Lecture XXI · Pressing toward the Mark

AT this point the apostle suddenly turns aside, to give a caution against most serious error. In opposition to the soul-destroying formalism and self-righteousness of the Judaizing preachers, he has enjoined on the Philippians to ‘ glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh ;’ and in support of his injunction has reminded them how he himself, having in unusual measure those grounds of confidence in © which the misleading teachers believed, had renounced all of these, ‘that he might win Christ, and be found in Him, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ.’ Now there was a hazard that recoil from formalism might be into moral indifference and indolence, the precious truth that believers are ‘complete in Christ’ being turned by the wicked ingenuity of the carnal heart into an instrument of religious sloth. Nay, it might be made even a direct incitement to sin ; and there were, in fact, in apostolic times, as probably in all ages of the church since, persons who thus abused the doctrines of grace to their own destruction, saying, ‘ Let us continue in sin, that grace may abound,’ Into

such blasphemous antinomianism it was at least as likely that some of the Philippians might be led away as into Jewish formalism,—situated as they were in the midst of the moral abominations of heathenism. Against this danger, then, Paul now—in the paragraph extending from the 12th verse to the 1st verse of the next chapter—affectionately and earnestly warns them ; beginning in the way which the sketch of his spiritual history given in the previous section naturally suggested, by an account of his own convictions respecting the importance of a holy character, and his efforts springing from these convictions. The course of thought passes easily from the statement of his longings and aims as a Christian, given in the 10th and 11th verses, to the description of struggle, ‘ following after, pressing toward the mark,’ which we have here.

The word ‘ apprehend, as used in these verses, has its original meaning, ‘ to lay hold of with the hand,’—a sense scarcely retained by us in modern English, except in regard to a constable who ‘ apprehends’ an evil-doer. ‘ Attained,’ in

the beginning of the 12th verse, is not a very happy rendering, because it suggests a reference to the ‘attain’ of the previous verse, whilst in the original these are two quite distinct words ; and because it hides the real connection with the ‘apprehends’ which follow, the original word being merely a simpler form of that translated ‘apprehend,’ and almost identical in meaning. Of “διέ this one thing I do, you will see, from the italics in your _ Bibles, that the original has only ‘but one thing,’—this ‘ one thing’ being evidently contrasted with the foolish and arrogant statements regarding attained perfection, which some made about themselves, but which Paul could not make. From the connection of thought, the mind instinctively supplies ‘I do,’ ‘I know,’ ‘I can say of myself,’ or the like. The clause, as found in our version, is often quoted as exhibiting the need of concentration—of a ‘united heart’—for success in the struggles of the Christian life. This perhaps lays a stress on the ‘one thing’ which it was hardly intended to bear; but the truth is

directly and most vividly suggested by the whole of the apostle’s statement here.

Throughout the passage, the apostle has before his mind his favourite image for the illustration of the efforts of the Christian life, a race run for a prize,—one of those races, for example, which formed part of the famous Olympic and Isthmian games.

Paraphrased a little, the statement in these verses is as follows: ‘I have told you, brethren, that, at the great turningpoint of my life, I was led by the gracious Spirit to give up all my old grounds of trust, that I might win Christ, and be found in Him. But one act is not the whole of Christianity. Acceptance of Christ by faith is the starting-point of a new life. Do not misunderstand what I have said to you, therefore, by supposing me to think either that in my decisive act of selfrenunciation for Christ I laid hold of the goal of my appointed race, and was thus ready at once to receive the prize, or that since then I have been spiritually perfected. It is not so; but I press on, if that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus, on the day of marvellous grace when He appeared to me on my journey to Damascus. Brethren, there are some who seem to think of themselves that they have laid hold of the goal already ; but I assuredly do not count myself to have done this. One thing, however, I do; forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize which belongs to the heavenly calling wherewith God calls us in Christ Jesus.’

