6.34 We have an upward call in Christ
(Philippians 3:14)
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST Jesus.
The above verse tells us that we have an upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We have a higher purpose in life. We have an eternal destiny. We don’t just exist or drift along in life according to the tides of this world.
In Eph 1:18, Paul prays that you may know the hope of His CALLING. There are so many more verses that talk about our calling. The New Covenant tells us that we are called to be IN CHRIST, and we have the privilege of living life with CHRIST IN US. When we are in Him, and He is in us, life will be fulfilling for us, and we will fulfill whatever He wants to accomplish through us.
1 Pet 2:9 says that you are CALLED out of darkness into His light. When you walk in His light, you will be the light of the world. This light will lead your family members and friends to Christ. Gal 1:6 says that God CALLED you in the grace of Christ. When you receive abundance of His grace, it will overflow to others, and God’s grace will accomplish its purpose in them.
There are two things that Paul mentions in Phil 3:14.
1) Forgetting those things which are behind
Many people live in the past. They could be holding on to something dear or something glories of the past. When we live in the past, we cannot move forward. We cannot live in the higher calling of God. So God wants us to forget what is behind, in order to press on to the better things ahead. In Christ, the journey can only get better. We have to believe Him.
2) Reaching forward towards the upward call in Christ
Some people feel that life is meaningless and mundane. In some extreme cases, especially among teenagers, some even commit suicide because of a lack of purpose. God wants us to live life the way He created us, with His calling.
Many adults are simply sucked into the rat race of life – in school, in our careers, in building a family, in raising the kids, in saving for retirement, etc. But these things are temporal. Sometimes we feel that we are always rushing around but we may not seem to be getting anywhere.
God has a higher calling for us which are eternal. Whatever phase of life we go through, the upward call of God will be our guiding force that powers us from within. In Christ, we will accomplish our calling and find fulfillment.
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST Jesus.
The above verse tells us that we have an upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We have a higher purpose in life. We have an eternal destiny. We don’t just exist or drift along in life according to the tides of this world.
In Eph 1:18, Paul prays that you may know the hope of His CALLING. There are so many more verses that talk about our calling. The New Covenant tells us that we are called to be IN CHRIST, and we have the privilege of living life with CHRIST IN US. When we are in Him, and He is in us, life will be fulfilling for us, and we will fulfill whatever He wants to accomplish through us.
1 Pet 2:9 says that you are CALLED out of darkness into His light. When you walk in His light, you will be the light of the world. This light will lead your family members and friends to Christ. Gal 1:6 says that God CALLED you in the grace of Christ. When you receive abundance of His grace, it will overflow to others, and God’s grace will accomplish its purpose in them.
There are two things that Paul mentions in Phil 3:14.
1) Forgetting those things which are behind
Many people live in the past. They could be holding on to something dear or something glories of the past. When we live in the past, we cannot move forward. We cannot live in the higher calling of God. So God wants us to forget what is behind, in order to press on to the better things ahead. In Christ, the journey can only get better. We have to believe Him.
2) Reaching forward towards the upward call in Christ
Some people feel that life is meaningless and mundane. In some extreme cases, especially among teenagers, some even commit suicide because of a lack of purpose. God wants us to live life the way He created us, with His calling.
Many adults are simply sucked into the rat race of life – in school, in our careers, in building a family, in raising the kids, in saving for retirement, etc. But these things are temporal. Sometimes we feel that we are always rushing around but we may not seem to be getting anywhere.
God has a higher calling for us which are eternal. Whatever phase of life we go through, the upward call of God will be our guiding force that powers us from within. In Christ, we will accomplish our calling and find fulfillment.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 1:16 AM
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