The Christian Race is Not a Parade Text: Philippians 3:12-16
Introduction: The Forward Lean of Faith
The Christian life is not a victory lap. It is not a quiet retirement. It is a footrace, a bloody contest, a striving, a pressing, a reaching forward. Our modern therapeutic age has tried to domesticate the faith, to turn the roaring lion of Judah into a housecat, to transform the warrior’s cry into a gentle suggestion. We have been taught to seek comfort over conquest, and stability over striving. But the Apostle Paul will have none of it. For him, the Christian life is characterized by a holy dissatisfaction and a relentless forward momentum. He has just finished describing the surpassing value of knowing Christ, for which he has counted all his religious achievements and pedigree as so much garbage. But he does not rest there, as though having made that great exchange, the work is now done. No, that great transaction is what puts him on the starting blocks. Justification is not the finish line; it is the starting pistol.
This passage is a direct assault on two opposite errors that perennially plague the church. The first is the error of perfectionism, the foolish notion that a believer can achieve a state of sinless perfection in this life. Paul, the apostle, a man of immense spiritual stature, flatly denies that he has "already obtained it." The second is the error of complacency, the lazy assumption that because we are saved by grace, we can now coast into heaven. Paul’s language here is the language of extreme exertion. He is pressing, reaching, straining forward like a runner leaning for the tape at the end of a sprint. He is not lounging in the stands; he is on the track, and the race is not over.
What we have here is the very heart of sanctification. It is a process, a race, a fight. It is fueled not by our own strength, but by the reality that Christ has already taken hold of us. Our running is a response to His grip. Our striving is the result of His strength working in us. And so, we must understand this dynamic if we are to run with patience, with purpose, and with a sure hope of the prize.
The Text
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way; and if in anything you think differently, God will reveal that also to you. However, let us keep walking in step with the same standard to which we have attained.
(Philippians 3:12-16 LSB)
The Divine Initiative and the Human Response (v. 12)
We begin with the engine of the Christian life, the divine initiative that fuels all our striving.
"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12)
Paul begins with a blunt disclaimer. He has not arrived. He is not "perfect," in the sense of final, completed glorification. The word for perfect here is the Greek teleioo, which means to complete, to finish, to bring to the intended end. Paul is saying, "I am not a finished product." This demolishes any room for spiritual pride or claims of sinless perfection. If the Apostle Paul hadn't arrived, then it is safe to say that none of us have either.
But this reality does not lead him to despair or passivity. It leads him to action: "but I press on." This is the language of a chase, of earnest pursuit. And what is he pursuing? He wants to "lay hold of that for which" he was laid hold of. This is the crucial point. The Christian life is not us trying to get a grip on God, but rather us responding to the fact that He has already gotten a grip on us. Our pursuit of Him is the result of His prior pursuit of us.
Notice the grammar. He presses on "so that I may lay hold," which is his active responsibility. But the foundation for this is the passive reality: "for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." On the Damascus road, Saul the persecutor was not seeking Christ. He was seeking Christians to imprison. Christ Jesus laid hold of him. He apprehended him. This is the sovereign, effectual call of God. God is always the initiator. He works in us, both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). Our working out of our salvation is only possible because He is first working it in. So, our striving is not a desperate attempt to earn God's favor, but a grateful response to the favor we have already received. Christ has grabbed you, and now you run to embrace the one who has grabbed you.
The Singular Focus of the Runner (v. 13-14)
Paul now elaborates on the mindset required for this race.
"Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14 LSB)
He repeats his disclaimer for emphasis: "I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet." Then he gives us his strategy, summarized as "one thing I do." The Christian life requires a radical, simplifying focus. It is not about juggling a hundred different spiritual priorities. It is about one thing: the race set before us.
This "one thing" has two parts. First, "forgetting what lies behind." A runner who is constantly looking over his shoulder is a runner who is going to trip and fall. And what must we forget? We must forget our sins and failures that have been forgiven. To dwell on them is to carry a backpack full of guilt-bricks while trying to run a sprint. God has cast them into the sea of His forgetfulness, and we have no business going on a fishing expedition for them. But we must also forget our past successes. A runner cannot win this lap by glorying in the last one. If you had a great quiet time yesterday, that is wonderful, but it will not suffice for today. Past victories can become idols that keep us from future progress. The race is forward-looking.
