While Paul was first imprisoned in Rome for the gos- pel’s sake, he wrote by inspiration four epistles, three to churches and one to an individual. They are Ephesians, Phi- lippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Sometimes they are called the Prison Epistles. In his letter to the church at Phi- lippi, he said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have appre- hended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high call- ing of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13–14.)
This is a fitting text to study at the beginning of a new year. One would think that others would have been writing to encourage him to keep the faith; however, instead, he was writing to encourage his brethren to be faithful. What an amazing man! Suppose we had been in Paul’s sandals. Would we have been encouraging our brethren, or complain- ing about our lot in life? Would we have been seeking sym- pathy for our difficulties and troubles or would we have been trying to build others up? Paul was not all wrapped up in himself, but was encouraging others. I am afraid I would have been discouraged because of the suffering, and I would have been “down” because I had not heard from a number of brethren. His wings had been clipped, so to speak. He was under “house arrest.” And though he was able to receive all who came to him, he still had some travel restrictions.
In the text above, Paul said, “this one thing I do.” So many people are involved in a host of things that they over- look the most important thing. This is not to say that some of the organizations are wrong, but each one takes some time. Leighton said, “To him that knoweth not the port to which he is bound, no wind is favorable.” The old blunderbuss gun fired shots in many directions with one pull of the trigger. Some live their lives like that old gun, going in all directions at once, but missing the real target. Pick up the newspaper and scan through the obituaries. Note how some individuals have been involved in so many clubs, organizations, etc. yet, little or no time was dedicated to spiritual matters.
As he wrote of his past life and credentials in Judaism, he wanted brethren to know that he counted his accomplish- ments in the Jewish religion loss. He said that he was“forgetting those things which are behind.” It is good to for- get some things in the past. We should forget the sins which have been forgiven, for God will remember them no more. That is, God does not hold them against us. A failure to do this can cause one to become discouraged to the point that he just “throws in the towel” and quits. However, the blood of Christ can forgive any sin from which we repent (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:7). Our past failures may be either sins of omission or commission. We either failed to do what we know we should have done (James 4:17), or we have done things that we should not have done (1 John 3:4). Any and all sin can be forgiven if we will repent. The farmer will not plow a straight line if he is constantly looking back. Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62.)
It is good to take inventory. Paul commanded, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor. 13:5.) In order to
take inventory, one must look back. One should look back and learn from his mistakes. I once had a boss who said, “It is ok to make a mistake; just don’t make the same mistake twice.” In other words, learn from your mistakes. But to dwell in the past, to wring one’s hands over that which one has no control is fruitless. Paul said, “forgetting those things which are behind.”
The prisoner for Christ penned, “...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark....” “Reaching forth” translates a Greek word, which means “strain toward”or “stretch toward, try hard to.” This expression makes me think of a runner who is straining or stretching toward the fin- ish line, perhaps trying to edge out someone else. Christians are to stretch toward the goal. Let us look ahead and reach forward with every effort (Col. 3:1-2).
The expression “press toward the mark” denotes “to strive energetically for some purpose...” It indicates that one has not arrived at the mark or goal, but he is pursuing it. He has not yet arrived. He does not have the reward, but he is striving for it. If one has eternal life in actuality now, and he cannot lose it, what incentive would there be to press toward the mark? This verse indicates that one does not have eternal life in reality now, but it is in promise (Titus 1:2; 1 John 2:25).
So, what is the reward? What is the prize for which we are straining, stretching toward? Paul said that he was press- ing “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ.” He was pressing along the line that marked the course in order to receive the prize of the high calling. All of us should be striving for heaven, not that we can earn our sal- vation. However, this passage and many others emphasize the effort it takes to make heaven our home (Phil. 2:12; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Rev. 2:10).
As you read these lines, we will be just a few days into the new year 2020. Let each of us forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto the things which are before, pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.