Editor’s Note: See the previous article in this series, “Press on Towards the Goal.”
In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to press on toward the goal of becoming like Jesus with a single-minded focus. Why is Paul pressing on in this way? Is it to earn his salvation?
Let’s start in Philippians 3:12 to first explore what Paul is pursuing. He opens this section by saying “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect.” He hasn’t achieved or obtained something. What is he referring to when he says he hasn’t already obtained “this”? He’s talking about Christlikeness. He doesn’t have the full experiential knowledge of Jesus and conformity to him that will come at the resurrection of the dead. If we look back to the verses that come right before this, we see him saying “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:10-11).
Not Perfect, Yet
Paul says he has not obtained this Christlikeness yet. He hasn’t received, seized, laid hold of, or apprehended this. How do we know? Because he says that he’s not perfect. Paul’s not perfect? He’s probably the greatest follower of Christ that ever lived and he hasn’t arrived yet spiritually? Nope. In this life, Christians still have a remnant of sin living within us. We will not be sinless until either Jesus returns or we die and go to heaven. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with indwelling sin, which he talks about in Romans 7. This flies in the face of those who would say that it’s possible for a Christian to achieve sinless perfection in this life. In Paul’s unredeemed flesh, he hadn’t achieved sinless perfection. And even though he knew and loved Christ, he hadn’t experienced complete knowledge and conformity to Jesus. He was not like Jesus yet morally, because Jesus was sinless. And he was not like Jesus yet physically, because in his risen state, Jesus’ body was glorified.
So, if Paul isn’t like Christ morally or physically yet, does he just kick up his heels and wait for that to happen one day? Might as well coast until Jesus comes again. No—he is not content being complacent. He says “but I press on to make it my own.” That phrase “press on” carries the idea of “pursuing with great intensity.” It can also be translated “persecute,” “urgently chase,” or “run swiftly.” Essentially, he’s saying he’s trying to track down being like Jesus with all of his might. I’ve heard it said by many preachers that it’s clear that Paul was a sports fan. Throughout his writings, he references many sporting events when talking about the Christian life: boxing, wrestling, fighting, and running a race. Here he’s speaking in language that can be used to describe an Olympic runner exerting himself to achieve the prize.
Striving Because He is Saved, Not Striving to Be Saved
Why does Paul exert himself in this way? So that he can “make it his own.” That phrase can be translated as “seize,” “capture,” or “overtake.” He wants to run after being like Jesus so that he can obtain it. At this point, we need to be very clear about why Paul is pursuing Christlikeness. Is he doing this to be saved? This is the difference between the doctrines of justification and sanctification. Justification means “being declared righteous.” It is the legal declaration of God that a person who has placed their faith in Christ is righteous because they now have the righteousness of Jesus. Sanctification means “being set apart” and it is the process by which someone who is saved becomes more like Jesus in practice.
So, is Paul pressing on to be justified or sanctified? He says “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” That answers our question. He’s not pressing on to be justified or saved. He can press on only because he is already saved and he belongs to Christ. Basically, he’s saying: “I’m trying to lay hold of being like Christ, because Christ laid hold of me.” He’s not trying to earn his salvation by being like Jesus, because that is impossible. Jesus was God in human flesh; therefore He was sinless and perfectly obedient in thought, word, and deed. On the other hand, we are born sinful and fall short of God’s glory. Paul is pursuing Christlikeness because Christ pursued him first in salvation. He’s not advocating for legalism, which would mean that he could earn his justification through good works by keeping God’s law. That’s what he pursued before he knew Christ. We see that at the beginning of chapter 3:
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
At that point in his life, he was resting on his self-righteousness. He was confident in all of his good works. However, once he met Jesus, he realized that his works were absolutely worthless when it comes to salvation.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him
Before Christ, he put all of his good works in the profit column, thinking it would earn favor with God. After he was confronted with the holiness of Christ, he realized his pursuit of salvation through good works should be counted in the loss column. It had given him a false confidence in his salvation that was damning. Paul was justified (or declared righteous by God) through faith in Christ alone due to Christ’s righteousness. In verse 9 he says “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
All Things as Loss
Paul didn’t save himself. Christ saved Paul. Jesus pursued Paul by dramatically confronting him on the road to Damascus as Paul was on his way to continue persecuting the church. (We see this striking encounter in Acts 9:1-9.) At that point, Paul rejected all the things that he had that he thought earned him favor with God: his ethnicity, his self-righteousness, and his zeal. He realized it was rubbish. That word for “rubbish” actually means manure. His self-righteous works were beyond worthless —they were disgusting before God. By placing his faith in Christ, he received the only thing that could save him and make him right before God: the righteousness of Jesus.
Are you like Paul before he was saved? Are you trying to make your way to heaven by your own good works? Hoping that you’ve done more good than bad and that God will be happy with you and let you into heaven? The Bible is very clear that you can’t earn your own salvation. Turn from your sin and your self-righteousness and place your faith in Jesus and His righteousness. His death on the cross for sin is the only thing that can save you. Trust in him. And like Paul, you can receive the righteousness of Christ through salvation. Paul presses on as a Christian through the power of the Holy Spirit not to earn his salvation, but to be like Jesus. That’s the process of sanctification—the process by which Christians become more and more free from sin and more like Jesus. This process starts at the moment of salvation and continues throughout the rest of the believer’s life until they die, or Christ returns, at which point they will be sinless like Jesus.
We must respond in obedience, but it is God working in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul alludes to this in Philippians 2:12-13:
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
In our next article, we’ll explore how not dwelling on the past and staying focused on the future is a key component to Paul’s single-minded pursuit of Christlikeness.
