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September 23, 2020 by TibiasDad

Press on!

Phil 3:12Not 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. 13Brothers 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, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

My first sermon, and I use the word very loosely, was when I was 17 at a church youth rally. It was supposed to be based on Philippians 4:13, but in reality it was a hodgepodge of quotes and stories that I memorized from a litany of my Dad’s Zig Ziglar motivation tapes and very little scripture! I had never heard the word exegetical at that time, and couldn’t spell exegesis, much less employ it in a sermon at that early stage of my life and ministry. I probably thought I was Billy Graham at the time, but it wasn’t too long before I realized what Paul said a chapter earlier was the real “rubber meets the road” exhortation that I needed to learn and apply to my life and attitude.

Don’t get me wrong, I still use those old Zig Ziglar quotes from time to time, and in a very real way I wasn’t too far off the mark regarding the central message that Paul and other Biblical writers were constantly telling the first generation of the Christian faith, and that was don’t give up, finish the race, hold fast, and press on! But without a doubt, as Paul stated in the passage above, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal…” I had a lot to learn about sermonizing and how to exegete a passage of scripture properly, and I think, perhaps, there are a few even here in our virtual world of forum debates that may think me in need of a few more lessons: frankly, I agree. And so do we all! So let’s spend a moment a flesh out what Paul can teach us from Phil 3:12-14.

The first thing I see, is that we must be truthfully humble. We chuckle, at least I do, that Moses said of himself, that “Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth!” (Numbers 12:3) But Paul acknowledged that he had not yet “obtained” or “taken hold of” or “arrived at” his ultimate goal or desire. Paul does not see himself as better than those to whom he was writing. He is putting himself on par with all believers, he is one of the gang, not different than or above anyone else.

This should be each one of our attitudes regarding our Christian walk and growth. Nobody has arrived while still in human flesh. If this is so, then what do we do? Paul tells us his point of action.

Paul says, “I press on to take hold”. The word for “press on” is the Greek word διώκω (dioko), which is a very interesting word. Used in a positive sense, as it is here, it means to go after something aggressively, as a hunter seeks his prey. If the word has a negative intent, it means to persecute aggressively.

Paul is taking a very deliberate and intensely motivated action to “take hold” of the object of his desire. καταλαμβάνω means to “seize tight hold of”, to grasp forcefully with intent to make something your own. This is a conscious effort on Paul’s part to ensure, for his part, that he gets that which he has sought for so long, but it is not only what he has wanted for himself, but also that for which God wanted him.

καταλαμβάνω is used a second time, not describing what Paul seeks to take hold of, but rather, “of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” This speaks of the purpose of God for Paul, and all other believers, and is notable in its contrast with the first usage of the verb, namely, that Paul is the object “taken hold of” and not the one doing the seizing. Paul was taken hold of by Christ for a reason, a purpose, and Paul, in response to this action, takes the same mantle of purpose for himself to make sure that the desired result will indeed occur. Paul realized that perseverance is necessary even for an Apostle, to receive the prize. And he was not going to insult the grace of God that took hold of him on the road to Damascus!

And this is Paul’s resolve: “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 Paul, and for any one of us, success spiritually boils down to this– focused prioritizing! Paul calls it “this one thing”, but it is really two sides of a singular coin: Forgetting what lies behind, and ” straining toward” what is yet ahead, which is the same Greek word as earlier in vs 12, διώκω (dioko), press on toward.

I like the 2011 NIV use of straining, because it reminds us that though we are assured of victory, only those who finish the race well win the prize, and any marathon runner knows that the hardest part in the race is the last few miles, and the runner has to strain against fatigue and dehydration to keep moving one foot in front of the other to cross the finish line. A champion in any arena knows that there are lesser things that have to be left behind and put out of mind to train sufficiently to run the entire race well enough to finish, well enough to win the prize, the βραβεῖον!

But what exactly is the prize? What is worth leaving all behind to run the race fully? Paul states this in the verses just before our text, Philippians 3:7-11: But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

There are three things that Paul is straining toward: 1) gaining the surpassing worth of knowing Christ fully, 2) that he might gain Christ and be found in him, and 3) to attain to the resurrection of the dead. All of these things are related to gaining eternal life!

Paul’s message is the prize is worth pressing on, straining as it may be at times, and that finishing is absolutely necessary to gain it! As the old gospel song goes, “onward to the prize before us…when we all get to heaven…we’ll sing and shout the victory”!

Doug

The Runner’s Prayer

Grant grace that we may finish well the race

To gain the prize for which we all have run

Give strength and stamina to keep the pace

And focus til the victory is won!

Allow my eyes to see the things of worth

Compared to lesser things that hearts may love;

Lord may I long for heaven more than earth

And store my treasures up in vaults above.

Let not my legs grow weary when the miles

Grow longer as I strain to reach the end;

To persevere and not seek to defile

The grace you’ve shown to name me as your friend!

You’ve chosen me and placed me in this race

And when I win it will by your grace!

