If you would turn with me to
the epistle Philippians chapter 3. We'll begin reading in verse
13. The Apostle Paul here writes,
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. But this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching
forth unto those things which are before. I press to award
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. Now let me say an introduction
that if you strip the outer skin off every religion known to man,
you strip it and get right down to the meat of it, you'll find one of two things.
You'll find salvation by works or salvation by grace. Every
religion, one of those two things. Salvation is either by works
or it's by grace. It's either by God or it's by
man. What does this book teach? Well,
it screams from every page that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is God's doing. Salvation is not by works of
righteousness that we've done, but by the sovereign grace and
mercy of God Almighty who gave His Son to be sin for us, that
we might become perfect and holy and without blame before Him
in love. Now, if you're one of God's chosen
people and you trust Christ alone, your salvation is accomplished.
Your salvation is complete. And your salvation is for certain. When the Scriptures proclaim
that salvation is of the Lord, it entails so many things. There
are so many reasons why it's of the Lord. Salvation is of
the Lord because it is Christ alone that saves and calls His
sheep. He alone that died for them.
Salvation is of the Lord and that He did for us what we could
not do for ourselves. You'll hear me say that many
times because that's the truth. Salvation is of the Lord because
God sent His perfect Son to live, to die, and to rise again and
fulfill in perfection the handwriting of ordinances that were against
us. And there were many handwritings
of ordinances against us, friends. For you see, what we can't do
outwardly is obvious, but we definitely can't do it inwardly.
And the sins that we commit outwardly doesn't excuse us for God if
we're able to keep Him, even keep His law, because inwardly
we commit what the law bids us not to do. Christ said, You don't
have to commit adultery, outward adultery to commit adultery.
If you lust in your heart, you've committed adultery. You don't
have to murder a man to murder him physically. You hate him
in your heart. It's the same as murder. We can't
keep God's law in any shape, manner, or form. Salvations of
the Lord because He chose us. The Scriptures say He elected
us, called us, redeemed us in Christ before the foundation
of the world. Now let me ask you something.
If this was done before the foundation of the world, how can we have
any part in it? How can it be of our doing? God
did it before the foundation of the world. He chose us and
elected us in Christ, and He called us by His grace, and He
died for us. He's the Lamb slain before the
foundation of the world. Oh, He died for us while we were
yet ungodly sinners, and He keeps us by His mighty hand. Do you
believe once saved, always saved? I'm asked that question often.
If God saved me, you can count on it because He keeps me. No
man can pluck me from His hand. I'm His. He's mine forever, ever. We were dead in sin and could
do nothing to help ourselves. What can a dead man do? Oh, dear
friends, salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is altogether
by the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ. Those that have entrusted themselves
to Christ, the substitute, the Savior for chosen sinners, are
saved. There's no ifs, ands, and buts
about it. I've heard that little saying
all my life. No ifs, ands, and buts. It's
for certain. But while the work of Christ
for us is perfect, and we can add nothing to it, the work of
the Holy Spirit in us is not yet complete. Now let me explain
that. You see, it's continually carried
on from day to day. And it'll be continued on throughout
our whole lives here on earth. The Scriptures do not say that
we have being conformed to the image of Christ. It says that
we're being conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 8.29,
for whom He did foreknow. He also did predestinate. He
knew us before the foundation of the world. He predestined
us. to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren. We're being conformed to the
image of Christ. And that process continues on
as we advance towards glory. But that also is the work of
God, isn't it? Philippians 1. Turn back a page
or two with me and look at verse 6. being confident of this very
thing that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ. He's begun a good work. We can be confident that God
is with us every step of the way and He will finish what He
started. However, the Scriptures define
us as plants. Have you ever noticed that and
read that in the Scriptures? We're sown in the field, we're
watered by the Word, and we grow by the increase of God. We're
called the seed, then the tender blade, and then the ear, and
then finally the full will of corn. And we're described also
as being born into the family of God. We're called babes. little children, then young men,
then fathers in Christ. This is a process of growing
in grace. And it's forever a growth in
this earthly life. We're described as pilgrims and
sojourners. A pilgrim A sojourner is constantly
on the move. He never stops and plants himself
in one place. You know what he's doing? He's
constantly saying, onward and upward. The believers liken them
to a runner. In the Scripture, a runner can
never be one that stands in one place. That would be a stander,
wouldn't it? Not a runner. He runs to finish
the race that he started. Know ye not that he which run
in a race run all, but one receiveth a price? So then run, that ye
may obtain." And the writer of Hebrews says, Let us lay aside
every weight in the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
run with patience the race that is set before us. Paul said, I fought a good fight.
