Bailey Methodist Church
10/26/2025
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  • Philippians 3:12–16 ESV
    12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 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. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
    Introduction
    The apostle Paul’s confession in Philippians 3 reflects a profound honesty: even at the end of his ministry, he acknowledges he has not yet achieved perfection and continues to strive toward his goal of becoming like Christ. He depicts the Christian life as a race aimed at full maturity.
    John Wesley echoes this in his sermon “Christian Perfection,” emphasizing that true perfection is about embodying perfect love rather than being sinlessly flawless. He defines it as “love excluding sin; love filling the heart.”
    During the ordination of Methodist elders, ordinands are asked crucial questions that emphasize the importance of striving for spiritual growth, notably: “Are you going on to perfection?” and “Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?” Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection urges us not to become complacent but to engage in a continual, grace-driven pursuit of holiness, guided by love.

    1. Christ Has Laid Hold of Us (vs. 12)

    Paul begins by confessing, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
    The key point here is the order of grace: Paul’s efforts follow Christ’s initiative. Holiness is rooted not in human determination but in being divinely possessed. Before Paul strives, Christ has already claimed him. The New American Standard translation uses “laid hold” to better express that Jesus has seized us through His prevenient grace. This work is entirely Christ’s.
    Being “laid hold of” by Christ means grace has grasped us and will not let go. Our old lives of self-effort are gone; now, we are hidden in Christ, and His Spirit works within us to fulfill His purposes (Philippians 2:13).
    To really understand what Paul is talking about, let’s back up to verse 8 and read to verse 11.
    “8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
    Paul's adherence to the law did not make him holy; in God's eyes, it was worthless. We cannot earn righteousness or a right relationship with God through our works; these come only through faith in Christ.
    Wesley noted that justification and sanctification are acts of grace from God. Sanctification is not about self-made moral excellence but about being possessed by Christ. We strive forward not to earn His love but as a response to the love He has already shown us.
    If Christ has claimed you, holiness becomes a blessing rather than a burden. Our goal is not to prove ourselves to Him but to embrace our identity as His beloved child.

    2. Forgetting the Past and Reaching Forward (vs. 13–14)

    Paul emphasizes the importance of focusing on a singular goal, stating, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” His words evoke the intensity of an athlete striving for the finish line.
    “Forget what lies behind” means letting go of past guilt and glory. Paul refuses to let his sins or accomplishments define him, pressing on toward the greater goal of perfect love in Christ.
    Wesley taught that Christian perfection is a dynamic journey, not a static achievement. It involves continual progress in grace. As we are justified, we must pursue perfection, responding to the Spirit's call to deeper love.
    Wesley states the following:
    Christian perfection, therefore, does not imply (as some men seem to have imagined) an exemption either from ignorance or mistake, or infirmities or temptations. Indeed, it is only another term for holiness. They are two names for the same thing. Thus every one that is perfect is holy, and every one that is holy is, in the Scripture sense, perfect. Yet we may, lastly, observe, that neither in this respect is there any absolute perfection on earth. There is no perfection of degrees, as it is termed; none which does not admit of a continual increase. So that how much soever any man hath attained, or in how high a degree soever he is perfect, he hath still need to “grow in grace,” [2 Pet. 3:18] and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of God his Saviour. [see Phil. 1:9]
    The danger for many believers is spiritual stagnation, either relying on past blessings or fixating on past sins. The upward call of God urges us to seek more grace, love, and Christlikeness.
    Consider a runner: looking backward causes him to falter. Likewise, we must focus on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). The ultimate prize is Christ Himself.
    To move forward, identify what you need to leave behind—be it guilt, pride, resentment, or fear. These hindrances must be set aside to continue the race of grace.
    The call to Christian perfection is about movement—growing, forgiving, serving, and loving, with love ultimately guiding our hearts. Our sanctification is not about perfection of performance but the direction of love.

