‘Forgetting What Is Behind’


‘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. Therefore, let us, as many as are mature have this mind. And if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.’ ref/Philippians 3:13-15.
Paul here speaks about forgetting what is behind us and moving on to our future life in Christ Jesus. Something special is revealed when one’s Sinful past is left behind and forgotten: ‘the New Man’. The New Man and the New Woman in Christ is born (the Saint) and revealed to the World to the Glory of God.

The New Birth occurs when a person Commits their life to following the sayings/oracles of Christ Jesus, and they bear Fruits worthy of Repentance. They Renounce the previous life of Sin and now long for Newness of life, living as a Spiritually awakened Disciple of Jesus, now bearing Fruit befitting their Repentance. And all is well with Father, who art in Heaven … ref/John 7:17, 1 John 1:9.

‘Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become New.’ Now, what old things in particular need to be discarded? The combined old flesh trio is titled in short: LLP: Lust, Lust and Pride. The apostle John wrote, ’For all that is in the World, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the World is passing away and lust of it.’.. ref/1 John 2:15-17.

We need to give up Selfish Worldly ambitions. Paul the apostle said, ’Let nothing be done through Selfish ambition.’ And if we have these ambitions they are lusts of the flesh.

The Lust of the Eyes relates to: lust for the immoral woman, and for a woman, the lust of searching for a rich husband. She does not trust in God, for she trusts in the temporary riches of this Sin-filled World. Having a greedy eye is a Sin. Jesus’ followers need to appreciate what they have. ‘And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content,’ said St. Paul. Believers need to forget about past dreams of obtaining Worldly riches. Saints are not called to be Millionaires. They are called to be Spiritual people, Saints-Otherworldly, who can accept what they have and adapt and grow in any challenging circumstance they encounter.

The Lust of the Flesh can be illustrated by people wanting pleasure or power, maybe wanting to be Materially rich and generally desiring Greatness in the flesh. The psalmist David wrote that the Lord was his shepherd, and he shall not want. Those who are now satisfied with Christ Jesus are the people who live their lives in the Spirit. Saints are not hungry to become powerful men in the World. They do not need a high income to sustain their living, and they need not become famous and highly esteemed by the Sin-Driven World .. ref/Luke 6: 26,46.

They are also not engaging in Sexual Immorality, Tobacco smoking, Gambling, Drunkenness or Drug- taking. They are not living to satisfy every desire of their flesh. In fact, the Selfish do not taste the Blessings of Christ Jesus. They are too occupied with fulfilling their Empty Flesh-Led Carnal Lives.

The Pride of Life comes in a variety of forms. There is Religious Pride, to begin with, St. Paul, who was formerly called Saul, was very successful in the Jewish Religion before he met Jesus. He was very Proud of his Jewish Heritage and was very Highly Esteemed by the honored Jewish (hypocrites) leaders of his day. All of this Pride in Religious Works, Tradition and Culture had to change after Paul made the Life-Changing Decision to believe in Christ and to Serve (obey) him as his Lord.

In today’s Churches of Christendom, people are paying top dollar for man-made Bible Ministry Certificates. They take Pride in their Theological Education and Achievements. Yet, they are not Called into this course of action by Father. Young and Old Christian men, women are proud of their ‘Denominational Heritage’ and claim to have been born in The Church. Yet in the New Testament writings, we do not find people Born in The Church, for all were born of a woman in Sin. We instead find mature adults giving up their Former Religious lives of Sin and Idolatry and making Conscious Decisions to become Born-Again Disciples of Jesus. Now born of a Man, the Son of Man.. Jesus the Christ .. ref/John 3:5, Job 14:1.

In the secular World, the ‘Model Proud Man-Woman’ has a beautiful late model Car, and they own a sizable House, with a white picket fence surrounding it maybe. All in all, they have a high-paying job, a nice house, abundant possessions, a loving wife and family, even a good standing in the Community but God is in none of their thoughts. Nor do they Acknowledge Christ Jesus in any of their ways. They earned all of this by their Self-Belief, the hard labor of their flesh and the opportunity they took within the economy they worked in. They have possessions that are the Envy of the Town. ‘But what is Highly Esteemed among men (and women) is an ABOMINATION in the sight of God.’

Believers in Christ need to forget their former lives of ‘Sin and Self’ and press on with Messiah. Sins are not the same as mistakes, (mistakes are unconscious) and Christians need not worry about past Mistakes. Humans are prone to making many Mistakes. However, Sin is a Wilful Violation against the Will of God. ‘Those who are in the flesh Cannot please God.’ They must surrender their lives to fulfill the Will of Father in Heaven. They are not able to serve Christ Jesus and live as ‘the Old Man; the Sinful man/woman who follow all desires of the Selfish flesh’. The New Man now needs to be revealed. Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the World. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and Glorify your Father in Heaven.’..