I have finished my course. I've kept the faith." Friends,
it was by the grace and mercy of God. Now, it would be a wonderful
thing, wouldn't it, if the Lord would save us and then immediately
take us home? But that's not the usual way
our great God does things. Our faith is going to be tried. He weans us from the things of
this world. He teaches us patience through
these tribulations. He allows us to suffer through
trials and tribulations in order that we might be conformed into
the image of His Son. Paul said in Romans 5, we glory
in tribulations. I have to admit to you, very
seldom do I glory in tribulation. But when I think about the fact
that all things work together for good, of them that love the
Lord, who is thee called according to His purpose, my heart rejoices
knowing that my tribulation is for my good and for His glory. 2 Corinthians 1 verse 4 says, "...who
comfort us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God." Oh, when God sends me through a trial,
a tribulation, You know how I come out on the other end? Comforted. Every time. Comforted. Knowing
that my great God doeth all things well. James wrote, Brethren, count
it all joy when you fall into divers temptations. Knowing this,
learn from this. that the trying of your faith
worketh patience, and let patience have her perfect work, that ye
may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." I could go on and on, but time
won't allow. But I want you to see that this
life is a journey that is for our good and for His glory. Therefore the Apostle Paul says
in our text in verse 13, he says, brethren, I count not myself
to have apprehended. Now he doesn't give us the details
of his imperfections. He doesn't give us the details
of his deficiencies, but he knew he was not yet what he desired
to be. Are you yet what you desire to
be? His words here show forth that he burned with desire to
be like Christ. It seems the one passion in his
life and his soul was to press onward towards the great goal
of his hope, which was the prize of the high calling in Christ
Jesus his Lord. And in verse 12, he confesses
what all believers know. He says, not as though I had
already attained. Either we're already perfect.
Now in the eyes of God, friends, we're perfect in Christ. But there's still a war going
on in our members in there. And until God gives us our glorified
bodies, we're going to struggle with the old man. There's going
to be doubts. There's going to be fears. And
there's going to be unbelief. Paul says, no, I haven't already
attained, and I'm far from being perfect. But notice those words
that follow, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that
for which I am also apprehended of Christ Jesus. Believers have
attained some wonderful things now. In Christ, they've received
the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin. Your sin is gone. Christ has put it away. That's
a wonderful thing. You've received the gift of righteousness,
those of you in Christ. And you've received the adoption
of children into the heavenly Father's kingdom. Oh, is that
not a wonderful thing? You've been given a lively hope.
You've been given an incorruptible inheritance and you've received
and been made fit for it. But we haven't received the perfection
itself or we've not come to the end of our race. We've not yet
received the crown of righteousness that's laid up for us. We've
not yet attained to a perfect knowledge of Christ or perfect
holiness or perfect happiness until we see Him." Oh, the disciple that the Lord
loved. That's how John referred to himself.
He couldn't get over God's love for him. Therefore, dressing
himself in that manner. And he said, Beloved, now are
we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be. Oh, we have our own conception
of what it must be like, but we don't know. It doesn't yet
appear what we shall be. But we know that when He shall
appear, we shall be like Him. For we shall see Him as He is.
It doesn't yet appear, but we know. The believer knows in his
heart He knows that when we see Him, we'll be like Him. Oh, what
a blessed hope. Oh, what a comforting word. Paul
says also in verse 12, either we're already perfect. Paul's
speaking of his present condition in the flesh. He was made perfect
in spirit, but as us all, we still wrestle with that old man. Now listen, we're perfect before
God in Christ's righteousness right now in the eyes of God.
I don't want to give you the impression that I don't believe
that, and I'm not preaching that. That's not what I'm saying. And
we're blameless before God, unreprovable in His sight in the Lord Jesus
Christ, but we've not yet received the finished work. which is a
body without sin, without spot, and without wrinkle. How is Christ
going to present His church? Without spot or wrinkle. We're persevering by the grace
of God. We're being preserved by God's
almighty grace. And when Christ comes for us,
we will possess the finished work which God has begun in us. We're still looking. We're still
pressing forward. And we're waiting for the day
of our Lord Jesus Christ when we shall receive glorified bodies. Oh, can you imagine? Everything
we do is tainted by sin. My good thoughts are full of
evil. My best prayer is full of sin.
Self-serving most of the time. But one day, one day I'll have
a body with no sin. I can't fathom that in my finite
mind, which is enmity against God. Peter wrote in second Peter
three verse 14, wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such
things. Be diligent that you may be found
of him in peace without spot and blameless." Paul wrote in
Colossians, "...and you that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in
the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and
unblameable and unapprovable in his sight." And then he says
these words, "...if you continue." If you continue in the faith
grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the
gospel which you've heard. Now I thought you just said once
saved always saved. That's true. But if a man turns
back, then he never was saved. He never was one of God's. We must continue. We must not
be moved. And we're not moved because of
the hope of the gospel which God has revealed to us by the
hearing of his word. Our Lord Jesus himself said,
but he that endureth till the end, what shall be saved? Believer, we're enduring. We're
running and we're pressing forward and we're following after that
glorious prize of our high calling in God. of God in Christ. And one thing is for certain,
and one thing is needful for us to learn from this inspired
passage of Scripture. Paul says, I count not myself
to have apprehended. We must be conscious of our present
condition. Paul had made a needful observation
of himself. And all God's children do the
same. What do they do? They count. We count ourselves as those who
have not yet attained, as those that have not yet apprehended.
