everybody can hear him.

After getting maybe two hours of sleep, it was my turn to run again. The bracelet was handed to me, and I took off running into the darkness. I had probably gone about a mile down the road when I came to a course ribbon pointing me off the road to a trail that ran through the forest. Before long, I came to another fork in the trail. This time, there was no ribbon. I decided on the trail to the left, which took me up a very steep trail.

Before long, I realized I was completely lost. I later found out that the ribbon actually had a little sign attached to it pointing away from that first trail, but I didn’t see it in the darkness. In case you’re wondering, I don’t have great night vision. You can probably guess that my team teased me for being that lost runner off on a forest trail by myself. As it happens, our team’s name was “Press On,” taking the phrase from Philippians 3.

It’s possible that you are one who has gotten caught in the devil’s trap by only focusing on your failures. Maybe you have a past that is riddled with times when you went off the right path. If that’s you, then you need to know something. If you’ve turned from that sin and come to Christ for forgiveness, then God has already moved on. And it’s time you do, too.

Scripture says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Hear that, Christian. In God’s eyes, the banner over your life says “No Condemnation.” He no longer sees you as guilty, but pardoned. Now stay on the path marked “Forgiven.” Live as one who looks forward to the future with hope. Press on!

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