Vere. 12-14.-The apostles confession of his imperfection and his method of Ohrislian progress. There is a touching and instructive humility in the language of these verses. I. His OONFEBBION OF IMPERFECTION. "Not as though I had already attained or ham been made perfect;" and again, "I count not myself to have apprehended." 1. This lang1mge argues a high estimate of a Christian's duty. There is co inconsistency in the conscious- ness of hidden imperfection and the thought of a lofty ideal. We must ever keep Christ himseU before us as the only ideal to be copied and followed after through life. 2. It argues a humble estimate of himself. It is a remarkable confession from such a man. He had done and suffered much for Christ, yet he says, "I have not been made perfect." Such an experience ought to rebuke the lofty pretensions of perfectionists of every class. 3. Yet this humble estimate of himself, aa well aa his aspiraticm for higher holi- ness, is sure evidence that he ha,d made some progress. A writer says, " That which is best in you is your appreciation of what is better in others." II. HIS METHOD OF CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. This is expressed in two separate and significant sentences. 1. "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I also was apprehended by Christ Jesus." (1) This language evidently points to the scene on the road to Damascus, when the Lord "apprehended" him and changed the whole bent of his life. Conversion is, indeed, an apprehension, a laying hold upon a heart under the sway of worldliness and sin, and bringing it under the sway of all~onq uering grace. Nothing but the arresting hand of the Lord can stop any of us on our down- ward course, or break the dominion of the world over us, or destroy the power of sin in the heart. (2) This language implies that the loving hand of the Saviour is never lifted off any heart thus arrested till all that is implied in the gracious cont.a.et bas been accomplished. There are two apprehensions. The believer has only, in the one case, to receive the gift of God, but, in the other case, the salvation which has become ours through that act is to be wrought out in a. continuous, faithful reception of all that is involved in it. 2. " This one thing I do, forgetting the things that are past, and reaching forth to the things that a.re before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (1) There is here the oblivion of the past, not that we are to forget past errors or sins, or are not to repent of past mistakes which must always be subject of penitential thought, but we are not to allow a rueful temper to kill out heart and hope. We are to regard the past as so much really gained or accomplished that is to exercise no dragging or injurious eflect upon our forward progress. (2) 'l'here is here the concentrntion of all energies. "This one thing I du." .A dispersion of energies is fatal to success in e.ny work. The great heroes of the Church and of the world have been men of one idea, and concentrated all thought and effort in carrying it out. So the apostle had but one idea. always before him, and made everything in providence and nature e.nd grace contributory to the brreat work of his Christian sancti- fication. (3) Untiring activity. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (a) The mark is perfect holiness. (b) The prize is perfect blessedness. (c) All his activity in this Divine race is sustained by the thought that he stands in the "high calling" of God e.nd is supported by the grace of Chri,, Jesus. It is a. high calling, high as heaven, and seemingly inaccessible to men of such passions and infirmities e.s ours, but then it is the high calling of God in Christ JellUB, This is our hope and our consolation.-'!'. C.
Vers. 16, 16.-Praclical exhortation to unity in reli_qiotts life. The apostle gathers up the conclusion to be drawn from the preceding verses. "Therefore let us, as many as be perfect, mind the same thing." I. CoNSIDim THE DUTY OF m:LmVE!lS TO WALK IN THE FULN1':SS OF PRESENT TRUTH. 'l'he saints, who nre hero ctescribed 11s perfect, including that very apostle who kvl just ]26 THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. [en. m. 1-21.
said he mt~ nc>t. perfect, are to be n.-garded as perfect in the sense of adultness of under- standin~. They were n~t "b~~ in Chris~;" they had put away childish things; they had n~~umcd the apostles P?5lhon_concernmg the La"'.· But on this very ground they were t-o_ 5tand strongly consistent m all moral and spiritual development. 'l'hey were t0 be hke the apo5tle, forgettmg the past and pressing onward to the mark for the heavenly prize. II. D1sLIETI:RS MAY NOT SEE EYE TO EYE, BUT ARE ENCOURAGED TO LOOK TO TBE LoRD FOR FULLER KNOWLEDGE. " And if in anything ye be otherwise minded God ";n reveal even this t-0 yon." The principle is ever true. "If any man will do his "·ill, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.'' If a believer is rooted in I he fnilh of Christ, the Lord will help him to see the truth respecting minor matters. III. So FAR AS BELIEVERS AGREE, THEY OUGIIT TO snow A VISIBLE CONFORMITY OF LIFE AND OPINION. " But let us walk according to that we have attained." Thus (1) God is glorified; (2) believers are maintained in a peaceful fellowship; (3) the world is impressed and won by the exhibition of Christian unity.-T. C.
Ver. 17 .-The imitation of good men. "Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them who walk so as ye have us for an ensample." I. THE DUTY OF FOLLOWING GOOD EXAMPLES. 1. We a1'6 commanded to do so. (1 Cor. xi. 1.) 2. The lives of many saints are e:i:pressly recorded for our imitation. (Jas. v. 10, 11, 17; Phil. iv. 9.) 3. The imitatwn is limited by several circumstances. (1) Dy the example of Christ: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. xi. 1). (2) We are not to imitate such actions of good men as a.re to be condemned. nor even all such as are not condemned (Gen. xix. 8 ; xlii. 15, 16; :xxvii. :?5-27). (3) The Word of God is t.o decide the rightness or the wrongness of. the actions of good men. IL THE USES OF SUCH IMITATION. 1. It stimulates to hi,gher and better living. We are therefore to imitate good men in the graces for which they are most distin- guished (N'umb. xii. 3; 1 Sam. iii. 18; Job i. lll; Acts v. 41). 2. It is afresh rec(Yfll,- mcndation of the gospel,. (Matt. v. 16.) 8. It givllB greater glory to God. (Rom. Yii. 4.)-T. c.