We know that we're still in desperate need of grace every day. And
we know that we're prone to wonder if God don't keep us by His mighty
hand. A child of God is one who is
never, ever satisfied with himself. He knows that he still falls
way short of the glory of God in himself and everything that
he does. Our dissatisfaction of ourselves,
friends, is a true sign of grace. Dissatisfaction in ourself is
a conclusion which is always arrived at when a believer judges
themselves rightly. Spurgeon once wrote, most heavy
is that word Christian. And he who thinks that he's obtained
everything has nothing. Had Paul been satisfied with
his obtainments, he'd have never sought for more, I'll tell you
that. The man who can honestly say,
I press forward, is one who feels that he's not yet attained. He's
not yet attained all that might be gained. Those who think that
they've arrived and that are satisfied with themselves, it's
like that Pharisee that went into the temple to pray. Christ
said two men went into the temple to pray. And that Pharisee stood,
he was satisfied with himself. And he stood up front where all
could see. And he said, God, I thank Thee
that I'm not as other men are. I do this, and I do that, and
I do this. And you know what he was saying?
I'm really quite something special. But not God's people. They're
compared to that publican, that man who cheated people out of
money, but yet felt his conscience and knew his sin before God.
And he stood in the back, and he kept his head lowered to the
ground, and he said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Be merciful to me. Oh God, I need your mercy. I need your grace. I'm in constant
need of your help. Christ said, this man went home
justified. When I hear men brag on themselves,
I immediately think of old Peter. That day in front of all the
disciples, he said, Lord, though all men may deny thee, yet will
not I. And he denied the Lord three
times within a very short while. It's good, friends, that we take
count of ourselves daily. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12 says,
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall. One old writer once wrote, There's
no room in this world for God's glory and for man's glory. He
who is less than nothing magnifies God. But he who is rich and increased
in goods and has need of nothing dishonors God. We're all dependent
creatures upon Him. Some God has revealed that to,
others have not. But I'll tell you what, you won't
find a true believer sitting there telling you what all he's
done for God and how special he is in God's eye. No, he'll
bow his head and he'll say, God, please continue to be merciful
to me, a sinner. Another thing that a man needs
to do in walking through this life, as the Apostle Paul tells
us, is to forget the past. Verse 13, but this one thing
I do, I know this much, Paul said, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which
are before. Now what does he mean when he
says that? Paul does not mean to forget the mercy of God, which
he had enjoyed and been blessed. Far from it. And Paul doesn't
mean that he forgot the sins which he had committed. He would
always remember from where he came, and that humbled him. But it does mean that we no longer
dwell on what we've done in the past. Has not Christ paid our
debt? Has not Christ forgiven and put
away our sin? Oh, friends, if we dwell on our
past failures and on our past sin, We really don't acknowledge
the gift that we've been given. That precious gift is Christ
who put away our sin. Why do we dwell on things that
we cannot change? How often do I sit and think
on the past and say, I don't know how God could forgive me
for that. I tell you how He forgave me for it, in the death of His
Son. Why do we worry and fret about
things that we've done? Salvation has nothing to do. Now listen, if you only hear
this, hear this. Salvation has nothing to do with
what you've done, whether good or bad. It doesn't
affect it either way. Salvation has to do with the
crucifixion and the substitution of His Son for God's people,
God's chosen. Oh, if we are to truly go forward,
now listen, if we're to press forward, if we're to go forward,
we cannot look back. We forget those things which
are behind. They're paid for. Christ paid
for them. And Jesus said unto them in Luke chapter 9, He said,
No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is
fit for the kingdom of God. To look back and to fear judgment
for the things that Christ has already forgiven us for is to
deny the blessed atonement that Christ Himself has provided.
That word atonement means at one with Him. Atonement. I'll tell you something else.
I'm not a farmer. My father-in-law was. And they
use tractors and all today, but they used to. A man used to plow
with a mule. And a man that plowed with a
mule, he couldn't plow a straight line if he was constantly looking
behind him while he'd been all over the place. And friends,
it's the same with us. We can't plow a straight line
to Christ if we're looking behind us. Just can't do it. Forget
those things which are behind. Oh, not God's mercy, not the
forgiveness of your sin, but don't dwell on the past. Forget those things which are
behind. I'm the world's worst at digging
up old dead things. You know that digging up the
past is like digging up the dead, isn't it? They're paid for. The
sin's paid for. And when you dig up dead things,
I'm going to tell you something, they stink. If we look back, Christ said,
we're not fit for the kingdom of God. The writer in Hebrews said, but
we're not of them who draw back, are we? No, we don't draw back into perdition,
but of them that believe to the saving of our soul. Paul believed. He said, I know. We sung it.
