Sunday School Ministry

Sunday's lesson
Straining for the prize
Philippians 3:12-16

Last week Paul talked about his self righteous is what he had

Phl 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
When we measure our righteousness against people we become self-righteousness. We believe we are better. When we meet God we realize that is not the righteous of God.

Phl 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Phl 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phl 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phl 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Phl 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Lesson

(3:12-16) Righteousness--Perfection--Paul

Verse 12. Paul did not count himself as having yet attained he was not yet perfect. Remember he is Apostle Paul and he says I am not perfect. Perfection is the great end of the believer. Think what a perfect body would be like ? A body that never desired,thought,or did wrong that never came up short, never aged, deteriorated, died or decayed.

18 For I 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.
Rom 7:19"
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."
God apprehended or laid hold of the believe for one reason only to make him perfect
Like Paul we are to follow , run, and press after perfection- the protection for which Christ has saved us. We must be active in living for God.

Paul worked at forgetting the past. This is help for those of us who have failed. Paul faced what so many of us face: failure and shortcoming and the struggle to forget it and move on especially when there are those who remind us
Paul tells us how to deal with the past. We must forget the things that are past and reach forth to those things that are before us it involves two parts. Forgetting and reaching forth . The past cannot be forgotten without reaching forth to what lies ahead. We cannot sit around moaning and regretting the past . To do so is to be concentrating upon the past. The things of the future are to be focus on the mind
Paul pressed on toward the the goal, toward God's purpose in Christ Jesus . What is God's purpose for us in Christ Jesus ? It is to be conformed to the Image of Christ--To be perfect even as he is perfect . Once we are perfect we shall be incorruptible and eternal .We shall live in God's perfect presence and power

Phl 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Let us who are ordained by God to be perfect in Christ Jesus keep our mind on perfection.Do you know God will not let a believer rest unless his mind is on righteousness and purity , the Gospel and witnessing . God pricks our heart, reveals that we are failing and coming short and God stirs us up to get our minds back upon living like we should. Thank you Lord

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Paul maintain the growth he had already achieved. Too many live up and down lives. We gain some discipline and some growth and before long we slip back

1Jo 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

I hope you got something from this lesson. We welcome commits .

God Bless