One Thing I Do
Philippians 3:12–16
Professional athletes devote their lives to the pursuit of a prize. They focus all their efforts on reaching their goals, putting aside all distractions and hindrances to their success. The apostle Paul may not have been a professional athlete, but he conducted himself like one in his dedicated service to Christ.
In terms of pedigree, Paul was in a class of his own. When he was a Pharisee named Saul, he fully immersed himself in his Jewish faith. In his zeal for keeping Judaism untouched by the teachings of the early church, he persecuted Christians and consented to their deaths (Acts 8:1). But when Saul encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road, his life radically changed. Once a persecutor of Christians, he became a trophy of God’s grace.
The Jewish heritage Saul counted precious lost its luster once he found salvation in Christ and became known as Paul. In fact, Paul counted his pedigree as “rubbish” (Greek, skybalon, meaning “refuse” or “animal excrement”) compared to what he experienced in Jesus (Phil. 3:8).
He could have flaunted his unequaled, indisputable Jewish testimony. Though he ranked prominently at the top of the Jewish social ladder, he abandoned his position to serve God by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The apostle also could have boasted about all the churches he established and all God accomplished through him. But Paul chased something far greater that he would receive in heaven.
Paul’s Disclaimer
Paul confessed to the Philippians, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (v. 12).
Though Paul had received salvation and become increasingly “conformed to the image of” Christ (Rom. 8:29), he still had not “attained” (Phil. 3:12), or reached, the final goal God planned for him. Nor was he perfect. The word perfected indicates not sinless perfection but, rather, complete spiritual maturity and development. Paul used perfected here in the present tense, meaning he continually was growing spiritually.
“But I press on,” he said, meaning he pursued the things Christ intended for him as if they were the finish line in a race. He was encouraged as he strove to God’s final goal for him.
Paul’s Decision
The apostle told the Philippians, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (vv. 13–14).
Paul used the term brethren endearingly as he addressed the Philippian church. He said, “I do not count myself to have apprehended” (v. 13). The word count (Greek, logizomai) refers to Paul taking inventory of all he accomplished. Apprehended (Greek, kateilephenai), used in the perfect tense after not, means he had not grasped fully everything Christ had planned for him. Earlier in his letter, Paul summed up his life: “For to me, to live is Christ” (1:21). Thus, the apostle wanted to appreciate fully all Christ intended for him.
He summarized his focus with the phrase but one thing I do (3:13). The Greek text uses no verb here; thus, it reads, “But one thing.” Paul reduced his whole life to one simple, clear goal: He would not let anyone or anything distract or divert him from living for Christ.
“Forgetting those things which are behind,” he wrote, “and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” With this all-inclusive statement, the apostle relinquished everything in his past: his Jewish credentials, his persecution of Christians, virtuous deeds, miracles performed, churches established, and the severe beatings and whippings he suffered. Paul did not dwell on his sins, successes, defeats, or victories.
Instead, he concentrated all his effort on “reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” With the intensity of a runner headed for the finish line, the apostle channeled his energy into what Jesus Christ called him to accomplish. He concentrated not on how far he had come but on how far he had to go to finish the race and win the prize of Christ’s approval.
Thus, Paul said, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 14). The word press (Greek, dioko) literally means to “pursue” or run swiftly after something. The goal was Christlikeness, and the prize was the final reward for which Paul had counted everything in his life as loss (cf. vv. 10–11). The prize that awaits each Christian is approval at Christ’s judgment seat (1 Cor. 3:11–15).
Paul’s Directive
Paul fully understood he was not in this race alone. All Christians, at different stages of spiritual maturity, participate.
After telling the Philippian believers about his desire to pursue Christlikeness, Paul directed them to do likewise: “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind [attitude]” (Phil. 3:15).
By using the word perfect, Paul did not mean to imply he was speaking about sinless perfection. Rather, he was referring to spiritual maturity. In verse 12, he used the word perfected (Greek, teleioo) in reference to a finished process—one he had not reached. The King James version reads perfect in verse 15, but the word is better translated mature, as in the New King James Version. Paul expressed that the Philippians were spiritually mature to a point, but they still had room for spiritual growth. Therefore, he exhorted them to continue to grow in their faith. Only at the final resurrection of believers will they experience eternal perfection in their bodies and souls.
Spiritually mature believers should “have this mind,” or possess the same attitude or way of thinking Paul had in pursuing the prize of Christlikeness. Such Christians do not dwell on their spiritual successes. Rather, like Paul, they continually push forward in their thinking to become more like Jesus. Paul allowed God to mold him into the image of Christ in word and deed (Col. 3:17), and faithful believers should run the race of life this way too.
Paul added, “If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (Phil. 3:15). He meant that if they did not share his attitude toward pursuing the prize of Christlikeness, the Lord would correct them through Scripture, the Holy Spirit’s conviction, or life experiences until they underwent spiritual change. Paul emphasized the importance of diligence, which also applies to believers today. We must keep at the task to let the Lord make us more like Christ.
“Nevertheless,” Paul wrote, “to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind” (v. 16). Nevertheless (Greek, plen) means “moreover,” “besides,” or “however.” Paul used this word in conclusion to reemphasize what he taught about pursuing the prize of Christlikeness.
The Philippians already had attained a level of growth in their spiritual zeal for the Lord; but Paul did not want them to stop growing, to be diverted from the path of righteousness, or to take their eyes off the goal of becoming like Christ.
“One thing I do,” Paul told them, “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (vv. 13–14). May each of our testimonies echo Paul’s as we press forward to be more like Jesus.
