Press Toward the Mark*

What does the Gospel mean to you, and to your life? Paul wrote urgently to the Church about the power, and the value of the Gospel to all who will receive it. He wrote of his own discovery of the difference between worship in the flesh, and worship in the Spirit, and what real circumcision means. It is an inward circumcision that changes us, and we become the circumcision (Phil. 3:1-3). Concerning who was "qualified" in the worship of God according to man's religious thinking, Paul filled all of those outward requirements. However, Paul found out that what he had once valued so highly, and in which he had put his confidence, which was his identity and background as a Jew, a learned Pharisee, and having attained the righteousness of the law, was really "dung" compared to what he had gained in Christ (v. 4-8): "...and I count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord...I have suffered the loss of all things...that I may win Christ, 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: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (v. 8-11). Paul wrote further that the Gospel was not done with him. He had not yet fully attained, or been perfected, "...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." (v. 11-14). Paul said that this is the same mind that we should all have, joining together in this pursuit of the high calling (v. 15-17). Paul wrote that he weeps over many who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ- "whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." (v. 18-19). There are those who think they have attained Christ, yet they walk after things that are of the world, which destroy, and not of heaven. Pul called them "enemies of the cross". How many fall into this sad category? Our continuing walk in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in that upward calling, are those who "look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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." (v. 20-21). The Gospel of Christ surpasses the world, and all religion in its excellence and ongoing transformative power, and yet it is extremely simple:. The Gospel that Paul received, and gave up all in order to preach, is the following: "...Christ died for our sins acording to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:1-4). In fact, Paul wrote, if, as some say, Christ is not resurrected from the dead then our faith is in vain, and we are yet in our sins (v. 12-17). However He is indeed raised from the dead, and has become first fruits of them that have died (v. 20). Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and we must be changed. Paul described this change: "In a moment...at the last trump...the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (v. 50-52).In this moment of change through Christ, death is swallowed up in victory, as it is written, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?' The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 54-58). Sin, death, and the grave have been overcome. Even our own corruptible bodies of flesh have been overcome in a moment through Christ. Paul concludes saying, "...be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord...you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." What are you working for - the things of this world? Whatever you are called to do by the Lord, do it with diligence. As we press toward the mark of the high calling established by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we see the power the Gospel has regarding resurrection and physical change over death. However, the change does not end there. Paul wrote of a mental and spiritual transformation as well: "I beseech you...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (spiritual worship). And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). Paul said that there is a choice we make - either to be conformed to the world, or transformed into a person who proves the will of God in himself. This transformation must begin in the renewal and washing of the mind in God's Word. We are not to think as the world thinks. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we should, keeping in mind that we are each members of a greater whole, which is the Body of Christ. Each member has been equipped to edify that Body (v. 3-8). No one of us is the complete Body by ourselves, but each contributes a part according to the gifts given by grace to each member. Part of pressing toward the mark is not just about how we treat our friends, but even more importantly about how we treat those whom others do not value, or those who mean us harm: "Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not...condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible...live peaceably with all men...avenge not yourselves...be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (v. 14-21). As we can see, these things above are not the way of the world, but they are the way of the high calling in Christ, and the will of God for us. Paul pointed out that, according to scripture, if we take vengeance for ourselves against an enemy, we remove vengeance out of the hands of the Lord, with Whom it belongs. As Jesus prayed to His Father regarding His disciples (and us, the future believers) just before He went to the cross, He prayed for the ones whom His Father had given to Him from out of the world, that they have kept the Father's Word (Jn. 17:5-6). Jesus had brought the Father's Word to them, and they had believed it, and had also believed on Him, as the One Whom the the Father had sent to them (v. 8). Jesus said, which may surprise some, that He wasn't praying for the world, but for those that had been given to Him from out of the world, and that He is glorified in them (v. 9-10). Jesus asked His Father to keep these disciples from evil through His name, because the world hated them, (v. 9-15). He prayed: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth...Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one...that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me...I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one..." (v. 16-23). Jesus is praying for a unity here. The unity between His current disciples, and the believers who would believe at a later date. A unity with Him, and, as a result, a unity with the Father: One Body, One hope, One faith, One Spirit. This also is pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ. As Paul pointed out in Hebrews 11, each one, including Noah, with the building of the ark, and Abraham, who was looking for the city whose builder and maker was God, pressed toward the mark of the high calling by faith, and the resulting obedience to God's Word. God is preparing an ark in these last days also. Will we enter in, or be left outside knocking? Jesus said of these in His parable in Mt. 25 about the wise and foolish virgins, "Depart from Me. I never knew you." However, God is able to send revival to both the Jew and the Gentile. Keep pressing toward the mark and maturity in Him. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 10/23/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.