The Objectives of Our Journey

THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR JOURNEY

Three Perspectives of the Apostle Paul

Philippians 3 is where Paul clarifies the objective of his journey. Every Christian can and should share in these three perspectives. The Christian life is one of growth and progress toward the goal of becoming like Christ. The longer we are saved, the more we should resemble our Savior. When we first become believers, our lives often have a lot of the “baggagee” of the past life and the world. With each passing day, pieces of that baggage should fall by the wayside as we walk in newness of life. 

Salvation through Jesus Christ is the starting point of our faith journey. That is where we must begin. At salvation, God places us in Christ. That means we are “clothed in His righteousness.” God works in His salvation and it is now our duty to work out what He has worked in. This is the process of sanctification or growing in grace or being conformed to the image of Christ. This process of growth doesn’t take place automatically. It is a journey. 

It can become easy to grow discouraged in the journey of faith, especially when we have a lapse of faith, face discouraging times, or unexpected circumstances. But the Scriptures outline the only way possible to go from victory unto victory. We must learn Christ, we must lean toward Christ, and we must continually look for Christ!

THE FIRST OBJECTIVE: LEARNING CHRIST

In Philippians 3:10-14, 20-21, the apostle Paul reveals his primary objective. “That I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10). Obviously he already knew Christ in salvation; but what Paul speaks of here is the developing of that relationship in an intimate, meaningful, purposeful, and practical way. Positionally he knew Christ and Christ knew him. But practically, Paul desired to know more about Christ. That is a worthy goal for all believers! 

F.B. Meyer said this about knowing Christ:

“We may know Him personally intimately face to face. Christ does not live back in the centuries, nor amid the clouds of Heaven; He is near us, with us, compassing our path and our lying down, and acquainted with all our ways. But we cannot know Him in this mortal life except through the illumination and teaching of the Holy Spirit…. And we must surely know Christ, not as a stranger who turns in to visit for the night, or as the exalted king of men - there must be the inner knowledge as of those whom He counts His own familiar friends, whom He trusts with His secrets, who eat with Him of His own bread.”

He goes on to say:

“To know Christ in the storm of battle; to know Him in the valley of shadow; to know Him when the solar light irradiates our faces, or when they are darkened with disappointment and sorrow; to know the sweetness of His dealing with bruised reeds and smoking flax; to know the tenderness of His sympathy and the strength of His right hand - all this involves many varieties of experience on our part, but each of them like the facets of a diamond will reflect the prismatic beauty of His glory from a new angle.”

You can become involved in religion and know “rules” and “preferences” and never really know Christ. You can have a “form of godliness” but miss out on the “power of His resurrection.” a

“We should never rest until we know Him as we know our friend,” says F.B. Meyer, “and are able to read without speech the movements of His soul.”

Like John the beloved who leaned on His bosom, we are able to hear the heartbeat of God through prayer and Bible study. Through the Scriptures we learn of His power, presence, preeminence, and perfection.

That was Paul’s objective, his high aim, his goal to pursue: that I may know Him. Are you learning to lean on Jesus? And in learning to lean, are you finding more power than you ever dreamed? 

Ephesians 3:16

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

We cannot learn all we need to know of Christ without knowing Him first through a personal relationship. And we cannot learn of Christ all that is available to us without a continual practice of communion and fellowship with Him. 

Paul lived in this. We might call it the Galatians 2:20 life.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

What are you pursuing in this life? What is the objective of your Christian journey? Don’t settle for anything less than knowing Christ. 

Consider this: To know someone requires genuine interest. Getting to know a person well involves spending quality time with him. In a meaningful and progressive relationship, each person reveals himself - his likes and dislikes, his hopes and fears, his ambitions and history, his thoughts and feelings. Building such an intimate relationship is not the work of one or two days; it takes time, effort, and purpose. 

First, do you know Christ Jesus as your personal Savior?

Secondly, are you getting to know Him as your close, personal Friend?

Third, do you have an ongoing connection to Him that is daily, intentional, and productive?

At salvation, we trust Him. Through sanctification, He develops in us all that we need in order that He might trust us. There is no greater “objective” for the Christian journey than to know Christ.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

For one, I’m glad I know who Jesus is. But on the other hand, I want to know more about my Lord!

Christian, you may be going through a dark season and a difficult time in your life, but it will be through these times that you will learn about His presence. Don’t let Satan make you bitter through this season of discouragement and trial. God’s grace is sufficient and He can strengthen you through the storm. In the storm you can actually learn more about Him. You are never alone. He is aware. He is available. He is accessible. He is able.

