Go For The Goal
Devotions for Growing Christians
Go For The Goal
Philippians 3:14 - I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Read Philippians 3.
"Go for the Gold" is an expression we hear frequently during the Olympics. The average person really only thinks about this phrase every couple years, but it's a different story for the athletes! They have their sights set on the next Games. They’re always in the process of training. So what’s the aim of these incredibly dedicated men and women? Is it the prize of the gold medal, or is it the goal of the finish line? Wait a minute, isn't that saying almost the same thing in a slightly different way? Not quite. Although the prize and the goal are intimately connected, and both motivate the athlete, they are different. To win the prize, Olympic racers must set their eyes on the goal — not on the prize. They can’t charge directly over to the table containing the medals! To "go for the gold" the athlete must "go for the goal".
This may seem obvious in terms of athletics and the Olympics, but it’s not so clear when it comes to the spiritual analogy. Too often we set our sights on the prize, and lose sight of the goal. Philippians 3:14 refers to both the prize and the goal of Christian living. What’s the difference, and how do we "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call"?
The Prize
Let's start with the prize. Like the gold medal, the prize is given to the winner at the end of the race. What is the prize for Christians at the end of life, when we are called home to Heaven? Is it salvation? No! The race began with our salvation! Without salvation we wouldn’t even officially be in the race! Then is the prize our entrance into Heaven? Well, that's part of it, but there's more to it than admission into Heaven. We're going to see the Lord, and share with Him in His glory forever (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). And Philippians 3:21 says that our present bodies are going to be transformed into glorified bodies, like that of the Lord Jesus’s glorious body! (See 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 and 1 John 3:2.) This is all part of the "prize of the upward call of God."
Will our glorified bodies have the same amount of glory as His body of glory? Hardly! In fact, Scripture appears to teach that the amount or degree of glory that we as individuals will have will be in direct proportion to how we run the race in life. For example, our willingness to suffer persecution for the sake of Christ now is directly related to the glory we will share then, when the Lord returns. (See Romans 8:17 and 2 Corinthians 4:17.) All the future rewards and "crowns" mentioned in the New Testament will be given for faithfulness to Christ, and are associated with the prize of future glory. So while all Christians will receive glorified bodies, it seems that the "amount" of glory will not be the same for all believers. We will not reach the fullness of what that future glory could be if we are unfaithful in this life. (See 1 Corinthians 3:14-15, 1 Corinthians 9:24, Colossians 2:18 and Revelation 3:11.)
It’s significant that the word used for the "crown" of reward in Scripture does not mean the royal crown of a king. No! It is the victory wreath of a triumphant athlete! The glory of the athlete is not given by birth - it is won by running!
What kind of glory are we talking about? Shining faces? Beams of light radiating from our resurrected bodies? That's an aspect of it. The physical side of our future glory certainly has biblical support (Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43). On the Mount of Transfiguration the glory of the Lord involved a shining face and radiant light, and the disciples were told that the occasion was a preview of the glorious future kingdom of God (Matthew 17, Mark 9 and Luke 9). So if we’re going to have glorified bodies in conformity with His "body of glory" (Philippians 3:21), then there will be a physical dimension to our future glory.
But there is another aspect to our future prize of glory. We look forward to moral perfection. Our glorified bodies will be free from sin and its effects in every way! We will not have evil thoughts or bad habits. Nothing will hinder our intimate fellowship with the Lord! Such a fantastic future is not easy to imagine, but glimpses of this future glory can be appreciated even in this life. Have you ever observed the moral beauty of a person who continually and consistently walks closely with the Lord? This moral glory of character is possible for growing Christians now (2 Corinthians 3:18), but it is only a tiny taste of future perfection in Heaven. Although some Christians get carried away and teach that moral perfection is possible in this life, Philippians 3:12-13 states in no uncertain terms that we are not perfect yet. While there may be and should be glimmers of glory now, our "humble body" (3:21) still has a long way to go!
