"I Won't Go Back"

Philippians 3:12-14~ Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  KJV

Here in the Book of Philippians, Apostle Paul is speaking to the church at Philippi as he writes this letter from being imprisoned.  Particularly in this third chapter he is speaking from a personal standpoint of view on the high calling of God. 

He starts off by stating “not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.”  In this he is saying that has not already accomplished, achieved, gained, obtained, or even reached perfection, but he is pressing on to make it his own.  I have a question for you, “what is he making his own?”  That mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, this is what Paul was aiming to perfect.  Paul was determined that he was not going to go back to where God had saved him from. He decided no matter what it was he had to suffer, he was going to remain focused on what was before him, “the prize” and leave those former things of old behind him.   With that being said, I would like to share as a title for this message, “I Won’t Go Back.”

It is a dangerous thing to accept Christ as your personal Savior and go back to the former things of old that you claimed He saved you from.  Many are abusing the gift of grace as a liberty to continue in sin.  God forbid!  Many have one foot in the Kingdom of God and the other foot and the rest of their body, mind and soul in the world.  There are too many that have turned away from their first love and the things that kept them close to Jesus when they first believed.  I want to share with you some of the dangers of going back.  This message is not one to make you feel good, but one to make you take a deep spiritual inventory of your relationship with Christ.

THE DANGERS OF GOING BACK

ü  YOU CRUCIFY THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME

Hebrews 6:4-6 reads ~ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

This scripture is letting us know that it is impossible for those who were once spiritually aware; had spiritual knowledge or insight through the power of the Holy Ghost which resulted in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to be renewed again unto repentance because of their falling away from the things of God and returning back to the world. You have crucified the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame. This brings Christ to an open shame because it sends the wrong message to the world that you can’t be kept by Him and His work on the cross was in vain!  You are as guilty as those who crucified him first, they received no repentance! 

ü  THE LATTER END IS WORSE THAN FROM THE BEGINNING

2 Peter 2:20-22 reads ~ For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

This scripture is saying one who has been rescued from the contamination of the world through the knowledge of the Jesus Christ and are now twisted and caught up in it after overcoming it, the condition of their spiritual state is worse with them than the beginning.  It would have been better if they had never known the way of righteousness in God, than after having known the truth that has set them free, to turn from it.  What happens to them is what is said in the true proverb, they have returned back to their sinful ways and are now wallowing in it.

 ü  YOU ARE NO LONGER FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Luke 9:62 reads ~ And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Here Jesus is speaking to one of His disciples while teaching them the things of discipleship.  No one having begun to walk with Christ and begins to long for those former things of the old man is fit for the kingdom of God.  Take Lot’s wife for instance. She was instructed by the angel that led Lot, her and their daughters out of Sodom and Gommorah, not to look back.  But Lot’s wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.  This salt she was turned into was only fit to be but trampled upon because she longed to return back to that which she should not have desired to return to.  Those who remain with Christ are supposed to be the salt of the earth, the preservers of His righteousness in it.

IN CONCLUSION

Are you souled out? Are you sold out?   Are you fully committed to God and the things of Him?  Is your mind made up?  1 Corinthians 5:17 is a Christian’s mandate… Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you are that new creature in Christ, old things should have passed away and all things are become new.  A new way of living, a new way of thinking, a new way of walking and talking; you are just new and not like the old former self.

We must be like Paul who left those former things behind and pressed towards the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus and did not let:

·         Being put in prison where he wrote four of the letters, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon

·         Being whipped many times without number

·         Having faced death again and again

·         Being given 39 lashes by Jewish leaders five different times

·         Being beat with rods 3 times

·         Being stoned once

·         Being shipwrecked 3 times

·         Being adrift at sea one whole night and one whole day

·         Having worked hard, traveling many long journeys and endure many sleepless nights

         ·         Having to face dangers from rivers and robbers

·         Having to face dangers in cities, deserts and in the seas

·         Having to face dangers in dealing with men who claimed to be believers but were not

·         Often being hungry and thirsty and going without food and inadequate clothing to keep him warm

He did not go back to the former things of old or let anything separate him from the love of God through Christ Jesus!   I standing here today just like Paul, determined no matter what I have had to suffer or endure, “I WON’T GO BACK!”