The first general truth set forth in this passage is, that the holiness of a Christian its imperfect so long as he is on earth. You and I, brethren, know ourselves to be very far from having reached entire conformity in heart and life to the will of our heavenly Father. Others, perhaps, may not see very marked defects in us; we may be habitually characterized by purity, sobriety, uprightness, patience, and benevolence; we ] ee eee

may be diligent in availing ourselves of the public and private means of grace; we may be actively engaged in efforts to extend the Redeemer’s kingdom; we may hear at times with cheering distinctness ‘the witness of the Spirit with our spirits that we are children of God ;’—yet, trying ourselves by the standard which God has given us in the character of His Son, we find every day abundant cause to acknowledge sin. Sometimes candid self-examination makes us almost despond. In such moods, the testimony of Paul in the passage before us is fitted to comfort, by giving us the assurance that even the most illustrious servants of Christ have had similar consciousness of imperfection. Studying the apostle’s life, we see so bright and steady a glow of holy zeal, and mark everywhere a spirit so pure, and generous, and self-sacrificing, and patient, that it hardly occurs to us to class him among the sinning and struggling believers to whom we know ourselves to belong. But here you have his own witness,—after the greater part of his noble life was spent,—after he had become the spiritual father of many churches,—after he had written some, probably most, of those Epistles which display such sublime spiritual wisdom,—after the signal expression of the divine favour to him in his rapture to Paradise had been for many years a memory, —‘I am not yet perfect ; I count not myself to have laid hold of the goal.’

You remember also that detailed and most pathetic statement made by him in Romans: “1 know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that I do. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that Iam! who shall deliver me from the body

of this death ?’ (Rom. vii. 18, 19, 21-24.) The language employed by Paul in these verses, and also in other parts of that section of the Epistle to the Romans from which they are taken, is so strong in the confession of imperfection, that many expositors have regarded the passage as descriptive, not of his experiences as a Christian, but of the struggles, in the days before his enlightenment, between natural conscience and corrupt inclination. The great preponderance of opinion, however, among evangelical students of the Epistle, has been in favour of the view that his experience as a believer is that exhibited,— most justly, as it seems to me, whether we examine the passage itself, or its connection with the context. ‘ Delight in the law of God after the inward man’ could never be ascribed to the unregenerate ; whilst every word of the confessions is echoed by the most spiritually-minded of God’s children.

It is true that sometimes, amid the glow of first love, a young Christian feels as if violation of the law of God were henceforth an impossibility for him. While the words of gracious welcome are still ringing in the ear of the returned prodigal, and the kiss of love still warm on his lips, he cannot but think that nothing will ever lead him to disobey, or even for a moment forget, so gooda Father. But he soon finds that ‘the law of sin in the members brings him into ‘captivity.’ He discovers that, as the fulness of the bliss which belongs to the salvation given him in Christ is reserved for heaven, so is it also with the perfect holiness. Lazarus, though alive by the grace and power of the Son of God, feels his limbs encumbered with the grave-clothes. Says good John Newton, when a welltried soldier of Jesus Christ, ‘I would not be the sport of vain imaginations ; but this evil is present with me. My heart is like a highway, like a city without walls or gates. I sometimes compare my words to the treble of an instrument, which my thoughts accompany with a kind of bass, or rather anti-bass, in which every rule of harmony is broken, every possible combination of discord and confusion is introduced, utterly incon-

ed) J a mn ee vers. 12-14.] Pressing toward the Mark. 4283 sistent with, and contradictory to, the intended melody. Ah, what music would my praying and my preaching often make in the ears of the Lord of Hosts, if He listened to them as they are mine only! I would not be influenced by a principle of self on any occasion ; yet this evil I often do. I see the baseness and absurdity of such conduct as clearly as I see the light of the day. But the Lord knows how this dead fly taints and spoils my best services, and makes them no better than specious sins. I would not cleave to a covenant of works ; yet even this I do. It is the main pleasure and business of my life to set forth the necessity and all-sufficiency of the Mediator between God and men, and to make mention of His righteousness, even of His only. But here, as in everything else, I find a vast difference between my judgment and my experience. I am invited to take the water of life free/y,—yet often discouraged because I have nothing wherewith to pay for it. Ah, how vile must the heart be that can hold a parley with such abominations, when I so well know their nature and their tendency! Surely he who finds himself capable of this, may without the least affectation of humility (however fair his outward conduct appears) subscribe himself less than the least of all saints, and of sinners the very chief.’ ?

