How Do You Press Toward The Mark For The Prize Of The High Calling Of God In Christ Jesus?

[Michael37]

This question could be phrased another way as "How Do You Pursue The Reward Promised Those Who Are Called Of Christ? 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

[JTC]

Michael37,   I just went to reread Philippians ch.3 to be sure of what I'm going to say. This is a chapter of great contentions and I'm sure someone will disagree with me.

   First of all, I'm little surprised you didn't ask what's the reward Paul is seeking. But I'm glad you didn't, the question you asked is the easier one to answer. We have to be clear on one thing, Paul wrote that to people who are saved already, so the pressing on can't mean accepting Jesus as Lord. They already did that. I hope we agree up to here.

Paul is talking about living as righteously as possible, and you can tell from what he says, he knows it's no easy task. We all refer to Jesus as our Lord, correct? But if someone is our Lord that means we have to obey him, even when obeying him means doing things we don't want to do. To the people of 2000 yrs ago this was common knowledge. But today people only want to do what suits them, be that lying, stealing, cheating, cussing, getting angry, watching porn, having casual sex, you get the idea. We're not supposed to do any of that, but there's one thing even harder. Jesus said we have to love one another. Jesus also said we have to love and pray for our enemies. Maybe it's not too hard to act lovingly to a Christian brother but we have to be that way to the gay guy we don't like, but we are supposed to. We don't have to feel love for enemies but we have to behave in a loving way towards them. As I said, Paul knew it isn't easy.

Besides the rewards we will get in Heaven there's at least one earthly reward for living a pious life. James 5:16 says the sincere prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. The implication is that by living as sin free as possible we will get more or better answers to prayer. I think of it as when we stay without sins we're doing something special for God, and when we do then God is more likely to do something special for us.

I believe this is the answer to your question.

[Michael37]

On 5/5/2020 at 7:23 AM, JTC said:

Michael37,   I just went to reread Philippians ch.3 to be sure of what I'm going to say. This is a chapter of great contentions and I'm sure someone will disagree with me.

   First of all, I'm little surprised you didn't ask what's the reward Paul is seeking. But I'm glad you didn't, the question you asked is the easier one to answer. We have to be clear on one thing, Paul wrote that to people who are saved already, so the pressing on can't mean accepting Jesus as Lord. They already did that. I hope we agree up to here.

Paul is talking about living as righteously as possible, and you can tell from what he says, he knows it's no easy task. We all refer to Jesus as our Lord, correct? But if someone is our Lord that means we have to obey him, even when obeying him means doing things we don't want to do. To the people of 2000 yrs ago this was common knowledge. But today people only want to do what suits them, be that lying, stealing, cheating, cussing, getting angry, watching porn, having casual sex, you get the idea. We're not supposed to do any of that, but there's one thing even harder. Jesus said we have to love one another. Jesus also said we have to love and pray for our enemies. Maybe it's not too hard to act lovingly to a Christian brother but we have to be that way to the gay guy we don't like, but we are supposed to. We don't have to feel love for enemies but we have to behave in a loving way towards them. As I said, Paul knew it isn't easy.

Besides the rewards we will get in Heaven there's at least one earthly reward for living a pious life. James 5:16 says the sincere prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. The implication is that by living as sin free as possible we will get more or better answers to prayer. I think of it as when we stay without sins we're doing something special for God, and when we do then God is more likely to do something special for us.

I believe this is the answer to your question.

Actually, your answer is really good, JTC. 

The world has its motivational concepts of how to achieve aims and goals but Paul lays out the manner in which the follower of Christ is to keep moving towards their heavenly rewards. Our past is one thing, our future is another.

 Php 3:13  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,