Philippians 3:12 (NASB)
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How does he lay hold of it?
It can’t be by any outward holding, for no holding of any outward thing can get one closer to God... So it must be an inward holding of the heart..
From the words “I press on” we are lead to understand it is an on going holding, a relentless holding, one that he has purposed in his heart to continue for the rest of the time in the body...
“Not that I have already obtained”
So he had received something already, but that was not to be rested in, there was still more to obtain...
“or had become perfect”
So then, this obtaining was so he could walk in a deeper degree of perfection, i.e., righteousness...
This was the perfection he was laying hold of, and wherever this righteousness was; this, the doing of the righteous thing would lead, that he would follow and lay hold of...
For perfection was the goal, the walking in righteousness as Christ Himself walks in righteousness...
This was the goal for him in life, for the rest of the time in the body, was for the laying hold of that for which Christ had laid hold of him...
Which was for the manifestation of the doing of righteousness in a deeper and deeper degree... For the bringing of perfection to man, that is, the bringing of the doing of righteousness to man, was the reason Christ died for man...
To lay hold of that purpose, and the grabbing onto such, let the heart so rejoice...
For rejoicing the heart will, as it sees Christ of a truth has laid hold on it to give it something... And as this something is received, experienced and enjoyed, it is discovered it is the doing of righteousness that is the bringer in of such a joy... As the heart so desires and embraces the truth....
Be blessed in the joy...
A fellow laborer in Christ, Not me
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How does he lay hold of it?
It can’t be by any outward holding, for no holding of any outward thing can get one closer to God... So it must be an inward holding of the heart..
From the words “I press on” we are lead to understand it is an on going holding, a relentless holding, one that he has purposed in his heart to continue for the rest of the time in the body...
“Not that I have already obtained”
So he had received something already, but that was not to be rested in, there was still more to obtain...
“or had become perfect”
So then, this obtaining was so he could walk in a deeper degree of perfection, i.e., righteousness...
This was the perfection he was laying hold of, and wherever this righteousness was; this, the doing of the righteous thing would lead, that he would follow and lay hold of...
For perfection was the goal, the walking in righteousness as Christ Himself walks in righteousness...
This was the goal for him in life, for the rest of the time in the body, was for the laying hold of that for which Christ had laid hold of him...
Which was for the manifestation of the doing of righteousness in a deeper and deeper degree... For the bringing of perfection to man, that is, the bringing of the doing of righteousness to man, was the reason Christ died for man...
To lay hold of that purpose, and the grabbing onto such, let the heart so rejoice...
For rejoicing the heart will, as it sees Christ of a truth has laid hold on it to give it something... And as this something is received, experienced and enjoyed, it is discovered it is the doing of righteousness that is the bringer in of such a joy... As the heart so desires and embraces the truth....
Be blessed in the joy...
A fellow laborer in Christ, Not me