I believe, my brethren, that all Christians, in the measure of their true self-knowledge, will recognise, in this autobiographical sketch of Newton’s spiritual condition, something very like a sketch of their own. The position that Christian perfection can be, and not unfrequently has been, attained on earth, has indeed been held by some ; but whenever the theory, as entertained by men of evangelical faith and saintly character, is carefully examined, the difference between them and evangelical believers generally, resolves itself always into one of little more than words. It becomes plain that by ‘perfection’ they mean simply maturity of Christian character, not entire freedom from defect. 1

Cardiphonia,—Fifth Letter to a Nobleman.

As has been already said, one practical result of reflection on this subject should be to sustain Christians, when tending to doubt the reality of their faith on the ground that it does not produce in them all the spiritual fruits they desire. We cannot be too deeply humbled on account of the many proofs we daily see that sin dwells in us; but we must not give up our hope that we are among the ‘sanctified in Christ Jesus,’ simply because we are not better than the Apostle Paul. —

In seeking comfort here, however, it is of essential moment that, in closest connection with the doctrine of Christian in-perfection in the present state, we look also at the other great general truth exhibited in the verses before us. ‘This is, that vital religion impels to ardent longing and persistent effort after progress in holiness.

‘Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.’ It is plain, as a matter of fact, that men are not freed ‘from αὐ iniquity’ at the moment of conversion. Consideration of the divine character, then, will lead any thoughtful person to expect that all God’s dealings with His people will be of the nature of moral discipline, and that the Christian life will be one of progress in spiritual energy and beauty—in freedom from the bondage of depraved inclinations, in the strength of holy affections, in singleness of devotion to the divine will. Such is the representation constantly given in Scripture of the life of the child of God. ‘The way of the wicked is as darkness ; but the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’ As regards the power of the gospel, when received by faith, to gain commanding influence over the nature, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.’ From the nature of the great saving change which is effected by the Spirit of God through the faith of the truth, new desires are awakened

in the soul, the tendency of which, as God gratifies them, and the sweetness of the blessing He bestows is felt, is to grow constantly stronger. Now fellowship with God, and likeness to God, which are the objects of these desires, are inexhaustible sources of blessedness. Thus progress is the law of the new life.

But the mode of this progress does no violence to any of the elements of our moral nature. God works out His gracious purpose, not through some physical impulse, under which we are altogether passive, but through the renewal of our wills. Exposed, then, as the Christian is while here, with a heart but partially sanctified, to the abundant temptations of the world, and to the influence of our great spiritual foe, it is plain that progress will not be without effort and struggle on our part. The duty of diligence and persistence in such effort is everywhere most affectionately and earnestly set before us in the word of God. In such injunctions the bodily exertions of warfare and of races are often referred to by way of illustration. Thus we are called on, as you remember, to ‘fight the good fight of faith,’ ‘ taking to us the whole armour of God, and standing in the evil day;’ and to ‘lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race set before us.’ In the present passage, as has been already mentioned, the image of the race is made use of; and by two or three bold lines the picture of one of the great competitions which gathered crowds of spectators from all parts of the world, and success in which was prized as one of the highest honours attainable by a Greek, is with much liveliness set before us. Dense all around the course is a vast multitude of interested faces, ‘a great cloud of witnesses.’ Near the starting-point, which is also the goal, sits the judge, with a garland of olive leaves in his hand —the prize of victory. The competitors are already round the distance-post, and have the goal before them. Of the ground already passed over you see that they have no thought.

Their keen attitude, with the upper part of the body thrown forward—‘ reaching forth, as if eager even to anticipate the swift limbs—shows that every energy of will and frame ἴθ. concentrated on the effort to lay hold of the goal. Such is the scene.

The aim of spiritual progress, the ‘ mark’ or goal of the race, is perfection. ‘Not as though I were already perfect,’ says the apostle. No Christian can accept anything lower than this as his aim. The new man in Christ feels instinctively that, when God gave His Son to save men from sin, the salvation was to be perfect,—that His ‘exceeding great and precious promises’ have been granted to us to the intent

‘that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, —that therefore the thought of contentment with conformity merely to what the world deems a fair standard of morality, is a glaring insult to Him. If we are true believers, my brethren, our aim, from the impulses of the divine life within us, cannot but be to be ‘ perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect.’

