March 18 2026

Wednesday March 18

The Goal of the Christian Life

Philippians 3:13-14

“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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Today, we conclude our introduction to the book of Philippians by looking at one of the most powerful statements that Paul makes in this letter. In Philippians 3:13–14, he writes: “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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” These words reveal the focus and the passion of the Apostle Paul’s life.

I’d like for us to take a few moments to remember what Paul was doing as Saul before his conversion. We first meet Saul back in Acts 7:58. He was standing there when Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned to death. He held the clothes of those who cast the stones at Stephen. In Acts 8:1-3, in the opening verses, we find that Saul was making havoc of the church—persecuting Christians, dragging them from their homes, throwing them into prison, and even putting them to death. Then, in Acts 9, Saul meets the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. When he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Jesus answered from heaven, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Saul was persecuting Jesus Christ as he was imprisoning and killing believers.

Later, when Paul gave his testimony in Acts 26:9-11 before King Agrippa, he said: “This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.” Can you imagine that? He said he was “exceedingly enraged” against them. He hated the followers of Jesus Christ. But then he met Jesus—and everything changed.

So when Paul says, “forgetting those things which are behind,” can you imagine the burden he carried after becoming a follower of Christ? He had to face families of those who had suffered because of him. He had to seek forgiveness from people whose loved ones he had persecuted. He must have carried a tremendous weight from his past. But, my friend, Paul did not live in the past. He did not dwell on past failures—or even past successes. Instead, he pressed forward toward the mark that God had set before him.

In this same letter, Paul makes another well-known statement in Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This verse captures the very heart of Paul’s life. Living meant serving Christ. Dying meant being with Christ. Either way, Jesus Christ was everything to him. That is the central message of the book of Philippians. Joy is found in Christ. Strength is found in Christ. Purpose is found in Christ.

As we begin our verse-by-verse study of this letter in the days ahead, we will see again and again how Paul points believers back to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:10–11, he writes: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

My friend, the more we know Christ, the more our hearts are filled with joy. The more we trust Christ, the more we experience peace. The more we follow Christ, the more our lives begin to reflect His love and His humility.

I am convinced that as we study through this book together, God will use it to deepen our faith, strengthen our walk, and fill our hearts with a joy that only Jesus Christ can give.

May the Lord bless you in the days ahead as we explore this wonderful and exciting book together.

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.