© D. Allen Jenkins

9/22/2020

Numbers 12:3 (LEB)

Now the man, Moses, was more humble than any other person on the face of the earth,
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Numbers+12%3A3…

Philippians 3:7-11 (LEB)

But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ.8More than that“but on the contrary”, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider themsupplied from English context dung, in order that I may gain Christ9and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ,Or “through Christ’s faithfulness” the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,Or “on the basis of his faithfulness”10so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,11if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Philippians+3%3A7-11…

Philippians 4:13 (LEB)

I am able to do all things by the one who strengthens me.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Philippians+4%3A13…
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wondering

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Very nice!
Thanks for posting.

For others that may want to read your article:
What exactly is it for which we press onward?

:)
 
TibiasDad

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wondering said:
Very nice!
Thanks for posting.

For others that may want to read your article:
What exactly is it for which we press onward?

:)
Click to expand...

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
 
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wondering

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TibiasDad said:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Click to expand...
Paul mentioned something about the participation in Jesus' suffering.
I think it's in Corinthians...having trouble finding it...
It sounded, when I was reading it, that Paul was suffering for Christ as if he were helping to "complete" the work of Christ.

If you know the verse, could you comment?
(sorry)
 
TibiasDad

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wondering said:
Paul mentioned something about the participation in Jesus' suffering.
I think it's in Corinthians...having trouble finding it...
It sounded, when I was reading it, that Paul was suffering for Christ as if he were helping to "complete" the work of Christ.

If you know the verse, could you comment?
(sorry)
Click to expand...

Rom 8:17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
 
wondering

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TibiasDad said:
Rom 8:17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Click to expand...
Thanks TD...
That's not it.
If I can come up with the right verse,,,I'll post to you again.
There's a lot about suffering for Christ or with Christ...this was about helping to complete Jesus' sacrifice.
OR, I could be mistaken altogether!
 
TibiasDad

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wondering said:
Thanks TD...
That's not it.
If I can come up with the right verse,,,I'll post to you again.
There's a lot about suffering for Christ or with Christ...this was about helping to complete Jesus' sacrifice.
OR, I could be mistaken altogether!
Click to expand...

2 Cor 1:5For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
 
humble soul

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Interesting. I think this verse was used in the movie "chariots of Fire" in a slightly different vein. Probably my fave movie of all time.
 
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humble soul

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Hospes

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wondering said:
Thanks TD...
That's not it.
If I can come up with the right verse,,,I'll post to you again.
There's a lot about suffering for Christ or with Christ...this was about helping to complete Jesus' sacrifice.
OR, I could be mistaken altogether!
Click to expand...
Colossians 1:24–25 (ESV)
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Some translations use complete instead of "filling up".
 
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wondering

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Hospes said:
Colossians 1:24–25 (ESV)
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Some translations use complete instead of "filling up".
Click to expand...
Thanks Hospes!
That's the one.

How would you and TibiasDad understand the following from the above verse - ( Colossians 1:24-25 )

I AM FILLING UP (COMPLETING) WHAT IS LACKING IN CHRIST'S AFFLICTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS BODY...THE CHURCH...

It sounds like Paul feels he's completing some work of Jesus,,,but I know that can't be the answer.
Is he completing the work for the church?
 
Hospes

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That's a
wondering said:
Thanks Hospes!
That's the one.

How would you and TibiasDad understand the following from the above verse - ( Colossians 1:24-25 )

I AM FILLING UP (COMPLETING) WHAT IS LACKING IN CHRIST'S AFFLICTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS BODY...THE CHURCH...

It sounds like Paul feels he's completing some work of Jesus,,,but I know that can't be the answer.
Is he completing the work for the church?
Click to expand...
That's a tough one! I shall go off and study on it. Thanks for the challenge!
 
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Hospes

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My dear Wondering. (You may irritate me to no end at times, but I still like you! Kind of like my bio sisters)

I am about to risk asking you to listen to something from a source you probably have a real strong disposition to not listen to. So brace yourself and do me the favor of at least considering it. It is a podcast that very directly addresses your question on Colossians 1:24. Even though it is by one of your nemeses - I say this ryley :) - I have vetted that in no part is Calvinism part of the addressing of the passage. So maybe what he has to say may actually prove useful in this one little slice of common ground you may have with him.
www.desiringgod.org

Do My Sufferings Complete Christ’s?

How did Paul “fill up what is lacking” in Christ’s afflictions? Didn’t the cross provide a sufficient payment for the sins of God’s people?
www.desiringgod.org www.desiringgod.org
 
Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
wondering

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Hospes said:
My dear Wondering. (You may irritate me to no end at times, but I still like you! Kind of like my bio sisters)

I am about to risk asking you to listen to something from a source you probably have a real strong disposition to not listen to. So brace yourself and do me the favor of at least considering it. It is a podcast that very directly addresses your question on Colossians 1:24. Even though it is by one of your nemeses - I say this ryley :) - I have vetted that in no part is Calvinism part of the addressing of the passage. So maybe what he has to say may actually prove useful in this one little slice of common ground you may have with him.
www.desiringgod.org

Do My Sufferings Complete Christ’s?

