“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” – Phil. 3:13,14. –

Few in the nominal (or professing) church see any particular mark or any particular prize with definiteness; – to be sought and to be attained. The majority are merely fleeing from an imagined eternal torment, which pursues them as a fear, a dread, a nightmare, a horror, from the cradle to the tomb. Others of the Lord’s people (chiefly of “this way“, those in the truth) have had the eyes of their understanding illuminated by the holy spirit through the divine Word, and have gotten a glimpse of the great prize which God has set before the elect Church of this Gospel age. No wonder if these are enthused with the glorious spectacle which (the natural) eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart (mind) of man to conceive of, but which “God hath revealed unto us by his spirit!” No wonder, either, if unfortunately, they have given more attention to the prize than to the mark which must be attained before the prize is won.

Full of enthusiasm and appreciation of divine love, these have entirely lost the fear of eternal torment, and have learned that this doctrine is of Satan, and not of God; from man, and not of the holy spirit; from the dark ages, and not the teachings of the inspired words of Scripture. They have learned, too, that those scriptures which seem to give any color of sanction to this blasphemy against God’s character and plan are certain parables, symbols and dark sayings which misinterpretations have more or less glossed and colored in the common translations of the Scriptures.

It is quite common for this latter class to think and to speak of “running for the prize,” and to measurably lose sight of the fact that it is not the prize that we run toward, but the mark: that the prize is entirely beyond our grasp; – as the Apostle expresses it above, “I press toward the mark.”

Whoever reaches the mark of character which God has established for the elect will receive the prize; and whoever fails to reach that mark of character will fail to get the prize. It is therefore a very serious error to run for the prize and forget or ignore or disregard the “mark,” which must first be attained.

The thought that a certain standard or mark of character is necessary to all who will pass divine approval as “overcomers,” and hear the Lord’s “Well done!” is an astounding one to many (especially among those in the professing church who erroneously believe that all that is necessary to gain the prize is faith in the Lord and a turning from sin). Many have thought of the Christian race as merely an avoidance of open sin; others have included an avoidance of secret faults; others have gone still further, and have included a general disposition to sacrifice many interests of the present life; others have gone still further, and have understood the test of discipleship to be full self-surrender to the Lord, a full sacrifice of earthly life and all of its interests to the will of our Head, the Lord; – but almost none have the thought that all our sacrificing and experiences and self-denials must lead up toward and eventually bring us to the “mark” of character which God has set for the “elect;” – else they will not get the prize of joint-heirship with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.

Nothing, probably, has contributed so much to this oversight of a “mark” or fixed standard of character being required than the false interpretation given to our Lord’s conversation with the dying thief on Calvary.  (Please see, “The Thief in Paradise.”)

It is indisputably reasonable, that God has some standard or test by which he will determine who are worthy to receive the great blessings and honors offered to the elect – who are worthy to be members of the body of Christ and to share in his Millennial Kingdom (i.e., the ruling phase) – what shall constitute faithfulness in those who “seek for glory, honor and immortality,” and who are “the called and chosen and faithful.”

The Apostle, in our text, unquestionably declares that there is such a mark, and that all who are running with any hope of attaining the desired prize must be running toward that mark, and must attain it or lose the prize. And we see, too, that the Apostle judges himself according to this standard, and declares that at the time he wrote he had not yet reached this mark or standard of character-development. (Thus, proving to all that a mere profession of faith and a reformation or turning from sin alone, is not enough, there’s more to it than that.)

Such reflections cannot but awaken in the hearts of all who are in this race earnest desires to see distinctly the mark toward which we must run: and it should stimulate each and all of us to run the more patiently and the more perseveringly, and to watch day by day the measure of our progress toward the grand mark which the Lord our God has set before us.

We notice that the Apostle has in mind foot-races, and we see the forcefulness of the illustration:

(1) As the racers must enter the race-course in a legitimate manner, so must we get on our race-course in a legitimate manner, through the only door – faith in the precious blood which redeemed us and justified us before God. (Thus, faith alone does not guarantee the prize.)

(2) Those who enter the course must be regularly recorded or registered as runners; they must positively declare their intention; else they will not be in the race. So, with us: having been “justified by faith,” and having been informed of our privileges in connection with this race, and the attainment of its prize, it was incumbent upon us to declare our intention – to make a covenant with the Lord, and to thus be regularly entered – our names being written, not upon earthly church rolls, (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic and etc.,) but in the Lamb’s book of life – “written in heaven.” – Heb. 12:23.

Continued with next post.