Moving on Toward the Goal

12I have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect. But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for.

13Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. 14I move on toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.

15All of us who are grown up in the faith should see things that way. Maybe you think differently about something. But God will make it clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already reached.

17Brothers and sisters, join with others in following my example. Pay close attention to those who live in keeping with the pattern we gave you.

18I have told you those things many times before. Now I say it again with tears in my eyes. Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. 19The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things.

20But we are citizens of heaven. And we can hardly wait for a Savior from there. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He has the power to bring everything under his control. By his power he will change our earthly bodies. They will become like his glorious body.