Perfection, in the absolute sense of the word, can be ascribed to God alone; in whom infinite capabilities of holiness are exercised with infinite completeness. Throughout eternity, the knowledge and the powers of angels and redeemed men will be growing; and with the growth of capability for the service of God will be the actual increase of such service. Thus for ever the moral creatures of God in glory will be ‘

pressing toward the mark,’ ‘reaching forth unto those things which are before.’ Ina lower sense of ‘ perfection,’ however— as relative to our faculties and capacities—‘the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness.’ This relative perfection, though, as a matter of fact, not reached till death, is evidently the goal before the apostle’s mind, in speaking of the persistent spiritual efforts of his life,—perfect conformity in everything to the will of God, to the image of Christ. The

a a * % εε- ‘a “((( ᾿ VERS. 12-14.] Pressing toward the Mark. 287 child of God longs to have everything that defileth removed from his heart and life, and to have everything present in his heart and life which will ‘adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour.’ This is the character which he keeps steadily before him, and towards which he makes advances. In the measure of the intelligence and liveliness of his faith, he endeavours to live a Christlike life ; and, though falling very far short of his ideal, yet he does, on the whole, succeed in employing all the departments and doings of his life, the secular as well as the strictly religious, as instruments for helping him to become always more Christlike. ‘Infinite as are the varieties of life, so manifold are the paths to saintly character ; and he who has ~ not found out how, directly or indirectly, to make everything converge towards his soul’s sanctification, has as yet missed the meaning of this life.’?

The spirit which secures progress is one of willingness to ‘forget the things which are behind, and thus have the way clear for the desires and energies freely to ‘ reach forth unto those things which are before’ It is true that the remembrance of our past life has great moral uses. The remembrance of sins is fitted to humble,—of mistakes, to suggest wiser courses,—of mercies, to encourage. But, with weak hearts like ours, the influence of memory is often perverse. As we recall past failures, we tend to despondency ; whilst the remembrance of past seasons of spiritual happiness, or of activity in the service of the Lord, may be made to minister most unsound comfort in times of backsliding. In so far as ‘ things which are behind’ exert over us, in any degree, power in such directions, it is well—it is needful, if our souls are to ‘ prosper and be in health ’—that we ‘forget those things.’ The latter of the two tendencies which I have mentioned is evidently most prominent before the. apostle’s mind,—the tendency to find satisfaction in remembering how vigorously in some former days we rowed against the current of worldly influence, while 1 F. W. Robertson, of Brighton,

now we are but indolently dipping the oars, and therefore drifting down the stream. The counsel of heavenly wisdom is, ‘Bear ever in mind that the current against you is strong and constant, so that to relax effort is to go downward. If you rest at the oar to muse complacently on what you have gained, you are meantime rapidly losing all the gain. Strenuously and perseveringly, then, bend to the oar; and count nothing gained till all be gained.’ Such, the apostle tells us here, was his habitual feeling and practice. He put out of his view the past spiritual struggles of his life, from so many of which he had come out ‘ more than conqueror through Him that loved him,’ and by which the powers of his great soul had been brought into sweet ‘captivity to the obedience of Christ.’ These struggles and victories are all behind him now; and his one thought is of progress.

Paul felt that God had given him most powerful motives, thus to seek spiritual advancement with singleness of aim. One of these was found in his knowledge of the purpose which Jesus had in view, in His gracious dealings towards him. It was most reasonable that he should ‘follow after, if that he might apprehend that for which also he was apprehended of Christ Jesus” The grace of that never-to-be-forgotten day, when the Saviour’s hand arrested him in his course of madness and sin,—the grace of the sublime self-sacrifice of Bethlehem and Calvary, by which He had prepared the way for that wondrous arrestment,—to what end was it? Jesus ‘gave Himself’ for you and me, brethren, and now gives us His Spirit, and compasses us with the influences of His tender mercy,—for what? Certainly, dear friends, no power over the heart, constraining to holy obedience, can be conceived, equal to the simple knowledge that the object of Christ’s loving-kindness is ‘to purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,’ _

With the power of gratitude the force of holy ambition joins itself, to impel to earnest, persistent effort in the Christian race.

