Keep on Keeping on!

“Only let us hold true to what we have attained” (Philippians 3:16).

It’s always good to know you’re headed in the right direction. Just ask any long distance runner. Too many 10Ks, marathons, and triathlons have been lost when the leader took a wrong turn. Without somebody keeping them on the course, racers throw away everything they’ve worked hard to achieve. Here in Philippians 3, Paul reassures his friends back in Macedonia they are headed in the right direction. “Only let us hold true to what we have attained” (v16). The race is far from over but so much progress has been made. Leaving the race course now will ruin all they’ve gained. The apostle wants us to know there’s huge blessing in our faithful obedience to the Lord. Stay on course. Keep on keeping on!

Paul should know. Back when he was known as Saul, he busted his tail to run the race of life. He ran hard and set a brutal pace. There was just one problem. He was running the wrong race! He was racing the wrong course! The man from Tarsus totally devoted himself to running the race of religion and accomplishment (Phil 3:4-6). But somewhere along the route on the road outside of Damascus, he ran into Jesus (Acts 9:1-9). The resurrected Messiah got him headed in the right direction for the first time. Instead of the race of religion and self-salvation, Paul began running toward a relationship with the One who had already won (Phil 3:7-14). He hasn’t crossed the finish line yet but he’s doing everything he can to make sure everyone who will listen is headed in the right direction. 

The apostle encourages us to “hold true” and stay on course (v16). A closer look at the original language peels back some powerful truth. He uses the Greek verb stoicheo, which actually means to walk, advance in a line, or conduct oneself in conformity to a presumed standard. The term is often used to describe how troops march in formation as they head into battle. Don’t make the mistake of picturing our walk with Jesus like some sort of death march. It’s anything BUT! Instead, think of moving through life with direction and purpose. The word also carries the idea of living prosperously and things turning out well. That happens when we allow God to steer us as we do what He says. Here are a couple of good examples. Jesus’ kid brother James encouraged Paul to swing by the temple and show other Jews that “you yourself also walk orderly (Gr. stoicheo), keeping the law” (Acts 21:24). The apostle wrote to the church in Rome how we should “follow (Gr. stoicheo) in the footsteps of the faith” of obedient Abraham (Rom 4:12). The Message really nails this idea of running in the right direction once we set our sites on Christ. “Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it” (v16 The Message). Hold the line. Stay on course. Keep on keeping on!

One of the big reasons not to get off track is so that we will not forfeit all that’s been gained. When Paul describes “that we have attained” (v16), he’s NOT talking about any sort of self-salvation. He’s made it blatantly obvious is giant neon letters that his efforts to earn a gold medal from God resulted in him running the wrong race on the wrong course. The only victory we have is the one Jesus won for us. He ran the perfect race we failed to run. He died the death for our sin of disobedience and rebellion. He rose to a spectacular new life we don’t deserve. The sinless Son of God crossed the finish line for you and me and shouted, “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30). What He won for us can never be taken away from us.

So what is Paul talking about? What’s all this stuff “that we have attained” (v16)? He’s describing whatever progress and life change God has done in our lives to this point. The $25 theological term for that is sanctification. It simply describes how God reshapes us into the image of His Son throughout our lives. Let’s be clear about a couple of things when it comes to the sanctification process. One, it’s a lifelong, difficult, and sometimes frustrating road. Take it from Paul, the dude who wrote most of the New Testament (Rom 7:15-20)! I can’t speak for everybody but it’s often two steps forward and one step back. And if I’m honest, it’s one step forward and three steps back! The other big idea is the good news that God promises finish the work He started in you and me (Phil 1:6). 

I throw away much of what God has accomplished in my life when I sprint off course. I try to run the race I think it should be run. My disobedience to His rules for life can cause me to forfeit all that’s been gained. Please understand me. Once Jesus has truly gotten His hands on you, there’s nothing that can pry you out (Rom 8:38-39). Zip. Zilch. Zero. But we disqualify ourselves from much of His blessing by trying to do things our way. You see, Jesus has an incredible and overflowing life for us (Jn 10:10). If we really want to enjoy all the goodness God has for us and dive into the deep end of His abundant life, we need to continue following His commands. Our obedience to God and His Word puts us into the position of experience His blessing. Matt Chandler likes to say that we put ourselves under the waterfall of His grace. I don’t know about you, but that sure sounds like an awesome place to be! 

The race may be long but there are folks like Paul all along the way to let us know we’re headed in the right direction. When we do, we run deeper into our relationship with Jesus. That happens as we follow His guidelines for life and stay on the course. Or as the New Living Translation puts this verse, “But we must be sure to obey the truth we have already learned” (v16 NLT). There’s huge blessing in our faithful obedience to the Lord. Stay on course. Keep on keeping on!