Goal Line Stand: Perseverance and Standing Firm in Faith (Philippians 3)

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Pastor David Rose opens up Philippians 3:12–4:1, where Paul shows us what it looks like to chase after Christ with everything we’ve got. Using the image of a runner leaning into the finish line, Paul paints a picture of relentless devotion. It’s not a picture of a man trying to earn favor, it’s the image of a man already been gripped by grace.

We learn five important truths: God shapes us over time, Christ is the prize, believers move forward together, we must be alert to drift, and lasting reward comes from God alone.

Pastor David helps us see how to keep moving forward, even when life tries to pull us in a hundred directions. He also asks the hard questions: are we still chasing after Christ like we did at first? Or have we slowed down, distracted or tired? Whether you’re running strong or just trying to take one more step, you’ll find clarity, challenge, and hope here.

Don’t settle. Keep going. Because the goal isn’t just to finish—it’s to know Him. Fix your eyes on the One who ran the race before you and won.

Key Takeaways

  • God continually matures believers. (12-13)
  • God keeps Jesus as the goal of faith. (14-16)
  • God unites believers in their pursuit of Jesus. (17)
  • God warns about drifting from truth. (18-19)
  • God will reward the faithful. (20-1)

Further Study

  • In Philippians 3:12, Paul says he hasn’t “obtained” or become “perfect” yet continues pressing on. How does this connect with Christ’s command to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) and what does this tension reveal about the nature of Christian growth? Consider how this shapes your view of both pursuing holiness and resting in His finished work.
  • Looking at Philippians 3:13-14’s imagery of “forgetting what lies behind,” how does this compare with Paul’s frequent references to his past in other letters (1 Timothy 1:13-15, 1 Corinthians 15:9)? What’s the difference between being defined by our past and learning from it? How might this inform the way you handle both past failures and achievements in your spiritual journey?
  • Considering Philippians 3:20’s declaration that “our citizenship is in heaven,” how does this truth mesh with Christ’s prayer that we would be “in the world but not of it” (John 17:14-16)? In what specific ways should your heavenly citizenship influence your daily decisions, priorities, and responses to cultural pressures?
  • Paul describes two contrasting paths in Philippians 3:18-19 and 3:20-21: one leading to destruction and one to transformation. How does this echo Christ’s teaching about the narrow and wide gates (Matthew 7:13-14)? What evidence of transformation should be visible in the life of someone pursuing the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus”?
  • Take time to journal your responses to these questions, particularly focusing on areas where you need to “press on” in your spiritual journey. Remember that the goal isn’t just theological understanding but, as Paul tells us, knowing Christ more deeply and being transformed by that knowledge.

The Gospel

If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to talk with you about it.

Reach out

Paul reminds us: your resume can’t fix your deepest problem. He had achievements, status, morality but none of it could make him right with God. Neither can ours. We’re born separated from the One who made us. We can’t climb our way back.

But God didn’t leave us there. He sent His Son to do what we never could. Jesus took our guilt upon Himself, died in our place, and rose again so that anyone who trusts in Him could be brought near. Paul didn’t pursue Christ to be accepted, he ran because he had been.

This new life is marked by:

  • A fresh passion to follow Christ (v.12)

  • Freedom from guilt and self-glory (v.13)

  • A renewed outlook shaped by eternity (v.20)

  • The promise of full renewal in the end (v.21)

Here’s the invitation: stop trusting your own efforts. Grab hold of the One who already has a firm grip on you. In Him, you’ll find the peace you’ve been missing, the purpose your soul craves, and the change your heart desperately needs.