What God taught is in 2020 - Philippians 3:7-21
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. Phil 3:12
Paul who was highly accomplished both in the world and in Christ made this amazing statement.
Paul was not satisfied on being justified. Where are we?
What is our level of satisfaction with our spiritual growth?
How do you rate yourself against Paul?
Do we think we have attained our goal?
What are we pursuing? Do we even know our Goal?
Are we going after what Christ wanted for us
OR
- Are we going after our own kingdoms?
Haggai 1: 4 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?
The all-Important Question - Why did Jesus Christ lay hold of me?
Knowing Christ Jesus/ Gain Christ
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss [c]in view of the surpassing value of [d]knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, [e]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ
Paul understood the reason why Christ laid hold of us
Eternal life is not the real goal but is a by product of Knowing & Gaining Jesus Christ!
John 17: 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
To know someone is to truly experience them. To know someone is to walk in their shoes
It was not just Paul, all the other apostles knew this truth as well. They all had the same goal.
To truly know their Master. Think like Him. Act like Him. Talk like Him. Live like Him. Be a clone of Him in every respect! (this is beyond anything we do even in ministry – Rev 2: 2-5)
Path/ Course for Gaining Christ
This is how they understood Knowing Christ/ Gaining Christ. This is how they understood the process of being saved:
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and [f]the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 [g]in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Justification -> Sanctification -> Suffering unto Death -> Glorification
They wanted to know and experience and share in all these facets of Christ’s life on the earth. And they all followed through to the end!!
His Righteousness imputed to us – the exchange of our sin for His righteousness
Set apart for Sacrifice (for service) – John 1719 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth
His Suffering – v10 .. [f]the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
His Resurrection to a glorified body – Rom 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. (Note: for a Christian, there is no glorification to be had before suffering and death)
Apostles understanding
Justification -> Sanctification -> Suffering unto Death -> Glorification
Our Understanding in the present time
Justification -> Sanctification -> Suffering unto Death -> Glorification
Sanctification Assessment
What do we have? True Sanctification or Righteousness of the Pharisees
(For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 5:20)
If you and I pretend to be children of God but embrace the world’s standards to live by … that is, desire and worship everything that Paul equated to dung…
If we teach flesh-based traditions that have an appearance of piety as the true mark of righteousness…
If we are self righteous and judge our brothers based on our doctrinal understanding..
If we desire positions of authority and respect in the church…
/ Suffering
The term for 'sanctification' as used in the New Covenant is HAGIOSMOS and means basically 'set apart', in the sense of being set apart from all else and dedicated for God's use...
1 Peter 2:9 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light
9May be found in Him … with righteousness from faith not of works. Even works in the church (Anything that is not of faith is sin – Rom 14:23)
Put to death the works of the Flesh (For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live – Rom 8:13)
Exercise the Power of His Resurrection (10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection - Resurrected to a new life, a life to honor and serve God)
Pre-Race Prep – Mental Toughness & Focus
He knows what he was after can not be easily accomplished – “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
He resolves to ‘lay hold of’ it with single minded purpose and discipline
Lay hold of = KataLambano = permanently and securely grasp (hold on to forever)
Forget what lies behind
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ
Reach forward to what lies ahead
Training and Focus on the prize
Race Day - Focused Run
With full grasp of the course
Justification -> Sanctification -> Suffering unto Death -> Glorification
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory,
With full grasp of the rules 16 however, let us keep [k]living by that same standard to which we have attained.
No distractions 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
Run in such a way as to win 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.