Transcripción

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first runner to break the four-minute mile in a race. He ran the mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. Less than two months later, his record was broken when John Landy, from Australia, ran the mile in 3 minutes 57.9 seconds.

On August 7 of that same year, these two men competed against one another. The race was billed as “The Miracle Mile,” since they were still the only two athletes to have broken the four-minute barrier. Millions of people listened to the live coverage or read about it later. John Landy led for almost the entire race, but Rober Bannister was narrowing Landy’s lead. As they approached the goal, Landy was a few steps ahead but then broke a cardinal rule in racing. He looked back! He glanced over his left shoulder to see where Bannister was, and Bannister ran past him on his right and won the race.[1]

When you read the letters of Paul, it’s pretty obvious that he enjoyed athletics. He used numerous analogies from the world of sports, including boxing, wrestling, and especially running. He has already done so in this letter to the Philippians.
As we come back again to chapter 3, Paul delivers the kind of advice a coach might give his team. His first piece of advice is this: Don’t get distracted.

Paul writes in verse 12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own.” He is referring to consistent purity and spiritual maturity. In essence, he is saying, “I haven’t arrived!” And beloved, if Paul has not arrived, we haven’t either. If Paul considers himself a work in progress, so are we.

Paul gives us some good advice here as we struggle in our own race of faith. He writes, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” (verse 13).

I love his single-mindedness—this “one thing I do.” My missionary father used to tell me, “Stephen there are a lot of Christians who dabble in a dozen things but never focus on this one thing—running the race for Christ.”

This phrase, “forgetting what lies behind” is Paul’s way of saying, “I am not going to look back over my shoulder—like John Landy did—and be slowed down.” This does not mean Paul has forgotten his past sins—he certainly remembers persecuting the church in his earlier years.

What he means is that because of Christ’s forgiveness, those sins of the past no longer hold him down. He does not dwell on them anymore because Christ has forgiven them.

We cannot run our race looking over our shoulder. Instead, we need to keep looking ahead, like a runner who concentrates everything on crossing that finish line. And what is the finish line? Paul tells us in verse 14: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The prize is being in the glorious presence of Jesus. The finish line is the front gate of heaven.

Whatever might glitter in this world cannot compare to the home God has prepared for you. People today are trying to get all the gold they can. Beloved, in your future home, you are going to discover that gold is so common the Lord uses it to pave the streets. It will be as common as concrete or asphalt.

Paul’s second piece of advice is simply this: Follow godly examples. The apostle tells us plainly to follow those who are worthy of being imitated. Now this kind of “looking around” is not distraction but instruction.

Paul even offers himself as an example as he writes in verse 17, “Brothers, join in imitating me.” Does this sound like Paul is getting a little proud here? When I was growing up, we would say that somebody who spoke like that was getting “too big for his britches.” Paul is not becoming that at all. In fact, he goes on to say in this same verse, “Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”

Paul already told us he had not arrived. No believer has. But Paul is progressing. And there are Christians in your life—in your church—who can counsel you and encourage you. Their lives are worth patterning yourself after. Be on the lookout for people who will inspire you to walk with Christ and to say with Paul, “This is the ‘one thing’ I want to do more than anything else.”

That is so important because the world is full of bad examples and far too many Christians are imitating the wrong lifestyles. Note what Paul writes here in verses 18-19:

For many . . . walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

He is talking about unbelievers, enemies of Christ and the message of His cross. These bad examples will also include professing Christians whose lives betray an empty faith—a dead faith. They profess Christ, but they do not possess Christ. And their lives prove they have no interest in the things of Christ. Steer clear of their example, for they are running their race in the wrong direction.

Here is Paul’s third piece of advice for Christian athletes running their race of faith: Keep looking ahead.

Mark his words in verses 20-21:

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.

We think of ourselves as citizens of our home country, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Paul was grateful for his Roman citizenship. And we should all be good citizens of our country today, the best we can be, so long as we do not violate the Word of God.

Paul is writing here to some patriotic Roman citizens. The Greek word Paul uses here for “citizenship” is politeuma. This term gives us words like politics, politician, policeman, and metropolis. The related Greek word polis means “city.”

We know from history that Caesar Augustus had given the city of Philippi special status as a colony of Rome because of their past loyalty to the emperor. Citizens of Philippi were exempt from paying taxes to Rome. It was quite a privilege to live in Philippi as a citizen of Rome.

Paul is not throwing cold water on their patriotism. He is just reminding them that they belong, ultimately, to another empire. They have a greater country and a more noble King—King Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul calls the Christian an ambassador for Christ. We cannot lose sight of that concept. Think of it this way: You have been assigned by God to an embassy post somewhere on earth. You are on assignment as God’s ambassador in a foreign country. Even though you might have been born in that country and speak the language of that country and have citizenship papers in that country, you are ultimately representing another country—another kingdom. You are an ambassador representing the kingdom of God.  

Paul concludes this chapter by reminding us that Jesus Christ is coming back; and when He does, we are going to have our lowly bodies transformed to be like His glorious body. In other words, we are going to be robed with the insignia and glory of our true, home country, the kingdom of heaven.

Until that day, when we change our post on earth for our place in heaven, let us run the race well. And here is some good coaching advice from Paul: Do not get distracted, follow godly examples, and keep looking ahead.