Running the Earthly Race with a Heavenly Focus
5. Focused on the Prize (Philippians 3:14)
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).
In this passage, Paul once again uses the metaphor of running a race to describe the Christian life, using two different Greek terms: “reaching forth” and as a “pressing toward” the mark. The term “press towards” (διώκω) in vs.14a is also used in vs.13 and is translated, “follow after.” The term can mean to chase for the purpose of persecuting; to make to run or flee, put to flight, or drive away. Strong’s Concordance gives it a second definition: to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after; and figuratively of one who runs swiftly in a race to reach the goal. That is how he uses the term in this passage. Thus, in this illustration, Paul saw himself as running towards a goal.
Paul also uses a second term (“reaching forth” – ἐπεκτείνω) to describe the concept of “running.” This term is from epi (unto) + ektainw (to stretch). Hence, to stretch toward or strain toward some goal. This term speaks of the great EFFORT exerted in running a race, stretching oneself… stretching muscles. This term is parallel in meaning to the term he used in I Cor. 9:25 – “striving” (agonizomai) for the mastery, which emphasizes the effort, strain, and pain involved.
In Philippians 3:12, the effort required to win the race is expressed by Paul when he states that he realizes that he has not yet attained the goal nor was he yet perfect. Note that he was stretching towards “perfection” (which means full grown; mature; complete) and would not be satisfied with anything less. Remember, in the races Paul was familiar with, there was only ONE winner (I Cor. 9:24). There was no silver or bronze. Everyone else lost the race. Thus, Paul was not hoping to come in second place. Nothing but first place would do – and that meant that he had to strive for perfection. He was out for the gold, not the silver or bronze. He was striving for the mastery. He gave it his all, because he realized that he was not perfect yet. No one is in this life! But that fact did not discourage him. Rather, he saw it as a challenge, as a goal worth striving for because he knew that he was continually making progress. He knew that the moment he began to slack off… the moment he stopped stretching himself towards that goal, he would begin to lose ground in the race. (How true of us too!) That’s why he kept on “following after” that goal. (He continually chased it down – present tense). His goal was to BE perfect: Christlike in every way. That ought to be our goal in life too. If we focus on that goal we will never arrive fully in this life, but we will make progress in that direction.
The prize towards which the apostle ran was “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” His high calling was his position IN Christ. He had been raised into heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6). As Paul ran his earthly race, he focused on a mark, which is his high calling. He had been called to BE like Christ. “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40). The goal in this race was to be LIKE Christ.
Consider Philippians 3:10: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” If Paul was going to be like his Master, then he would have to KNOW Christ in a deeper way – a full experiential knowledge of Christ. He knew that he wasn’t there yet entirely. Paul wanted to know fully the power of the resurrection in his daily life. He had experienced it, but not to the fullest. Paul also realized that he had to be willing to be made conformable unto Christ’s death. The term “conformable” is defined as to “take on the same form as.” It is used in Romans 8:29 where it is translated “conformed” into His image. How is the believer conformed unto Christ’s death? In His death for us, Christ was willing to suffer for us. He was willing to give Himself completely to the will of the Father – even to the point of death. He was completely selfless, willing to suffer and pay a price for the good of others. We are conformed to His death when we demonstrate that same “mind of Christ.” Being conformed to His death involves reckoning ourselves to be dead unto sin (Romans 6:11), being willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake, willing to fellowship in Christ’s sufferings for righteousness’ sake, picking up a cross and following Christ, putting others first, being willing to sacrifice our rights for the good of others, and being willing to sacrifice and suffer in order to win the race. As we do so, we are following the steps that Christ trod. As we run the race as Christ ran, we are being made conformable unto His death, and we are being conformed to His image.
The goal of the race is our “high calling” which IS Christlikeness. Consider our high calling:
Paul knew well that his goal was his position in Christ. And he also knew that the condition of his present earthly life fell infinitely short of his glorious heavenly position… his high calling. He knew that in Christ he was holy (positionally), but he acknowledge that in his earthly race, he fell far short of that. He knew that in Christ he was a saint, but in his earthly race, he did not always behave in a saintly manner. He knew that he had not yet attained his goal. He had not been perfected. His condition did not perfectly match his glorious, heavenly position. Therefore, he knew he had to keep on running towards that goal and focused on that goal. His goal (mark) was obtaining that prize – a reward given at the Bema seat to those who faithfully run towards that mark.
