Philippians 3:14 - Pressing on

Introduction

Joe gave me total freedom to pick any topic that I wanted to teach on tonight briefly. And the topic that the Lord has been impressing on my heart is Sanctification. This is a bit of technical term, and in common language we might say that sanctification begins the moment you place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and it describes the process of growing in spiritual maturity. In one of the great works ever written on this topic, the Puritan Walter Marshall described sanctification as, “increasing in our duties of holiness and righteousness described in the law.” I particarly like that definition because it places some bounds on what we are after in the Christian life. Sanctification is not just a feeling, it inhabits specific practices in our life. It refers to the ‘duties’ and the ‘responsibilities’ of holiness and righteousness. In short, a true Christian ought to long for greater godliness in their thoughts, affections, and actions throughout their life.

My anchor verse for tonight is Philippians 3:12-15. It reads as follows

Philippians 3:12–15 ESV

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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

In our short time I want to look at the Qualifications Required for Sanctifications. And then secondly at the Dynamics of Pursuing Sanctification.

I. THE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED OF SANCTIFICATION

First, the qualifications required of sanctification.

A. Christ Jesus Has Made Me His Own: Look carefully at what he says in verse 12, “I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Until a person recognizes both in their mind and believes in their heart, that Christ Jesus is their Lord and Savior, there is no path of holiness or godliness made available unto them. The path of pressing into God, and learning how to delight in the things of God begins, with faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if you are here tonight on the arm of a friend, and you have inside of you a desire to know God as He truly is, know that it is impossible in any other path, but through Jesus Christ.

B. Must Infuse Our Affections: Secondly, that knowledge of the Gospel must infuse your affections for God, the way you feel about God. The Scriptures say that when you believe in Jesus you are given a new heart that beats for the things of God. But many so called Christians I have met, it is clear their heart does not beat for the things of God. The knowledge of the Gospel is up here (in the head), but it is have never sunk down to here (in the heart). Their Christian is dry and useless, because authentic relationship with their maker. God has not called us to a dry and withering Christianity. Christ went to the cross, defeated sin, satan, and death, for you to have life to the full, to be in a living relationship with the true God.

C. We Must Be Persuaded of Our Glorious Inheritance: Third qualification is that we must be persuaded deeply of our glorious inheritance in heaven. Paul says, “He is strains for what lies ahead.” He “presses on towards the goal.” Part of the great tragedy of the modern American Church is that there is so little hungering for heaven. We have lost our eternal perspective. We no longer spend evenings meditating on the promises of our inheritance awaiting us in heaven, but we spend our evenings laboring over earthly affairs.

D. Persuaded of Christ Working in Us: Fourth, we must have an overwhelming sense that any holiness wrought in us, and spiritual maturity developed in us, is a powerful work of Christ in us, and not fruit of our own effort and striving. Many of you know what it is like to go round and round in circles with sin, attempting to discipline yourself into greater obedience, only to find that you are not strong enough to will yourself through your sin. You have yet to learn the great lesson of Romans 7, that until we abandon our own strength and wholly depend on Jesus and His sweet mercy extending into more and more of our experience, there will be no true lasting growth.

E. Evaluate Yourselves: And so I pause here before I turn to consider the Dynamics of Pursuing Sanctification, to reflect. Honest reflection. Search your hearts right here and now. Have you truly believed the Gospel, that you were a sinner destined for hell, but Christ took your place underneath of the wrath of God. And has that knowledge so sunk into your affections that your heart beats in new ways for the things of God? Do you find yourself eternal perspective guiding you and providing a sense of direction in your life? Are you laboring in your Christian faith out of your own effort? If the answer to any of these is no, let tonight be a sweet night of newness. Fresh wind, fresh fire in your soul.

II. THE DYNAMICS OF PURSUING SANTIFICATION

I want to look now at the Dynamics of Pursuing Sanctification. And for the sake of time, I will limit myself to three observations.

A. A Sense of Urgency & Intentionality: The first dynamic is that we must pursue maturity with a sense of urgency. Paul says, “I press on.” That’s a continuous ongoing action, I keep pressing on. Spiritual lethargy is the great hindrance of maturity. We know that the Devil loves to keep us so busy that we remain distracted from the pursuit of God. If God has placed a desire in you for spiritual maturity, then our life must have a sense of divine purpose that is accompanied an urgency in things. I’m not describing frentic frantic activity, in fact quite the opposite. I’m describing an intentionality of life and of time and the direction of our life.

Jonathan Edwards: The great Jonathan Edwards over the course of his life recorded these resolutions, rules that he aimed to live by. I recommend for tonight’s reading to find these online and reflect on them. Many of them are worthy of imitation. Resolution 19 reads as follows,

Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

We must have a sense of urgency and intentionality with our time and the direction of our life.

B. Pursue Christ with Passion: Second, sanctification must be pursued with passion. Look at verse 13, “straining forward to what lies ahead.” The image is of a racer reaching for the finish line straining with his body. One thing I have discovered over time is that it is very possible to go through all the motions of modern Christianity for years on end (Go to Church on Sunday, Join a Small on Wednesday, Serve at the shelter monthly), and to do so in a way that we never actually grow. We just stay at the same level of maturity for years. What is going on? At least part of what is happening is that we are hoping for sanctification to happen with as little effort and striving as possible. There is no passion. The things that you are passionate about, you find a way to develop in your life. We must organize our passions around the duties and responsibilities to pursue holiness & righteousness.

C. Utilize All the Simple Means Christ Left Us: Lastly, we are to utilize all the simple means Christ left us. One of the beautiful things about Christianity is that it is not rocket science. The pathway of growing in Christ likeness does not require you to become a monk, or quit your job, or move to a new city, or go on a mission trip. A passionate and urgent pursuit of the things Christ told us to do, will foster over time a greater Christ likeness. Here is a short list: Study the Word of God, Memorize portions of the word of God, regularly examine your life to see if there is any false way in you, meditate on the word of God not just in your mind, but pressing it into your heart and soul until you really do believe it and live as if it was true. Join in deep fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ who will push you and challenge you in your faith. When you take the Lord’s Supper, do so with a reverence and a sense that God will use that sacrament to press into you deeper convictions and resolutions. Sing hymns and songs of worship—fill your home and your cars with them. Pray. Find a quiet spot, and develop a habit of getting on your knees and seeking God, praying for your Church, your family, your needs, thanking God for his mercies in your life.

Conclusion

And so, let me conclude with another opportunity to evaluate yourself. Do you have a sense of urgency and intentionality about growing in your faith and your duties of holiness before your God? Do you pursue that path with a passion that is worthy of the title Christian—Christ one. Are there are any simple means of growing in Christ that you have been forsaking or taking too lightly.

May I encourage you, don’t leave here today before you have done that important business with the Lord. If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit. Listen to what He is saying. Let him lead you to new places.