How did Paul “fill up what is lacking” in Christ’s afflictions? Didn’t the cross provide a sufficient payment for the sins of God’s people?
www.desiringgod.org www.desiringgod.org
Click to expand...
Well Hospes,
Surprise, surprise, I happen to like John Piper.
I'm REALLY sorry he agrees with the reformed, but many of these guys
are very good at exegesis in other matters.

Will get back to you.

P.S. Why do I irritate you?
I'm sooooo sweet!


gettyimages-501204979-170667a.jpg
 
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Hospes

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wondering said:
Surprise, surprise, I happen to like John Piper.
Click to expand...
I am truly gobsmacked!! Thought for sure you'd be clutching your pearls at my suggestion. :)
 
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TibiasDad

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wondering said:
Thanks Hospes!
That's the one.

How would you and TibiasDad understand the following from the above verse - ( Colossians 1:24-25 )

I AM FILLING UP (COMPLETING) WHAT IS LACKING IN CHRIST'S AFFLICTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS BODY...THE CHURCH...

It sounds like Paul feels he's completing some work of Jesus,,,but I know that can't be the answer.
Is he completing the work for the church?
Click to expand...

Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Col 1:24

Paul is simply saying that he is willing to and putting himself in a position to suffer for the sake of the gospel and the church. It says nothing about any insufficiency in what Christ has done for which Paul must suffer to complete.

Doug
 
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wondering

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Hospes said:
My dear Wondering. (You may irritate me to no end at times, but I still like you! Kind of like my bio sisters)

I am about to risk asking you to listen to something from a source you probably have a real strong disposition to not listen to. So brace yourself and do me the favor of at least considering it. It is a podcast that very directly addresses your question on Colossians 1:24. Even though it is by one of your nemeses - I say this ryley :) - I have vetted that in no part is Calvinism part of the addressing of the passage. So maybe what he has to say may actually prove useful in this one little slice of common ground you may have with him.
www.desiringgod.org

Do My Sufferings Complete Christ’s?

How did Paul “fill up what is lacking” in Christ’s afflictions? Didn’t the cross provide a sufficient payment for the sins of God’s people?
www.desiringgod.org www.desiringgod.org
Click to expand...
Hi Hospes and TibiasDad

I watched the short video on YouTube of Piper and I also watched the whole hour that came after it
with Macarthur.

I agree with TibiasDad and you that, of course, Jesus sacrifice was complete.
And yes, I did think even before watching the videos that it had to do with Paul's ministry.
As a matter of fact, Macarthur said exactly this and he explained how he respects Paul and
fashioned his ministry after Paul's.

So, as I understand it, Colossians 1:24 is saying this:
Paul is in prison in Rome and is writing to the Colossians.
He tells them that they are to remain firm in their faith, not moved from
the hope held out in the gospel -- the gospel that has been proclaimed
to every creature under heaven and the gospel to which Paul has become a servant.

Paul is happy for whatever sufferings he has had for the Colossian church....which were many, including
his imprisonment (I've seen the prison) . Jesus died on the cross and suffered as an atonement,
and now Paul is suffering because he is preaching the good news....for Christ's Body, which is the Church.
IOW,,,it is Paul's share of suffering for the church (both church and Church).

Thanks to both of you.
 
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Hospes

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wondering said:
Hi Hospes and TibiasDad

I watched the short video on YouTube of Piper and I also watched the whole hour that came after it
with Macarthur.

I agree with TibiasDad and you that, of course, Jesus sacrifice was complete.
And yes, I did think even before watching the videos that it had to do with Paul's ministry.
As a matter of fact, Macarthur said exactly this and he explained how he respects Paul and
fashioned his ministry after Paul's.

So, as I understand it, Colossians 1:24 is saying this:
Paul is in prison in Rome and is writing to the Colossians.
He tells them that they are to remain firm in their faith, not moved from
the hope held out in the gospel -- the gospel that has been proclaimed
to every creature under heaven and the gospel to which Paul has become a servant.

Paul is happy for whatever sufferings he has had for the Colossian church....which were many, including
his imprisonment (I've seen the prison) . Jesus died on the cross and suffered as an atonement,
and now Paul is suffering because he is preaching the good news....for Christ's Body, which is the Church.
IOW,,,it is Paul's share of suffering for the church (both church and Church).

Thanks to both of you.
Click to expand...
Piper and MacArthur! I am still gobsmacked! There is more to you than I have given you credit.

In all seriousness, I apologize for my lack of recognition.
 
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wondering

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Hospes said:
Piper and MacArthur! I am still gobsmacked! There is more to you than I have given you credit.

In all seriousness, I apologize for my lack of recognition.
Click to expand...
Not much to recognize Hospes.
But I've learned a new word along the way
gobsmacked!

Oh. And I think Sproul is a great teacher.
But I don't agree with him about Augustine, whom he very much respects.
 
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TibiasDad

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wondering said:
Thanks to both of you
Click to expand...

You're very welcome!


Doug
 
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