I know whom I have believed. And I'm persuaded that he's able.
He's able to keep that which I've committed unto him, unto
him against that day. I know whom I have believed.
And in verse 13, he says, I forget those things which are behind,
and then I can just almost see them in my mind. He said, but
I'm reaching forth. I'm reaching forth unto those
things which are before. Oh my! What things lie before
the believer? Wonderful things. Now are we yet as perfect and
righteous as Christ? In God's eyes, yes. But I cannot rest until I'm like
my Lord." That's the attitude of the believer. I want to be
like Christ. I fall so short of it that it's
a shame is what it is. But my desire out of love for
Him and what He's done for me is to strive to be more like
Him. Will a man ever be perfect in this life? Absolutely not. For we're still plagued by the
sin which so easily besets us. But I'll tell you this much,
his desire is to be like Christ, even in this life. Is Christ our example in all
things? We long to be like Him. Now may
none of us ever say, by the grace of God, I've reached my goal. Now I'm what I ought to be. There's nothing beyond me. There's
nothing for me to reach forth to. Let me tell you, that's dangerous
and not true. Oh, may God help us to strive
after these things that please Him. And may He enable us to
crucify ourselves to the things that so easily beset us, that
don't praise and honor Him. We reach forth. We reach forth. This is the model for which we
strive. Be ye perfect, the Scripture
says, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Now
can I attain that in this life myself? Absolutely not. I'll
say it again. Shall we ever reach it? No. Not in this life. But we're going
to strive. We're going to set our face like
a flint. Our chief desire in this life
is to be more like Him. God, help me to be more like
Him. Help me to be more understanding. Help me to be more forgiving.
Help me to be more giving. Help me, Lord. Help me. Thousands and millions have, unfortunately, only in death. And they're now before the throne
of God. perfect, completely conformed
to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their robes are washed
and made white in the blood of the Lamb. They have attained
and they have apprehended But we should always, as long as
God gives us breath, dear friends, follow after it with God's sovereign
help. We're pressing toward it by grace. I'm pressing forward. Let every believer be striving
in every thought, in every word, in every action that he may glorify
God. Now let me tell you again the
honest truth, you'll never reach it in this life. But to a believer,
it's his greatest desire. Is it not so with you, dear believer?
You see, to be content to live under the power of even the least
of sin would be a horrible thing, wouldn't it? No man will ever
be totally totally content, short of perfection. It just won't
be. Everything we do is plagued by
sin. We're incapable of being content as long as we have sin. But I tell you what, I'm pressing
forward by God's grace. I'm striving day by day to be
more pleasing to my Lord who loved me and gave Himself for
me. By God's grace. By grace alone, we only reach true contentment
and perfection by trusting, leaning, relying upon the Lord Jesus Christ
for the rest of our days that God gives us. We're going to
reach forward, aren't we? We're going to reach towards
that which is before us. He said in verse 12, I follow
after. Isn't that what we're doing?
We're following after. Christ is our example in all
things. He said in verse 13 that He had
not yet apprehended. He hadn't reached that perfection. He still fell short. But He did
say, this one thing I do, And this is the encouragement to
all God's people. This one thing I do, I forget
what's behind me, and I press toward the mark of the high calling,
that high prize of God in Christ and Him alone. In verse 14, He tells us the
desire of all God's sheep. He said, I press toward the mark.
Oh, what a high mark it is. Oh, what a mark that we won't
ever attain, but we press toward it. Now, what have you been trying
to say for the last 20 some minutes? Let me see if I can tell you.
The Apostle Paul had given up on all other things. He had addicted
himself to one sole object. His aim, his desire was to be
like Christ. There were many other things
that Paul might have attempted. But he says, this one thing I
do. His pursuit was for one thing. He was laboring to perfectly
serve his Master. That's a labor. And all who have
been saved and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ should
gather up all their strength for this one thing. Oh, if we
could but serve God as God should be served. If we could be such manner of
people as we ought to be in holy conversation and godliness. Paul said, I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies
A living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. It's our reasonable service.
It's a reasonable service of love for Him who lived, died,
and rose again for us. Who worked out our salvation
and our righteousness perfectly before God for us. Did God have
to save us? Was He obligated? It was by free,
sovereign mercy and grace. Oh, may God enable us to keep
going onward and forward and pressing and falling after these
things. May we never, ever be self-satisfied. May we always be laboring to
be better servants for the glory of God, our substitute, our surety,
and our Savior.