Forgetting Those Things Behind
Philippians 3:12 Paul was saying in this verse that he wanted to apprehend that which he was apprehended of Christ Jesus. I am going to first put the Strong’s Greek meaning of this word so we may see more what Paul meant when he said that.
The Strong’s number is 2638 and it means this….to take eagerly, seize, possess, attain, comprehend, obtain, perceive. What he was saying is that he wanted to seize and comprehend, to obtain and possess that which Jesus had seized, obtained, attained, etc for him and the entire world of course.
It was very important for him to understand what it was that Jesus had apprehended for him so he could walk in what that was. What was he talking about here? He was talking about what Jesus had done for him at the cross and it was very important for him to understand these things. He was seeing that righteousness and reconciliation had been apprehended on his behalf and he needed to know these things. He was seeing that Jesus had seized, possessed, obtained all that Paul had been trying to accomplish through the law. Jesus had fulfilled the law on his behalf and then He had nailed it to the tree. We ourselves must also see that it is not through our works or performance but through what Christ has apprehended for us.
In verse 13 he makes it clear that he did not see these things that Christ apprehended for him, as something he had apprehended for himself through the law and his self righteous works. He saw that what Jesus had apprehended for him was something he could never apprehend himself. He saw that his self righteousness was something he had to leave behind.
Paul said he was forgetting those things which were behind. What things was he talking about that were to be left behind him? It was his self righteousness that came from following the law. He wasn’t saying that he had to go back in his past and get the Lord to heal those areas that may have been a hindrance to him.
He wasn’t talking about inner healing which a lot of churches believe you have to go into your past and imagine Jesus there with you healing you. He was forgetting all those things he tried to attain by keeping the law and he was forgetting about them and looking to that which was before him at that time. What was before him? It was the fact that Jesus had attained righteousness, justification, sanctification, holiness, perfection etc on his behalf. That was what was before him.
What should be before us? The same thing of course. We should be forgetting those things that are behind when we were trying to walk in our own self righteousness and try to look good. We should be forgetting all those things we tried to do to get right with God and obtain His favor. We should be forgetting that all those things and see they were as dung in His eyes and got us nowhere except deeper and deeper into frustration because we never attained what we were told we needed to attain by our good works.
Let us apprehend those things that we are apprehended of by Christ Jesus. Let us understand that all things required for this life and the life to come is already ours in Christ Jesus. Let us daily be reminded that we need to forget those things that are behind and look at the Son of God Who is before us in righteousness and holiness and perfection. Forget all the times you tried in vain to achieve any favor from God because of what you did. Let us look before us and see Jesus and Him crucified and all done on our behalf.
Jesus, we love Your Gospel of Grace and Peace that has liberated us. May others see You before themselves and begin to forget those things that are behind. Praise the Lord!!!!