The second part is "reaching forward to what lies ahead." The picture is of a runner straining, every muscle taut, leaning toward the finish line. This is not a casual jog. This is intense, purposeful effort. And what is the "goal"? It is "the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." The prize is not a trophy or a crown in the earthly sense. The prize is the call itself, fully realized. It is the resurrection from the dead, it is conformity to the image of Christ, it is to see Him face to face and be made like Him. The "upward call" is God's summons to us to come up to where Christ is, seated at the right hand of the Father. That is our destination, and we are to run with our eyes fixed on it.
The Paradox of Mature Imperfection (v. 15)
Now Paul introduces a fascinating paradox that defines Christian maturity.
"Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way; and if in anything you think differently, God will reveal that also to you." (Philippians 3:15 LSB)
Wait a minute. Didn't he just say twice that he was not yet perfect? Yes, he did. But here he uses a different sense of the word "perfect" (teleios). In verse 12, he meant "perfect" as in absolutely complete and glorified. Here, he means "perfect" as in mature. He is saying, "All of you who are spiritually mature, this is how you ought to think." And what is the mindset of the mature? The mindset of the mature is to know that you are not yet complete. True Christian maturity is understanding and embracing your immaturity. The one who thinks he has arrived is the one who is truly immature. The mature believer is the one who knows he still has a long way to go and is pressing on toward the goal.
This is a sign of true spiritual health. The healthy man has an appetite. The healthy Christian has a spiritual appetite for more of Christ. The one who says, "I have enough," is spiritually sick. Paul then adds a gracious pastoral word. "If in anything you think differently, God will reveal that also to you." He is confident that the Holy Spirit will correct the thinking of any true believer who is off on this point. If you are a genuine Christian but are tempted toward either perfectionism or complacency, God in His kindness will use His Word and His providence to get you back on track. He will teach you. This is a great comfort. Our growth is not ultimately dependent on our own flawless understanding, but on God's faithfulness to teach His children.
The Rule of Consistent Progress (v. 16)
Finally, Paul gives the practical rule for the road.
"However, let us keep walking in step with the same standard to which we have attained." (Philippians 3:16 LSB)
This is the principle of plodding faithfulness. The Christian life is not a series of dramatic leaps, but rather a steady, consistent walk. The "standard" or "rule" here is the ground we have already taken. It is the measure of truth and sanctification we have already attained. Paul is saying, "Live up to what you already know. Be consistent with the progress you have already made."
This is intensely practical. You have been saved by grace. You know that Jesus is Lord. You have been taught the apostles' doctrine. Very well, then. Walk according to that rule. Don't go backward. Don't abandon the ground you have gained. The Christian life is about holding the line and advancing from that line. We are not to be spiritual dilettantes, always looking for some new and exciting teaching. We are to be soldiers, holding our position and walking in step with the rest of the army. This verse is a call to doctrinal and moral stability. Whatever measure of grace and knowledge you have received from God, be faithful to it. That is the path of growth. Faithfulness in the little things is what God uses to build us into maturity.
Conclusion: Run to Win
So the Christian life is a race. It is a marathon, not a parade. It begins with the sovereign grace of God laying hold of us, and it continues with our Spirit-empowered striving to lay hold of Him. It requires a singular focus, a deliberate forgetting of the past, and a determined reaching toward the future prize.
The mark of maturity is to know that you are not yet mature. The sign of health is the desire to grow. And the method of growth is simple, plodding, day-by-day faithfulness to the truth you have already been given.
Therefore, do not be discouraged by your imperfections. Paul was not. Let your lack of perfection be the very thing that fuels your race. Do not be complacent, as though the race were already won. It is not. The prize is still ahead. And do not be distracted. Forget what is behind. The past is forgiven, and its successes are insufficient for today. Look forward. The upward call of God in Christ Jesus summons you. So press on. Run in such a way as to get the prize.