Philippians 3:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

NIV: Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

NASB: however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

CSB: In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

NLT: But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

KJV: Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

NKJV: Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

Verse 15 set a lofty goal: putting the pursuit of Christ above all things. Paul calls on all Christians to seek fellowship with Jesus first, and to treat every other concern as "rubbish." Verse 16 seems to be something of a concession, to encourage those who know they are not walking in that path, yet. At the very least, his readers were not to fall back into previous sinful practices. This is part and parcel of his runner's analogy: move forward and focus on Christ. As a minimum, he expected believers to not lose progress in following Christ. In terms of his racing example, Paul is encouraging the Philippians to not lose ground, even if they don't feel they're gaining it.

An interesting connection is also seen with the words translated "attain" in verse 11 and here. In verse 11, the Greek word is katantēsō, in verse 16, it is ephthasamen. Both involve the concept of achieving, accomplishing, or arriving. In verse 11, Paul's focus was to attain "the resurrection of the dead," referring to his future with Christ. In verse 16, the focus is on holding on to what has already been attained. Though not the main point of this passage, Paul connects with the idea of believers who have confidence in their salvation, a theme he and others address elsewhere in the New Testament (Romans 8:37–39; 1 John 5:13).

Philippians 3:12—4:1 explains the proper attitude Christians ought to have on the process of ''sanctification.'' This is the gradual, lifelong path of becoming more and more like Jesus. Our place in eternity is secure from the moment we trust in Christ, but it takes time to see our actions and attitudes change to be like His. Paul notes that he is not perfect, but encourages Christians to mimic his singular focus on pursuing Jesus. Paul also weeps for those who reject the gospel, a choice that will result in their destruction.

Paul details his impressive Jewish resume. None of his critics or challengers could boast the pedigree carried by Paul. He mentions this only to emphasize how little such things mean, next to faith in Christ. Paul's language here is sharp and to the point. He then explains how a Christian's focus ought to be purely on Christ, just as a runner concentrates on their goal in order to run effectively. Rather than looking to the past, or to ourselves, we ought to look forward, to an eternity with the Lord.

In chapters 1 and 2, Paul explained how Christians should respond to hardships. Since Christ was willing to obey God, even to the point of death, we should do the same. Complaining and worry have no place in the life of a saved believer. Chapter 3 makes a bold contrast. Paul's credentials, according to Jewish tradition, were impeccable. And yet, for him, none of those accomplishments are worth anything next to fellowship with Christ. For this reason, Christ is to be the sole focus of the believer. This sets up Paul's final greetings and instructions in chapter 4.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.