In my reading of the Epistle to the Philippians today, I observed from the passage in chapter 3 which contains the well known verse, — Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before — that the Apostle also urges the Philippian brethren to think like him, particularly those who think they are already "perfect".
In verse 15, the apostle writes — Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way — meaning that we all should also forget the things which are behind us and stretch forward, pressing on towards the goal of the high calling of God in the Anointed Iesus (see verse 14).
- Philippians 3:8 - 15 WEB World English Bible
- 8 Yes most assuredly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
- 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
- 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;
- 11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
- 12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
- 13 Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having laid hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
- 14 I press on toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
- 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, this God will also reveal that to you.
Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, like the Apostle, let us who think we are already "made perfect" think this way: to count all our gains as loss and, forgetting what is behind us, stretch forward to the things that are before us. Let us press on.
