We are continuing in Philippians, considering Philippians 3:7-21 in relation to Conditional Security. There are some very difficult verses within this passage and I make no claim to have come to settled conclusions on any of them.

With this thought, and with trepidation, I would like to offer my thoughts and an opportunity for my readers to comment, correct or condemn my simple thoughts.

Let us continue with Philippians 3:12-16. Paul begins the passage using a banker metaphor, as if there were a ledger on his desk and is describing his transactions of what he owned for what he wanted.

Let’s take a minute to read through this short passage with that in mind.

Philippians 3

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

The great apostle Paul speaking of not attaining. The question that rises in my mind is – What are you seeking to attain here Paul? What is the topic here?

The term in Greek is λαμβάνω lambánō, and it helps me understand Paul’s message, for when I see this word I also understand it indicates “to take to oneself, to appropriate to one’s self” as Strong’s dictionary provides. What Paul is speaking of is that which he is not simply knowing intellectually, but is living out in his life.

That which he is chasing is the Christ and that which he is appropriating to himself is the call of God. He freely admits that he has not appropriated it fully into his life, that he has a way to go, that his failures and disappointments in the past, though real, are simply that – in the past.

As mentioned in the last post, this posture Paul takes is the healthy posture of realizing that though his intent is to be fully committed, he has found he has not attained, nor is he perfect. He is not already perfect. Perfect. Who might think this very thing? If Paul couldn’t think it, could any of us? Yet to be perfect in Paul’s mind not not to be flawless, or without any error or problem. The term perfect is found twice in this short passage. In verse 12, Paul is admitting he is not perfect. τελειόω teleióō, in verse 12, speaks of being brought to the end of a goal, to bring to a close or fulfillment. Paul admits he has a way to go.

And yet, he speaks in verse 15 as being perfect. τέλειος téleios is translated as perfect in 3:15 and is referring to Paul and other Christians as being “perfect”. To be perfect, at least in this passage might be understood to be mature, or brought to it’s purpose.

So let’s recap.

Paul hasn’t arrived to the point where he is satisfied. Note that the only time he speaks of some relative point of maturity is that when he speaks of himself with others. There is a relative arrival for Paul in relation to those in the church who are also chasing after God.

But verse 15 opens the door to the mixed nature of the church. There are those in the church who are mature, and there are those who are not. Those who do not think like Paul, he seeks that they will enter into maturity with him at some point, that God would reveal his point of view to them. The point of view that he has not arrived! That the mature Christian has not arrived!

This mixture within the church brings about a general topic of a spectrum within the body, of those who are hard pressed to know Him and those who might not care less. Of course this brings to the table the presumption that a Christian can grow cold, can fall back, can for a time, turn from following. I think most would admit to this teaching within the Word. My concern is this lapse of following would provide a temptation to quit, to say “no more” to the Savior and to walk away, not to return.

In our next passage, I think Paul may be hinting that the believers in Philippi are witness to this catastrophe of apostacy in their ranks. Till then, may the Lord be very real to you in your day to day lives.

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