    3. Live by What We Have Attained (vs. 15–16)

    Paul concludes, “Let those of us who are mature think this way… Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”
    Paul is practical. While urging believers to press on, he also commands them to live up to the light they already have. Growth in holiness happens not by speculation but by obedience. Walk faithfully in what God has already shown you, and more will be given.
    Wesley’s sermon on Christian perfection answers two questions: what Christian perfection is not and what Christian perfection is. He defines Christian perfection in the negative at first to answer those who have been critical of the doctrine. He is clear that we cannot be perfect in our knowledge, health, or doing everything absolutely right. How he defines Christian perfection is love. Do we love God and neighbor fully?
    Wesley warned against two errors: spiritual pride that claims to have arrived, and spiritual sloth that refuses to move. He wrote, “We should never be content with any measure of holiness until we are renewed in the image of God.” Yet, he added, “we must continue to walk according to the grace we have received.” Perfection is the steady practice of love, moment by moment, until it becomes the habit of the soul.
    The mature Christian, then, is not one who claims sinless perfection, but one who lives faithfully within the grace given. Maturity means consistency. The Spirit leads us step by step; holiness grows as we obey each step.
    In this passage, Paul makes what seems like a surprising shift: after denying that he has already reached perfection (Phil. 3:12), he immediately speaks as though he and others have, in some sense, attained it (v. 15). The term mature in verse 15 is derived from the same root as perfect in verse 12, and while many translations choose “mature,” Paul’s meaning involves more than mere spiritual experience or longevity. True maturity, for Paul, carries a moral and ethical dimension. In 1 Corinthians 2:6 and 3:1–3, for example, he contrasts the “mature” with “infants in Christ” who are characterized by jealousy and strife.
    In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for perfect often describes those whose hearts are wholly devoted to God (as in Genesis 6:9; Deuteronomy 18:13; 2 Kings 20:3). Similarly, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the faithful are called “the perfect in way.” Thus, when Paul uses the term teleios (“perfect”), he is referring not to flawlessness but to wholehearted devotion and purity of heart that come from being in Christ. As M. D. Hooker observes, Paul has exchanged the legal blamelessness of his former life (v. 6) for the inner purity and righteousness that belong to those who live in union with Christ.
    Therefore, Paul acknowledges a kind of interim perfection—a present reality of holiness that believers can experience before final glorification. It is the perfection of those who, by faith, live in the righteousness that comes from God (3:9) and who are described as “blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation” (2:15).
    Paul’s central message to the Philippians is that the ultimate goal—the full knowledge of Christ and the perfection of resurrection life—still lies ahead. That future perfection is the prize toward which both he and they must continually press. He writes to correct any exaggerated claims that such perfection can already be attained in this life. When Paul refers to certain matters on which the Philippians might “think differently” (3:15), he likely means areas such as their willingness to forget the past (3:13) or to share in Christ’s sufferings (3:10). Whatever differences of understanding may exist, Paul trusts that God will clarify the truth to them in due time.
    His tone throughout is pastoral and measured; he is not scolding but guiding them with care. Above all, his concern is that the believers not lose ground in their spiritual journey. Therefore, he exhorts them—and includes himself in the appeal—to “live up to what we have already attained” (3:16). For Paul, the essence of the Christian life is continual spiritual progress, moving ever forward toward the goal of Christlike perfection.
    A gardener tends the soil daily. He cannot force the plant to grow, but he can nurture the conditions for growth — watering, weeding, waiting. Likewise, we cannot manufacture holiness, but we can “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25), cultivating obedience and love. The Spirit brings the increase.
    Are you living faithfully in the grace you’ve received? Do you practice the means of grace — prayer, Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, works of mercy — not as duties, but as ways to keep love alive? As Wesley wrote, “There is no holiness but social holiness.” Christian perfection grows as we live out love in community, serving others for Christ’s sake.
    If you are walking in the light God has given, you are already growing in perfection. Do not despise small steps. Each act of obedience builds the habit of holy love.
    Conclusion
    Paul’s final image is one of a race yet unfinished, a prize yet to be received — “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The prize is not fame, nor comfort, nor moral superiority. The prize is Christ Himself — His likeness perfected in us, His love filling our hearts completely.
    John Wesley summed it up perfectly:
    “Christian perfection is nothing higher and nothing lower than this — the humble, gentle, patient love of God and our neighbor, ruling our tempers, words, and actions.”
    The call to perfection is the call to love without reserve. It is the journey of a lifetime, yet one begun the moment Christ takes hold of us. Though none of us has yet obtained it fully, the Spirit of Christ presses us forward. And when at last we see Him face to face, love will be complete.

      • Philippians 3:12–16NRSV

      • Philippians 2:13NRSV

      • Hebrews 12:2NRSV

      • Galatians 5:25NRSV

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Bailey Methodist Church
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