Philippians 3:14-15

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

(v14, NIV)

What is this prize Paul is talking about? He's pressing onward towards this goal. He describes it as being called heavenward in Christ Jesus. This is the salvation and sanctification in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are saved from our sins because he paid for us. As a result, we can be redeemed as adopted sons into heaven. In addition, we are in the process of sanctification. We are following Christ and growing into his likeness. We are becoming perfect and putting off our old self, putting on our new self. We will become perfect, but not yet. As Paul says, he has not yet attained it, but he will, and we will. Press on, forgetting what lies behind and look forward at the goal.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

(v15, NIV)

What is this view Paul is talking about? Well, he just finished telling his readers to have this mentality of pressing onward. We are not perfect yet, we don't consider ourselves to have reached the goal yet. Instead we forget what lies behind and press on to the prize. This mentality must be in us. Followers of Christ never reach the finish while we're on this earth.

Paul is still speaking to the saints at the church in Philippi. These are those who are true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. So what does it mean when Paul mean by what he says next? If some do not hold this same mentality among those who are mature, God will make it clear to them. Not everyone understands this. Not everyone who believes understands right away either. So for those who believe but do not understand, God will reveal it to them.