“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” Phil. 3:12        

Here we find the plain statement from the apostle Paul declaring that he was not already perfect.

These words are a soothing balm to those who would not for anything lay claim to perfection, and rather pride themselves in their humility and absence of profession, feeling, of course, that they would not be justified in claiming more than the apostle Paul. They say, “If Paul did not claim perfection, surely we ought not. If he was not perfect, then we are not.”

Here is another place where the context must determine the meaning of the text. Let us throw aside all prejudice and get at Paul’s true thought. When we read about perfection in the Word, we should inquire what kind of perfection is meant. We find different kinds mentioned, such as absolute, referring to God only; angelic, pertaining to angels; edenic, that state of Adam and Eve in Eden before the fall; resurrection, relating to our glorified state after the resurrection; and Christian perfection, pertaining to perfect love. Now, the question is, which kind did Paul have reference to when he said he had not yet attained to it? Let the context explain. “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”— v. 11. Here we have it—resurrection perfection. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.”

Of course, he had not arrived at that state of perfection, because he was not yet dead and resurrected. Perhaps the question arises, Why should he be anxious about the resurrection, when all will be resurrected? King James’ translation does not give the apostle’s full meaning. The Revised Version more clearly sets it forth: “If by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.” The true thought is, he wanted to attain to the resurrection out from among the dead. The apostle John writes in Rev. 20:4-6: “And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the .thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.”

Those who are so fortunate as to be in the first resurrection will be from, or out from among the dead, as Paul meant in the verse in question.

It is the holy ones who thus will be resurrected, and those who are not will remain dead a thousand years more. Thus, Paul was very desirous of being among the first to be brought forth from the grave. This is a strong argument for holiness instead of against it.

Paul was so intent on finishing his life thus that he was forgetting other things behind, and reaching forth to things before; and, like the racer in the games, he was pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Oh, that all would be as anxious to live holy lives as Paul, and thus expect a place in the first resurrection!

A further proof that Paul means the resurrection is found in Luke 13:32, where Jesus says, “And the third day I shall be perfected,” meaning doubtless His resurrection. The same word precisely that Paid uses.

Instead of Paul inferring or teaching against Christian perfection, he suddenly bursts out with the declaration in a verse or two following, that he was perfect, meaning, of course, Christian perfection. Hear him: “Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded.”—Phil. 3:15. There can be no mistake that in this verse Paul believes we may be perfect in some sense, not in the absolute. Not that we can be infallible. He immediately guards this point by adding in the same verse, “And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” And we find this to be true. In our earlier experience of perfect love we made many blunders and mistakes, but the gentle Spirit kept revealing them to us and made the way more and more plain as we continued to walk with God. Thus, some things which we did then through ignorance without feeling any guilt, we could not do now without condemnation, because of additional light. And no doubt we do things today which later on God will reveal to us to cease or we shall be condemned.

Surely there is a sense in which we may be perfect, or such admonition would not occur so many times in the Word. Notice the following texts:

“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect.”— 2 Cor. 13:11.

“And this also we wish even your perfection.” —2 Cor. 13:9.

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”—I Cor. 2:6.

“That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”—Col. 1 :28.

“That ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”—Col. 4:12.

“That we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.”— I Thes. 3:10.

“That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  — 2 Tim. 3:17.

“Make you perfect in every good work to do His will.”—Heb. 13:21.

“That ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”—James 1:4.