One more point should be stressed about our future glory. It is not like a bunch of golden halos that we chalk up now, and then wear around in Heaven to draw attention to ourselves. No! Our future glory is always seen as inseparably linked to Christ's glory. Our individual glory will derive from, be part of, and complement His universal glory. (See Ephesians 1:18, Colossians 3:4 and 2 Thessalonians 1:10.) As the gold medal around the neck of the athlete brings glory to the home country, so the crowns of glory that we win will bring glory to Heaven and our glorious King (Revelation 4:10-11).
The Goal
How can we be sure that we’ll win the prize of glory? Go for the goal! What is the goal of Philippians 3:14? Checking out the context of the entire chapter helps with interpretation. In Philippians 3 the apostle Paul was refuting a false teaching of “Judaism” that said an outward display of religion was the way you make points with God (3:2-3). "No way!" said Paul - and he knew what he was talking about! If anyone had a right to be proud of how well he practiced his religion, the apostle Paul did. Before his conversion he had outdistanced the best of the Judaisers in religious background and activity (3:4-6). But Paul had learned that all of those religious blue ribbons were actually "garbage" when compared to "knowing Christ" (3:7-8). By coming to know Christ as his personal Savior, Paul had been given a position of righteousness that he never could have attained on his own (3:9).
And now, as a Christian, Paul's goal was to come to know Christ more and more (3:10). And that's it! The goal for the Christian is to know the Lord more and more! The goal of Christian living is not Christian experience or Christian service. These areas of Christian living are important, but they are not the goal. In fact, if we aim at experience or service as our goal, we may end up as unbalanced and distorted Christians. Christian experience ("valleys" as well as "mountain-tops") and Christian service will find their proper place in our lives as we focus our sights on the goal of knowing our Savior more intimately.
How do we get to know the Lord more? Think about it. How do we get to know another person better? It’s obvious. Spend time with that person! Build a relationship. Get involved in the things that interest that person. If we really want to know someone well, we’ll be willing to sacrifice our own time and self-interests to be with that person whenever possible - even if he or she is unpopular, or gets us involved in unpleasant situations!
Getting to know the Person of the Lord Jesus is significantly parallel. If we are to get to know the Lord better, we must spend time with Him - studying His Word, and talking with Him in prayer. There’s no shortcut! How can we have a growing relationship if there is no conversation and communication? (And face it - 5 minutes a day doesn't make for a very close relationship!)
Furthermore, our lives must revolve around the Person of Christ. That’s what Paul is getting at in Philippians 3:10. Getting to know the Lord better is inseparably linked with walking by faith in Him and in the power of His resurrection. That unbelievable power is available to us - but the flow is limited by our lack of faith and trust in Him. Do you believe that the Lord could start a ministry on your campus or in your neighborhood or office through you? Step out in faith, and you will not only experience His power - you will get to know Him better!
Willingness to suffer for the sake of Christ is another essential part of coming to know Him in a deeper way. This doesn’t mean we’re to seek trials and persecution, but we can be sure that they will come in one form or another if we’re walking with the Lord. (See 2 Timothy 3:12.) Let your high ethical standards as a Christian become known on the secular campus or job, and your life may get a little stormy. But in the storm you will come to know the Lord and His presence with you.
Also mentioned in Philippians 3:10 is the aspect of being "conformed to His death." The more we "die" to our own selfish life, the more we will come to know the Lord and the reality of His life within us. A Christian with an attitude of "It's my life" cannot even begin to know the transformation of mind, thought, and life experience that will come to a Christian who is willing to be conformed to His death. Read Romans 12:1-2.
Getting to know the Lord more and more was the apostle Paul’s goal. He wanted this more than anything for the rest of his life (3:11). Is this our supreme desire? Is this our goal? In view of the glorious prize that awaits us, let’s go for the goal!
- Dave Reid