Pressing On in Christ

KEY VERSE: “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 calling of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:13,14

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:7-21

IN THE city of Philippi, the teachings of Paul were loudly challenged by a Jewish activist group of his day called the Judaizers. It was not strange that Paul was the object of their abuse for he disagreed with their teaching of circumcision. Paul taught the real circumcision of the heart through Christ, and taught that the circumcision of the flesh had no part in Christianity. Such he referred to in Philippians 3:3, saying, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” The outward performances of the Law were but a shadow. (Heb. 10:1) The Christian’s rejoicing is in Christ Jesus, the reality.

Because Paul did not agree with the Judaizers, it would appear that they even challenged his birth, some insisting that he was a Gentile, or, at best, an Ishmaelite. He therefore answered, most categorically, their charges.

He had been “circumcised the eighth day.” Why the eighth day? Converts to Judaism were circumcised at maturity, after they became converts. Ishmaelites were circumcised at thirteen years of age. Unconverted heathen, or Gentiles, were not circumcised at all. By stating that he was circumcised the eighth day he was proving that he had been born a Jew.—Phil. 3:5-8

“Of the stock of Israel.” Had he said, “Of the stock of Abraham,” that could mean he might have been an Ishmaelite, but the stock of Israel was pure Jewish stock. Interesting? He was not a proselyte, he was not an Ishmaelite, he was an Israelite.

“Of the tribe of Benjamin.” He was not born into one of the lost tribes. He was of the same tribe as King Saul. Very likely he had been named after Saul, the Son of Kish, King of Israel, for originally his name was “Saul, of Tarsus.” (Acts 9:11) His tribe, Benjamin, was faithful to God as was the tribe of Judah.

“An Hebrew of the Hebrews.” That is, an “Hebrew from Hebrew parents.” “As touching the Law, a Pharisee.” Those who were criticizing Paul claimed they were upholding the validity of the Law. None professed to uphold the Law more than did the Pharisees, and so he emphasized that he was a son of Pharisaic parents.

And then, after presenting these proofs of his Jewish origin, he said in effect, “But after all, what do these things matter? Suppose I am circumcised; suppose I am of Israelitish stock; suppose I am of the tribe of Benjamin? What does it matter? I count all those things as refuse, for those things have no value in comparison with gaining Christ.”

Paul’s high objective stated in verses ten to thirteen was to attain to “the resurrection of the dead.” Paul assured the brethren that he was pressing forward towards this goal. Rotherham translates his words, “If by any means I may advance to the earlier resurrection, which is from among the dead.”

In our text a race course is pictured, and as parallel lines mark the area where men should run, so also the apostle said he ran and pressed along the line of full devotion to God, of mature Christian love, for only thus could he reach the prize of our high calling, our heavenly calling—the prize of an incorruptible crown of life. Ours is the same race course—ours is the same prize!

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