searching for loopholes with magnifying glass

Avoidance
Theology

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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

This is a competitive age where winning has become more important than living… or at least for some. The Scriptures talk of winning the prize but in a different context than games. Paul’s analogy to ‘pressing on toward the goal’ is about eternal outcome and not a mere trophy congratulating a momentary outcome. All to often, winning prizes is a passing gratification forgotten by all in days or years. The Bible points to outcomes that last forever.

I was not an athlete in school or since; I simply was too undisciplined to put in the effort to develop any physical skills and I avoided exertion and pain whenever possible. I did however serve as an athletic trainer, sports statistician and coach so I did observe those who were disciplined enough to develop the skills to succeed. I never observed a natural winner, someone who didn’t have to hone whatever abilities they brought to the competition before they were victorious.

Let’s take a look at the Bible view of achieving the goal, something of eternal value, recognized as worthy by the Lᴏʀᴅ.

JESUS is the ultimate example of one who paid the price to finish, reach the goal:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 1

We are encouraged to ‘lay aside every weight’ ‘to run with endurance’ the course set before us. Note that Jesus ‘endured the cross, despising the shame’ for the goal was deemed worth the cost and by His example we are encouraged ‘not to grow weary or fainthearted’. Then we are reminded that making it to the goal necessitates ‘the discipline of the Lord’ if we are to stay fixed upon the goal. Anyone who trains comes to understand that they must discipline their body to submit to the rigors of what comes before the goal. Likewise, spiritually there are disciplines to be endured to mature into one who is committed to participation with God in His goals. While ‘getting saved’ is too often presented as enough to gain escape from eternal hell, that has the same value as a participation trophy for simply showing up and foregoing the training.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes of his intention to press on toward the goal:

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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 2

His was not a momentary practice but a lifetime commitment to be all that God desired him to be becoming. He does not speak as having attained but as one who continues to maintain the endurance already gained and moving on from there. His completing the course was in recognition of how Jesus had made it possible for Paul to continue forward.

Jesus knew the cost of discipline and offered His followers to train with Him. For those without a farmyard background, in an earlier time when you had a task to be accomplished that took more than manpower, animals (think horses, oxen, draft animals) were hitched into a harness, then joined together with another similar critter and hooked to the plow or any other implement. Jesus offers to come alongside, in yoke with ‘my yoke’ to get the job done.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 3

Yes, you will be in the discipline of being yoked together but, with Him in the yoke alongside, it is easy and the load light. And, like any good coach, He is gentle and not arrogant in teaching you His ways. There are those who insist that the Lᴏʀᴅ has no expectations of those who say the magic words and are ‘saved’ but Scripture has many contrary explanations of what is ahead of those who would follow Jesus’s path after God’s desires:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 4

There is no reason to expect a life of ease in the life in God but that there will be trials, struggles, discipline, even opposition but that He is faithful to keep your training suited to your discipline so that you may continue through the process to the goal of completing what God has in you. There is no ‘carrot-on-a-stick’ manipulation with the Lᴏʀᴅ as He is up-front about the cost of your commitment and that He has already completed the course before you. And overcome.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 5

Lest we miss the example of Paul’s last years continuing to ‘run the race’ we look to his last journey to Jerusalem. You might want to think life got easier the longer he walked with Jesus but while it was fruitful and he was convinced of the goal he was following in Jesus, it was not without the cost of commitment. Paul was being drawn back to Jerusalem by the Lᴏʀᴅ at the end of his last trip through the churches of Greece and Asia Minor. He was convinced of where God wanted him and had personally been forewarned of the cost of fulfilling God’s plan in his life. His parting talk with the Ephesians includes:

And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 6

Not only was the Holy Spirit ‘compelling’ him but he had embraced the will of God and was committed to continuing no matter what may come. Leaving Ephesus, he sails to Tyre up the coast from Israel where the ship offloaded cargo before continuing south:

…landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 7

Paul’s certainty was in conflict with the desires of many friends who repeated the warnings about what cost was ahead. This continued when they sailed to his destination port of Caesarea,

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 8

There is a common desire within the natural man to protect himself from discipline, from discomfort, from pain, even from not getting our own will. Avoidance of un-ease is one of the theologies of the day, that God does not want or allow His followers to suffer anything lacking pleasure. Many expect that the life in Christ is not meant to include conflict, to not contain discipline, that all God has for our lives in being conformed to the image of Jesus will come through pleasant persuasions delivered in formats that we would most appreciate. If that is true, Paul and Jesus are poor examples of living life after the heart of the Lᴏʀᴅ. Speaking of Jesus, Hebrews 10 reads,

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
 in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added,
“Behold, I have come to do Your will.”
He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 9  

As much as we may be more comfortable with the ease of physical gifts back to God, He is more looking for the discipline of the heart given wholly to Him. In our modern age, the ‘all to Jesus, I surrender’ or ‘I’ll say Yes Lord to Your will and to Your way’ too often have a qualifier of after I know the question you ask God, I’ll give you my response. That has the same ‘self’ as wanting to be a sports star, going out for the team, buying the togs, showing up for the game only to change your mind when you find out the discipline of practice is required. Christ-following is predicated upon the, ‘I have come to do Your will, O God’ with the commitment no matter the cost.

FOOTNOTES:
1 Hebrews 12:1-6 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/heb/12/1-6/s_1145001
2 Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/phl/3/12-16/s_1106012
3 Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/mat/11/28-30/s_940028
4 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/1co/10/13/s_1072013
5 John 16:33 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/jhn/16/33/s_1013033
6 Acts 20:22-24 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/act/20/22-24/s_1038022
7 Acts 21:3b-4 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/act/21/3-4/s_1039003
8 Acts 21:10-14 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/act/21/10-14/s_1039010
9 Hebrews 10:5-9 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/heb/10/5-9/s_1143005

 

Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV) - https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/phl/3/12-16/s_1106012
All Scripture references from the Blue Letter Bible, ESV
at https://www.blueletterbible.org
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2025 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

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