Paul made this his objective for two reasons: (1) “I am not what God wants me to be yet.” (2) “I am not yet finished with all that God wants me to do.” That is essentially what he was teaching the believers at Philippi in verses 7-21 of Philippians 3.

THE SECOND OBJECTIVE: LEANING TOWARD CHRIST

In Philippians 3:12-14 we discover that the more we learn about Christ the more inclined we are to lean toward Christ. Critics and skeptics may accuse the Bible-believing Christian of leaning on a “crutch,” but we are confident as we stand upon Christ the Solid Rock! 

When we make our objective learning of Christ and leaning on Christ, the less we rely on our ability, wisdom, experience, or knowledge to get us through life. 

Paul challenges us (including himself) to forget the past (vv. 12-13). Sadly, many believers are ineffective in the present because they are either gloating in past accomplishments or wallowing in past failures. 

While we should always be thankful for yesterday’s grace and past victories, His mercy and grace is fresh every single morning and there are victories ahead! Solomon instructed his son to keep his eyes focused forward: “Let thine eyes look right on, and thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand or to the left: remove thy foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:25-27).

There is a time to rest and reflect. But there is never a time to retreat. We are running forward and toward the prize. We might need to repair and revive, but let us not focus on retirement from the journey. Paul was ever moving forward and toward Christ!

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after….”

Not only is it about forgetting the past but it’s about fighting for the prize. And what exactly is the prize? “... that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12). “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God” (Philippians 3:14). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith….” (Hebrews 12:2). It is being conformed to His image (Romans 8:29) and standing complete in Him when all is said and done. 

That is the focus or objective of the present Christian race. Wherever you are in your journey right now - in this very moment - see to it that you are taking steps toward Christ. The focus is on His person (Philippians 3:14). 

Ephesians 6:6-7

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

It’s the mindset that says: “I just want to please the Lord.”

“... that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11)

It’s easy to make ourselves the “object” of praise because of our old Adamic nature. If we yield to the flesh that is exactly what will happen. We will desire to hold some of the glory for ourselves. It’s when we lose the wonder of who He is that we will fail to worship Him in the proper way.

That is why Paul was always “adjusting his sights.” We too must continually align ourselves with this objective. 

The objective of the journey is learning Christ. The objective of the journey is leaning toward Christ. And finally, the objective of the journey is looking for Christ.

THE THIRD OBJECTIVE: LOOKING FOR CHRIST

Philippians 3:20-21

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence we also look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

21 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.

There are three great reminders within this goal of “looking for Christ” and His return. What are they? It’s three important reminders that will keep us focused in the Christian race.

We must always remember that our location is temporary. When Paul was writing to the believers at Philippi, he was writing from prison. But that was not a dead-end for Paul. The ones that received this letter were residents of a place called Philippi, a Roman colony. Though under occupation, they and Paul belonged to another Kingdom - God’s Kingdom. They were residents of a Heavenly city! As are we. This world is not my home, I’m just passing through! We are strangers and pilgrims, aliens if you please. While we live on this earth it is our desire and objective to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We long for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. But we also look forward to the day when we change locations. What a moving day that will be!

We must always remember that our longing is temporary. We are not just pining for something that may or may not happen. He is coming again! He has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14). Heaven is real. Eternity is coming. We are longing to see Christ face-to-face (1 John 3:1-3; 1 Peter 1:8). But remember, these urgent longing is temporary. One day soon faith will give way to sight! Keep running in His direction.

We must always remember our likeness is temporary. He is going to “change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). What a promise! What a prospect! Paul touches on this reality in 1 Corinthians 15:51-57. John speaks of it in 1 John 3:1-3. 

One glorious day - soon I believe - the completion of our salvation will come to fruition. These bodies of flesh will change from corruption to incorruption. No longer vile, we will be eternally victorious! No longer sinful flesh, we will be like the Savior whom we see face-to-face. 

These “perspectives” keep us in the race. These “objectives” align our focus with what is the most worthy goal. Heaven will be sweet and wonderful and glorious. We cannot even begin to imagine what it will be like in Heaven. And many times we overlook the reality that God will set up His Kingdom on this earth and rule for 1,000 years during the Millennial Reign of Christ. We who are born again will return to reign with Him. We cannot even begin to imagine how exciting that will be and all that is involved with His Kingdom. But above Heaven the place and the Kingdom peace, the primary objective is the PERSON who makes it all possible… JESUS! 

Today, let us learn of Christ. Let us lean toward Christ. And as we do, let us continue looking for Christ to come any moment.