Forgetting those things which are behind - My conduct is not regulated nor influenced by that of others; I consider my calling, my Master, my work, and my end. What is the thing Paul wants to make his own, which he has not yet obtained? When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of sound bites or independent proverbial sayings—we’ll find that some of our most familiar verses mean something other than what we may have assumed. So what Paul is after is to press on toward the goal, which is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. Learn how your comment data is processed. Backward, we see everything to dishearten and to humble. Philippians 3:13 I count not myself to have apprehended. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. reaching forth—with hand and foot, like a runner in a race, and the body bent forward. Paul states that he does one thing. Also, we should also not miss this: When Paul talked about “forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, (and pressing) on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 14), he was modeling the kind of life to which God calls each one of us. Or maybe you’ve been to a business seminar, inspiring you to keep the past in the past and press on toward a glorious vision of the company’s future. These cookies do not store any personal information. And reaching forth unto those things which are before. “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14. He has thereby shared in Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that he might attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3:10-11). He was running for life, and running for his life. Especially the things which he once counted gain (Php 3:7), and even all the hardships and sufferings of the apostolic lot. The Christian is always humbled by the contrast between what he is and what he desires to be. In fact, we'll never obtain complete sanctification until we stand before the Lord. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Perhaps you’ve heard that you ought not dwell too much on the past. The sentence immediately before this is: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own” (Phil 3:13a). Before the Christian there is a crown of glory, the eternal reward of heaven. The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. Amplified® Bible copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. Let us then so live that we may be able to say, that there is one great object which we always have in view, and that we mean to avoid everything which would interfere with that. God's word to us is as it was to Israel, "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward" (Ex 14:15). “Not that I have already obtained this…” Paul says in v. 12. Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before. That purpose should be to secure the prize, and to renounce everything that would be in the way to its attainment. So here we see Paul pressing on for something—a good sign that it’s the same thing as “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” But we still don’t know what “it” is. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. And it may be remarked in general, that a Christian will make more rapid advances in piety by looking forward than by looking backward. Although Christians are called to be like Christ, we continue to make mistakes. See what over 145,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Forgetting those things which are behind - There is an allusion here undoubtedly to the Grecian races. If his attention was diverted for a moment from that, it would hinder his flight, and might be the means of his losing the crown. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. No, we can’t all be apostles. His whole life is given to one purpose. In verse 3, Paul claims to be part of “the circumcision,” which is defined as those “who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” This is in contrast to the dogs and evildoers who “mutilate the flesh” (Phil 3:2). The first two parts set up the third part. And it’s not about casting vision for the future. Now how does this affect the way we read the phrase “forgetting what lies behind”? But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal. (In fact, it’s often important to remember these things to highlight God’s grace at work in you – Eph 2:1-4, 11-13.) And reaching forth unto those things which are before. 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. Context matters. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Especially your regrets, failures, or inadequacies. These are enough to animate the soul, and to urge it on with ever-increasing vigor in the christian race. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. K.J.V. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It’s about repenting of your self-reliance, and coming to realize you have absolutely nothing to offer to make you right with God. Amplified® We must go back a little further into the context to see what exactly Paul has left behind. Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). A.F.V And reaching forth - As one does in a race. Now how does this affect the way we read the phrase “forgetting what lies behind”? Going back one more sentence, we see: “Not that I have already obtained this…but I press on to make it my own…” (Phil 3:12). So the “one thing” is really just the third part. The prize is yet before. Especially the things which he once counted gain (Philippians 3:7), and even all the hardships and sufferings of the apostolic lot. He looked onward to the prize. To this singleness of purpose he owed his extraordinary attainments in piety, and his uncommon success as a minister. Circumcised on the eighth day, an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, a superb Hebrew, a meticulous keeper of the Law, a zealous persecutor of “false” religions, a blameless adherent to the righteousness of the law. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The Arabic version renders the whole thus, "I do not think that I have now obtained and received anything, but the one thing"; namely, what follows, forgetting those things which are behind, meaning not the sins of his past life, which were indeed forgotten by God, and the guilt of which was removed from him, by the application of the blood of Christ, so that he had no more conscience of them; yet they were remembered and made mention of by him, partly for his own humiliation, and partly to magnify the grace of God: nor earthly and worldly things, which believers are too apt to have respect to, to look back upon, and hanker after, as the Israelites did after the fleshpots in Egypt, Exodus 16:3; though these were forgotten by the apostle, so as not anxiously to care for them, and seek after them, to set his affections on them, or trust in them: nor his fleshly privileges, and legal righteousness, which he pursued, valued, and trusted in before conversion, but now dropped, renounced, disregarded, and counted as loss and dung, Philippians 3:7; but rather his labours and works of righteousness since conversion, which though he times took notice of for the magnifying of the grace of God, for the defence of the Gospel, and to put a stop to the vain boasting of false teachers, yet he forgot them in point of dependence on them, and trust to them; and having put his hand to the plough, he did not look back, nor desist, but went on in his laborious way, not thinking of what he had done and gone through, nor discouraged at what was before him; as also he intends all his growth in grace, and proficiency in divine knowledge, which was very, great; and though he was thankful for these things, and would observe them to the glory of the grace of God, yet he trusted not in them: nor did he sit down easy and satisfied with what he had attained unto, and therefore was. He fixed the eye intently on that. There is the favor of God, victory over sin and death, the society of the redeemed and of angelic beings, and the assurance of perfect and eternal freedom from all evil. One running to secure the prize would not stop to look behind him to see how much ground he had run over, or who of his competitors had fallen or lingered in the way. And this one thing has three parts. We must go back a little further into the context to see what exactly Paul has left behind. So all that important stuff that made up Paul’s pedigree—all the things he in which he had taken pride—are now considered but manure scrapings stuck to his sandals.

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