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Before the believer’s eye is set ‘ the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’ This prize is ‘the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him,’—the perfect holy blessedness of heaven. Every follower of Christ feels the animating influence of this hope. When at times the heart grows weary in the spiritual struggle, a glimpse through faith of the ‘diadem of beauty’ revives the flagging energies. The changes and sorrows of the pilgrim life can be patiently borne by those who are enabled with full confidence to ‘look for a city which hath foundations.’ When divine grace gives wisdom to ‘have respect unto the recompense of the reward,’ ‘ the reproach of Christ’ will be esteemed ‘greater riches than the treasures’ of the world. The human soul of the Lord Jesus Himself was strengthened to bear the weight of atoning suffering by the contemplation of the blessedness to come. ‘For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame.’ In the passage before us the apostle does not describe, but vividly suggests, the immeasurable preciousness of the

‘prize’ which divine grace offers, for Jesus’ sake, to those who

‘endure unto the end.’ It is ‘the prize a/—connected with, belonging to—+he high calling of God.’ The glorious origin of the operations and influences by which Christians have been brought into their position and character, leads up to the thought of a transcendent grandeur of destiny. Our calling is ‘in every point of viewa ‘high’ or ‘heavenly calling.’1 The invitation and gracious influences are from heaven ; and by them God ‘calls us unto His kingdom and glory’ (1 Thess.

You will observe great encouragement for the struggling

believer in the language here employed. When he feels most

deeply his own impotence, and when, in the light of the

glory of the promised reward, he sees most clearly his un

worthiness,—how cheering to remember that he has not entered

on the race unsummoned! The ‘calling’ by God implies a ?

Compare Heb. iii. 1. T

promise of all needed guidance and help ; and with His aid ‘all things are possible.’ This calling is ‘zz Christ Jesus, too, ἴῃ whom all God’s words and ways to us are full of mercy. In their connection here, these words sound like the voice of Jesus Himself, saying to His people, in the midst of their wrestling and fear, ‘ Be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world.’

Let us lay the teaching of this passage of Scripture to heart, my brethren. Progress is of the essence of vital religion, and is indeed the grand and only satisfying evidence of vitality. But true believers not unfrequently feel, through certain results of real progress, as if they were not making progress. With the increase of spirituality comes a constantly distincter apprehension of the glorious completeness and beauty of the standard of Christian holiness, in the character of the Lord Jesus ; and thus, constantly, also, a more vivid sense of the believer’s own shortcomings. The growing light reveals more painfully to the heart—which is becoming ever more sensitive— the depth of darkness still remaining in the corners and crannies of the nature and life. Candid questioning of the soul respecting the existence of a sincere /onging for progress, will show how the matter really stands with us. There can be no strong and persistent yearning for advance in likeness to the Master, except in true believers. And wherever such longings are found, that Christian is making actual progress, whether he himself can clearly see it or not. It is very likely that those of his fellow-Christians who have opportunities of observing him closely, see satisfying proof of his advance.

In no believer, probably, is increase of wisdom and devotedness altogether equable ; but this affords no ground for doubting that progress is the law of spiritual life, and that this” progress must at some intervals, longer or shorter, become visible,—any more than the seeming reflux, for a few moments, of a flowing tide, gives reason to doubt that, on the whole, the

᾿΄’ sea will gain on the land till the time of high water. No man — has a right to conclude that his neighbour is not a true 4 1 ‘

Christian, because he sees what appears to him a step backward in some particular, or on some occasion. On the other hand, it is exceedingly hazardous for any man to try to persuade himself that he is making spiritual progress on the whole, if candour compel him to admit that he can see nothing but retrogression in details. ‘The only safe course is resolutely, persistently, and prayerfully, ‘ forgetting those things which are behind, to reach forth unto those things which are before.’ There is, as we have seen, no standing still. Listlessness means loss. ‘From him that hath not’ gain, ‘shall be taken away even that which he hath.’ Let us then, my brethren, ‘ press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ Thus, through grace, we shall be enabled to ‘grow up into Him in all things which is the Head, even Christ.’ Thus, having put forth ‘the blade,’ we shall in due course put forth ‘ the ear,’ and at last ‘the full corn in the ear,’ which God will gather into His heavenly garner.