Charity Navigator lists nine different ministries named The Upward Call. This expression comes from Paul’s words in Phil 3:13-14: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
What is this upward call?
Paul had not yet laid hold of this prize he was pursuing. But he let us in on two secrets that helped him pursue it. Both secrets came from one idea: focus. Paul remained focused on his goal by doing two things:
- He forgot the things that were behind.
- He stretched forward for the things that were ahead.
Note the contrast here: Looking back versus looking forward (stretching forward for).
What does he mean by “forgetting those things which are behind”?
We might think he means forgetting his past failures. That is surely part of his point. But Paul was forgetting (in the sense of not dwelling upon) his past successes as well.
Fee gives an interesting illustration of the first race in which two different runners broke the four-minute mile (Philippians, p. 155). The runners were Roger Bannister and John Landy. Going into the home stretch of the last lap, Landy was slightly ahead. He looked back to see where Bannister was. At that very moment, Banister went past him and barely won the race (3:58.8 to 3:59.6). If Landy had not looked back, he would probably have beaten Bannister in their first head-to-head race.
Ralph Martin says the verb here (ekteinō) translated reaching forward “is the picture of a runner who strains every effort to press forward in the race” (Philippians, p. 156). Marvin Vincent says, “the word has passed into sporting language—‘the home stretch’” (Philippians, p. 110).
Paul let the future, not the past, dominate his thinking.
What Paul was reaching toward, what he was pursuing (repeating the verb diōkō from verse 12) was the prize (to brabeion). This prize was his goal, his aim, in life.
Brabeion is a rare NT word. It appears only twice: here and in 1 Cor 9:24, which speaks of runners in a race striving for the runner’s prize. Paul applies that to believers who are striving for “an imperishable crown” (9:25), symbolizing ruling with Christ forever.
A prize isn’t a gift. A prize is something won through work.
This prize is “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
We should not think that the eternal future for believers is upward in the sense of being in the third heaven. We will live forever on the New Earth (Revelation 21-22). Paul’s point is that the prize will come from heaven, not that the prize is heaven or will be enjoyed in heaven. The call to pursue this prize comes from heaven, not earth. Compare Matt 6:19-21. It comes from God through Christ, not from men here on earth.
Marvin Vincent makes this great comment, “The whole passage is full of movement, onward and upward” (Philippians, p. 111).
The Lord Jesus is calling us to victory, to share in His future inheritance (cf. Rom 8:17b; Heb 1:9, 14; Rev 2:26). That is the upward call. It is an invitation from above to win the prize and hear the blessed words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” All believers have eternal life. But only persevering believers will win the prize of ruling with Christ.
Keep grace in focus, and you’ll remain in a position to win the prize.
