What a contrast to the iching-ear-teachers who tell us "we are already perfect". I will stick with Paul.
But knowing that we are not yet perfect is not enough. We too must PRESS ON TOWARDS perfection.
This is the only life worth living. If I do not live this life in the flesh then what is the point in sticking around on planet earth? Far better to pack it up and go on home to glory!
Mark is referring to an oft misinterpreted text from Philipians 3:
"Verse 12. Not as though I had already attained
For I have not yet received the prize; I am not glorified, for I have not finished my course; and I have a conflict still to maintain, and the issue will prove whether I should be crowned. From the beginning of the 11th to the end of the 17th verse there is one continued allusion to the contests at the Olympic Games; exercises with which, and their laws, the Philippians were well acquainted. Philippians 3:11-17
either were already perfect
nor am I yet perfect; I am not yet crowned, in consequence of having suffered martyrdom. I am quite satisfied that the apostle here alludes to the Olympic Games, and the word is the proof; for is spoken of those who have completed their race, reached the goal, and are honoured with the prize. Thus it is used by Philo, Allegorical. Lib. iii. Page 101, edit. Mangey: "When is it, O soul, that thou shall appear to have the victory? Is it not when thou shall be perfected, (have completed thy course by death,) and be honoured with prizes and crowns?"
That signified martyrdom, we learn most expressly from Clemens Alexandra., Stomata, and lib. iii. Page 480, where he has these remarkable words: - "We call martyrdom or perfection, not because man receives it as the end, completion of life; but because it is the consummation of the work of charity."
Basil the Great, Hom. In Psalms 116:13: "I will receive the cup of salvation; that is, thirsting and earnestly desiring to come, by martyrdom, to the consummation."
So OEcumenius, on Acts 28: "All the years of Paul, from his calling to his martyrdom, were thirty and five."
And in Balsamon, Can. I. Ancyran., page 764: is, "To be crowned with the crown of martyrdom."
Eusebius, Hist. Eccles, lib. Vii. Cap. 13, uses the word to express to suffer martyrdom. I have been the more particular here, because some critics have denied that the word has any such signification. See Suicer, Rosenmuller, Macknight,
*St. Paul, therefore, is not speaking here of any deficiency in his own grace, or spiritual state; he does not mean by not being yet perfect, that he had a body of sin and death cleaving to him, and was still polluted with indwelling sin, as some have most falsely and dangerously imagined; he speaks of his not having terminated his course by martyrdom, which he knew would sooner or later be the case. This he considered as the perfection, of his whole career, and was led to view every thing as imperfect or unfinished till this had taken place.*
But I follow after
but I pursue; several are gone before me in this glorious way, and have obtained the crown of martyrdom; I am hurrying after them.
That I may apprehend
That I may receive those blessings to which I am called by Christ Jesus. There is still an allusion here to the stadium, and exercises there: the apostle considers Christ as the brabeus, or judge in the games, who proclaimed the victor, and distributed the prizes; and he represents himself as being introduced by this very brabeus, or judge, into the contest; and this brabeus brought him in with the design to crown him, if he contended faithfully. To complete this faithful contention is what he has in view; that he may apprehend, or lay hold on that for which he had been apprehended, or taken by the hand by Christ who had converted, strengthened, and endowed him with apostolic powers, that he might fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life.
Verse 13. I count not myself to have apprehended
whatever gifts, graces, or honours I may have received from Jesus Christ, I consider every thing as incomplete till I have finished my course, got this crown, and have my body raised and fashioned after his glorious body.
This one thing I do
This is the concern, as it is the sole business, of my life.
Forgetting those things which are behind
My conduct is not regulated nor influenced by that of others; I consider my calling, my Master, my work, and my end. If others think they have time to loiter or trifle, I have none: time is flying; eternity is at hand; and my all is at stake.
Reaching forth
The Greek word points out the strong exertions made in the race; every muscle and nerve is exerted, and he puts forth every particle of his strength in running. He was running for life, and running for his life.
