Press On

“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.”
ESV Philippians 3:12

If anyone in the early church had reason to boast about his education or pedigree, it was most certainly the Apostle Paul. Scripture tells us that he was of true Jewish lineage, a member of the elite (some say aristocratic) tribe of Benjamin; a regular Hebrew of Hebrews. Paul was also well educated in Jewish law; so skilled and zealous in the law that nobody could bring a charge against him in regards to it. Paul was equally zealous in his faith and a persecutor of all who crossed it; especially the early Christian church.

But Paul underwent a radical change. Paul had a personal experience with Jesus Christ, and his life was never the same again. Paul’s change was so dramatic that he renounced his pedigree, education, social standing. He went so far as to call all of his past accomplishments “rubbish” and “loss for the sake of Christ.” Paul exemplified what many Christians today call genuine conversion. After Paul placed his faith in Jesus, he was genuinely a new creation; a new man.

Paul’s experiences, education, and calling after his conversion would give a lesser man plenty to boast about as well. His conversion experience was dramatic to say the least. I mean, how many times have you heard testimony of someone being knocked from their horse by a blinding light? Paul’s own testimony in 1 Corinthians was that Christ appeared to him “as to one untimely born.” And as an early foreign missionary, his work is unequaled.

Yet for all his accomplishments, both prior and after his conversion, Paul maintained a humble attitude as an Apostle and as a Christian. He contended that he was the least among the Apostles. More importantly, Paul’s humble attitude was a positive witness to the power of Christ in conversion. After Paul’s Damascus road encounter with Christ, he continually strove to live in a Christ-like manner. In respect to Christian living, he “pressed on,” towards that day when Christ will come again.

Why? What makes a man like Paul overflow with humility? What makes a man like Paul “press on” in righteous living, striving each day to be more Christ-like? What makes a man like Paul abandon his vocation, discard his education and give his life supporting the church that he once persecuted?

There’s only one explanation and it has already been mentioned; a personal experience with Jesus. It’s that experience that allows a person to see that God is holy and he or she is not. Paul recognized his sinful condition and that Jesus had redeemed him from certain condemnation from God. In our verse, he says that “Christ Jesus made me his own.” So, knowing that his eternal salvation had been purchased by the sacrifice of Christ, Paul continually “pressed on,” looking forward to the day when Christ would return for His people.

Christ will return one day for His people; His church. Is your faith well founded? Is your faith in personal accomplishments and your ancestry or is your faith in Christ? Faith in Christ is faith that is well founded. Make sure that your faith is well founded and “press on” towards that day when Christ will come for you.