PRESSING FOR THE PRIZE

“I PRESS on toward the goal for the PRIZE of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” – Philippians 3:14

The Pursuit of Perfection is like a Journey that involves PRESSING FOR THE PRIZE: “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I PRESS ON so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal FOR THE PRIZE of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil.3: 12-14). The word ‘perfect’ in this passage comes from the same Greek root word as in Matthew 5:48, which gives us a clearer idea of what God had in mind for our Christian walk, especially in regards to being called to be perfect.

Both of these Scriptures represent a call to maturity rather than a demand for absolute flawlessness or living sinless. We could easily replace the word ‘mature’ for ‘perfect’ in both of these scriptures, without the passages losing their meanings. Perfection is really talking about completeness and maturity, not a never-ending cycle of trying to be good enough driven by unrealistic expectations to live up to impossible standards or cycles of guilt and self-condemnation. God loves His children immensely. He thinks so highly of us that He does not want us to be stuck in such damaging emotional cycles in our lives and His word is full of answers and insights to guide and guard us. These liberating truths lift weights of perfectionism off our shoulders as we engage in the Journey and the Pursuit of Perfection – the race set before us in time and eternity.

Ironically, in order to be perfect, we have to admit that we are not perfect: “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on…” (v.12a). Doing this is a tricky one for perfectionists who never want to admit that they make mistakes; and do not want to feel like failures. Even when they are clearly aware of their imperfection, they still tend to want to push the dead horse. Whether we realize it or not, such response is all about trying to earn God’s approval.  

The Pathway of Perfection is a journey. Being perfected – becoming mature and complete – involves taking purposeful, determined steps throughout the course of our lives. We are admonished to keep pressing forward. We are to forget what was in the past, reach forward to what lies ahead and press on. What are we to press on toward? We are to keep moving “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ” (v.14). Through each step we are growing up in all things to be like Jesus – and He is perfect! One day, we will be with Him and be perfected in all ways. Until then, we keep walking, growing, and pressing on to perfection in our lives.

Our attitudes are vital to the Journey: “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you” (v.15). We are told to have the steady, purposeful attitudes of determination and perseverance: moving forward and pursuing the prize of being like Christ – becoming perfect, mature and complete. Paying attention to having the right attitudes positions us on the right path in life, while we keep living these out in our daily lives: “let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained” (v.16). As we grow and mature we keep holding on to the level of maturity we have reached, and moving on to the next higher level of becoming more like Christ.

In the light of these revelations, we can affirm that Perfection is not an impossible goal. The Lord Jesus Christ is asking us to be mature or complete. Perfection is simply the daily journey of becoming more like Christ!