Verse 14. I press toward the mark
I pursue along the line; this is a reference to the white line that marked the ground in the stadium, from the starting place to the goal, on which the runners were obliged to keep their eye fixed; for they who transgressed or went beyond this line did not run lawfully, and were not crowned, even though they got first to the goal. See the concluding observations on "1Co 9:27".
What is called mark or scope, here, is called the line, i.e. the marked line, Philippians 3:16. When it was said to Diogenes, the cynic, "Thou art now an old man, rest from thy labours;" to this he answered: "If I have run long in the race, will it become me to slacken my pace when come near the end; should I not rather stretch forward?" Diog. Laert., lib. Vi. Cap. 2. sec. 6.
For the prize of the high calling of God
The reward which God from above calls me, by Christ Jesus, to receive. The apostle still keeps in view his crown of martyrdom and his glorious resurrection.
Verse 15. As many as be perfect
As many as are thoroughly instructed in Divine things, who have cast off all dependence on the law and on every other system for salvation, and who discern God calling them from above by Christ Jesus; be thus minded; be intensely in earnest for eternal life, nor ever halt till the race is finished.
The word perfect, is taken here in the same sense in which it is taken 1 Corinthians 14:20:- Be not CHILDREN in understanding-but in understanding be ye MEN, be ye perfect-thoroughly instructed, deeply experienced. 1 Corinthians 2:6:- We speak wisdom among the perfect, among those who are fully instructed, adults in Christian knowledge. Ephesians 4:13:- Till we all come-unto a perfect man, 957; to the state of adults in Christianity. Hebrews 5:14:- But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, the perfect-those who are thoroughly instructed and experienced in Divine things. Let us therefore, says the apostle, as many as be perfect-as have entered fully into the spirit and design of the Gospel, be thus minded, viz. Forget the things which are behind, and stretch forward along the mark for the prize.
If in any thing ye be otherwise minded
If ye have not yet entered into the full spirit and design of this Gospel, if any of you have yet remaining any doubts relative to Jewish ordinances, or their expediency in Christianity, God shall reveal even this unto you; for while you are sincere and upright, God will take care that ye shall have full instruction in these Divine things.
Verse 16. Whereto we have already attained
Let us not lose that part of the race which we have already run, let us walk by the same rule-let us keep the white line continually in view, let us mind the same thing, always considering the glorious prize which is held out by God through Christ Jesus to animate and encourage us." Anon probably Robert Barclay from Apology.
If wee had lived in Fox's time, Wesley's time, Finney’s time, Edwards time, or the time of the Welsh and Hebridean revivals you would have met people like this but you may not have recognised them. Even Jesus was not recognised for His holiness, because it is not what people expect. It is not someone who does not make mistakes for one thing (do not mistake this for sin however). We never reach a stage of knowing everything and we learn of God's ways as long as we live. But after sanctification it is a life in His will totally and a freedom to obey Him easily and be in His perfect will. And it is possible to fall and be restored to this state. But someone in this state can be known because they display the fruit of the Spirit and will have a deep understanding of the ways of holiness.
This last 50 or 60 years however, the teaching has been lost mainly and new meanings for perfection have come in and this is why we do not see sanctified people. We are in a time of great darkness and the enemy is enjoying misleading people with signs and wonders which are not from God.
We do not have to depend on our interpretation of the New Testament alone to see this teaching for it is throughout the Old in type and symbol. The story of the children of Israel for example when they came out of Egypt (Satan's kingdom) and were led by Moses into the desert where they wandered aimlessly around even though they could have completed their journey in a much shorter time. But the wandering led them to see their own hearts and what was in them and they knew failure and despair. But gradually they came to the Promised Land (entire sanctification) where God's promises are fulfilled. Most of them did not enter in however and fell by the wayside through lack of faith. Those who entered in came in through faith and once they were in they found new and terrible enemies which they had to defeat in order to claim the whole land. This does not speak of heaven as we will not have enemies there and it does not speak of salvation (as the term is understood) because the promises of God are not realised until this state. Besides the scriptures speaks that it is God's people who come out of Egypt. There are other pictures of the sanctified life for example Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim is the new creature that we become in this state.
