I don’t know about you but I always need to be looking forward to something. To get me through the spring I look forward to summer vacation. To get me through Monday I look forward to fajitas for dinner. Seniors look forward to graduating, bored employees look forward to the next job, fiancés look forward to getting married, and the list goes on.
This is actually how we are to live the Christian life according to Phil. 3:12-21. These verses give us a clear picture of what many have called the “already-not-yet” aspect of the Christian life. There are things we already have now as Christians and there are things we do not yet have that we look forward to.
Paul writes, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own…” There is the tension in the Christian life. He goes on: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Here we are getting the picture that Christians are pilgrims. We are moving forward to a new place, something lies ahead of us. There is a goal ahead of us. To cut to the chase, Christians are pilgrims who remain sinners in a fallen world. We and the world has yet to be fully renewed. God has not completed his work yet.
So, let’s answer two questions. What do we have now and what are we looking forward to?
First, Paul says, “Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” Again and again, Paul calls us to stand firm and hold on. Principally, we are holding fast to the word of the Gospel. Right now, “Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Right now, we have Jesus! Right now, we have full forgiveness and acceptance with God. Right now, we have the Holy Spirit because of the work of Jesus for us.
Second, we do not yet have full and final resurrection. We have been raised from the dead (see Eph. 2:1-10) but we also will be raised and enter into glory. We are waiting for the day when all things will be made new, including us. Earlier in Phil. 1 Paul said, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
This is how the Westminster Shorter Catechism explains what we are looking forward to. “At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.” Right now, we know God and have joy in God as pilgrims who are simultaneously justified and sinful. But we are looking forward to being raised up in glory and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God forever and ever.
Encourage yourself with what lies ahead for you, Christian. You are a pilgrim on the way. Life is hard, life hurts, life is full of sin and suffering. Empower yourself with the joy ahead of you. You are as close to hell as you will ever be right now. From eternity’s perspective, it only gets better from here.
