Pressing Toward Resurrection Life

Key Passage: Philippians 3:12-14

Devotional:

Paul was never content with complacency. The Christian life is one of continuous movement: “I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own” (Philippians 3:12). His desire to grow in sanctification was not rooted in a need to earn God’s love but in the reality that Jesus had already made him His own. Our motivation for godliness must likewise come from being loved by God, not from striving to earn His love.

So how do we participate in sanctification? How do we press on? First, we must understand the proper order of events. Sanctification—a word often used in church circles—is described by Jesus as the “pruning of a vine” (see John 15). A dead and withered plant cannot be pruned; it must be uprooted entirely.

“Yet while we were dead in our sins, Christ died for us—not because of any effort on our part but solely by His grace. Behold! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.). We are alive because of Christ’s love and sacrifice. Our response, then, is love-fueled obedience.

While our works do not save us, we are not passive in sanctification. As Kevin DeYoung explains, “We are not passive in sanctification. God works in us, and we work out that work. But we do so in reliance upon the Spirit’s enabling.” Resurrection life is not merely something we await in eternity—it is something we begin to live now. However, to walk in this new life, we must leave behind what hinders us (See Philippians 3:13.). Whether it be past sins, self-righteousness, or failures, the Christian life calls for forward movement.

It is not about achieving perfection but about perseverance. Our goal is not to “arrive” but to press on, to crucify the self—daily—and to walk in step with Christ.

Song Reflection: “If suffering in the present means glory in His presence/ Then I claim, I claim Jesus’ holy name”

Application Question: What do you need to “forget” in order to press forward toward Christ? Further Reading: John 15; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; Hebrews 12:1-2

Written by Jordan West