Running the race in such a way as to obtain that goal requires FOCUS. Focusing on the prize requires FORGETTING those things which are behind. The things which are behind in this context refers to all the things Paul “sacrificed” or exchanged for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. In Phil. 3:5-7, Paul counted his past history (his past achievements; his past life) as dung compared to what he has now in Christ. In Phil. 3:8, he was willing to leave it all behind in his pursuit of the knowledge of Christ. He “suffered the loss of all things” in the past when he came to Christ. But now something infinitely superior has captured his heart: the prize of the mark of his high calling in Christ. Therefore, Paul refused to look back. He chose to “forget” (put out of his mind) whatever it cost him to follow Christ. Once he got a glimpse of Christ, the things of earth grew strangely dim in the light of HIS glory and grace! Once he got a glimpse of Christ, the finish line, and the prize of his high calling, he had no interest in turning back – or even looking back. (Remember Lot’s wife.) He was now “looking unto Jesus” and running the race with patience. He was now focused on his high calling – and the finish line where he would be perfected, made once and for all like Christ, robed in white and crowned with a golden crown that he could cast at Christ’s feet. Once he got a glimpse of his heavenly calling, he no longer thought about “those things which are behind.” Whatever it COST Paul to run this race was more than worth it! Why focus on earthly dung when you can focus on your heavenly calling in Christ?
In our passage, Paul tells us that AS he ran, he FOCUSED on his high calling… on his heavenly position in Christ. As he focused on his heavenly position, he was strengthened and enabled to run and to patiently endure. The Lord used a similar illustration: the branch abiding in Christ, the Vine. Christ IS our position… our position is IN Him (I Cor. 1:30). As we dwell on Him, rest in Him, and abide in Him, we will be strengthened and nourished by Him and will bear fruit. As the runner focuses on Christ who is our position, we are enabled to RUN the race with patience. What keeps the runner running? Focusing our attention on the Risen Savior and our position in Him keeps us running!
We are NOT to look back and dwell on the cost of the race. Paul’s point is that we are to forget the past, forget the cost, the sacrifice, and the price we paid to follow Christ. If we dwell on the past… we will be filling our minds with thoughts of how painful it was to have to give up this or that to follow Christ. We will be reminded of all the sacrifices involved in running the race… the loss of some so called friends… the time it demands of us… and all the work and service involved… all the things that we had to “give up” in order to be in shape to run. If we dwell on those past things, we will soon become discouraged and quit running. We would conclude that it’s not worth it.
A marathoner who focuses on his pain while running will stop running in no time. (If he thinks about his pulled leg muscle, his aching heel, etc.) he would quit. A runner is to forget the past. He is to forget his past victories. If he dwells on his past victories, he might get a bit proud and think that he no longer has to train as hard as he used to. He can slack off a bit – after all, he is number one and nobody can beat him! That’s a sure road to defeat. Some refer to this as “sitting on his laurels.” (Resting on his past victories, his past laurel crowns, instead of training and running for future races.) Resting on our past victories, (resting on our laurels) results in laziness and sloth… and leads to defeat. He is also to forget his past defeats. The runner is not to dote over his past failures either. Neither are we – and we’ve all had them! We’ve all had way too many past defeats. It does no good spiritually to sit around licking our wounds. That is a royal waste of time. If we have failed in the past, (and who hasn’t!) confess it, and BELIEVE that God has forgiven you, and get back into running in the race! Get back on track! Dwelling on past failures leads to nothing but discouragement and more failure. A runner who focuses on the things that are past (either victories or defeats) will be defeated: either through laziness or discouragement. It doesn’t matter which tool the devil uses… the end result is the same: defeat… quitting… failure.
When we as believers focus on our earthly condition (whether we think our condition is fabulous or lousy), then we are NOT focusing on our heavenly position. Focusing on our earthly condition is focusing on self, and that always leads to defeat. Focusing on our heavenly position is focusing on Christ. That enables us to run the race with patience… on to victory!
“But this ONE THING I do.” (vs.13) Of all the things that Paul could have done, he says that there was really only ONE thing that caught his undivided attention. The “one thing” was the prize. He left past things behind. He brushed all other things aside. There was only ONE THING that drove this man: winning the prize… standing before Christ in perfect Christlikeness… with the dross all burned away… and receiving a WELL DONE thou good and faithful servant. Paul forgot about everything else while running the race so that he could focus on this ONE THING. Focus is everything.