Press toward the mark

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

(Philippians 3:14–16) you H ave ever considered the importance of a lighthouse?

Before the time of GPS devices and the many technologies that are available today, a lighthouse was a very valuable guide for ships at sea. Without the lighthouse, ships would be unable to tell how close they were to the shore, which would result in shipwreck, but because the lighthouse is on the shore, the ships are able to stay its course and not be hindered by the darkness. Likewise, a landing strip at an airport is lined with lights that are used as guides for the pilots to safely land the plane in dark circumstances. Most of the time, when we are traveling, we like to plan our trips ahead of time and find the best route and stay on course and make the trip is quickly as possible without any variation of our plans. In these examples there is one common factor, there is a goal/aim ahead. In the book of Philippians, Paul encourages the brethren to “press toward the mark”, staying focused on the goal ahead and in so doing, there is a pattern for making sure that we accomplish our goals as well.

Something that is important for our “pressing toward the mark” is to forget the past.

Far too often, we tend to dwell on things of the past.

Many congregations seem to be frozen in time and not able to move ahead because of things that happened in the past and the effect or sting is still affecting them now. In these situations, it is important to remember the goal and forget the past to continue pressing toward the mark. Paul is encouraging the brethren and has given a long list of things from his past that he had to put behind him. He remembered the persecution he brought on the church (3:6), he remembered the good standing he had as a Hebrew (3:5), but all of those things that he could have prided himself in from his past, he counted but loss for Christ (3:7). Christians must bury the past to press toward the mark. Christians must bury the “old man of sin” (Romans 6:4-6), we must not take pride in the sinful lives we once lived, but must count all things but loss for Christ, we must not dwell on our past, thinking we are “not good enough” (1 John 1:7, Rom. 5:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:17). Those that have had their sins washed away in baptism (Acts 22:16), have been made “new creatures” in Christ that have had our past buried in the watery grave, and now we are pressing toward the mark for the cause of Christ.

After we bury the past, now we must press forward. We cannot sit idle, waiting for the return of Christ. This was the situation in Thessalonica after they obeyed the Gospel, they stopped everything thinking the Lord would soon return, but they would be encouraged to “not sleep as do others” (1 Thess. 5:6).

Some have ceased pressing toward the mark and have become idle in their efforts.

Some neglect their personal responsibility to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, but one thing must be remembered: SATAN IS NOT SITTING IDLE, AND IS DECEIVING AND CORRUPTING THIS WORLD, which should cause Christians to press toward the mark to the fullest of our capabilities. We must remember the race we have entered when we put Christ on in baptism (Hebrews 12:1-2). We must realize our prize in Christ cannot be obtained on this earth (2 Tim. 4:6-8). We must always be pressing forward, always asking ourselves what we want to accomplish for the cause of Christ. We must press toward the mark.

The only way to press toward the mark and accomplish the goals set before us is by working together. Philippians 3:15 states we that are “perfect” (completely, or thoroughly instructed) be “thus minded” or like-minded. The church must be like-minded, not having any divisions among us (1 Cor. 1:10, Romans 15:5-6; Phil. 2:5).

Philippians 3:16 instructs us to “walk” (live) by the same rule, minding the same thing.

Can two walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)?

We must be walking together with the same mind in several areas: in matters of doctrine (1 Cor. 1:10), in our efforts to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), in our benevolent efforts (James 1:27), in exhorting one another (Hebrews 10:24-25), in our efforts to reach out to those that are erring in the faith, not being indifferent to one another (Gal. 6:1), in our live for one another (Matt. 22:37-39). If we are going to continue being useful in the kingdom of Christ, we must press toward the mark.

Let us set heaven as our goal, and never let anything stop us from pressing toward the mark. Bury the past, look ahead, and walk together.

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we 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.” (Philippians 3:20–21)

Jeremy Thornton is Minister of Highway 77 Church of Christ in Marion, Arkansas.

Jeremy Thornton

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