PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD

by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong

This issue of Harvest Force reminds us of the Vision, Mission, and Core Values of The Methodist Missions Society. MMS was officially launched in 1991, over 30 years ago. A lot has been done over the last 30+ years, and we give thanks to God for the privilege of being part of what he has been doing amongst many nations in the past. But, like the apostle Paul, let us keep pressing on toward what lies ahead.

Like the apostle Paul, let us keep pressing on toward what lies ahead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:12, NIV)

Some things get lost in translation, and the NIV translation above has lost or omitted one of the three times the same Greek word is used by the apostle Paul. Here is an attempt to reproduce in English the triple use of the same Greek verb.

Not that I have already taken hold of, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of what has been taken hold of for me by Christ.

Or perhaps more elegantly:

Not that I have already attained, or already arrived at my goal, but I press on to attain what has been attained for me by Christ.

Paul had lived and worked hard for God for many years. But he knows that he has not attained, not arrived yet at the perfect goal for his life. He uses the same Greek word a fourth time in the next verse.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead … (Philippians 3:13, NIV)

Forgetting what lies behind, Paul keeps moving forward. He presses on toward the perfect ending and goal of life. And here’s the point of his pun: Even though he has not yet attained or arrived at the perfect fulfilment of his calling and God-given purpose, he doesn’t get discouraged. He doesn’t say: I give up. I’ll never get there.

No, he keeps on pressing forward toward that perfect goal. Why? Because he believes that Jesus the Christ has already attained or secured that perfect ending for him. His quest, his pressing on toward perfection will not be in vain.

May MMS also keep moving forward, “because we know that (our) labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58b, NIV)