NOT THAT I HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED IT: Ouch hoti ede elabon (1SAAI): (Phil 3:13 - note; 3:16 - note; Psalms 119:5,173-176; Romans 7:19-24 - notes; Galatians 5:17 - note; 1 Timothy 6:12; James 3:2)

Not that (ouch hoti) is a phrase that warns against misconception. The Greek word for "not" signifies absolute negation. Paul wants to make certain that he is not misunderstood.

Paul's willingness to acknowledge that he had not yet "arrived" at the zenith spiritually, indicates he is still in need of progress and prepares one for his statements that follow. As Wiersbe explains it...

A divine dissatisfaction is essential for spiritual progress. (Be Joyful)

It should be noted that commentators have interpreted what the "it" is that Paul had not already obtained in various ways...

Some suggest that it is all that is included in verses 8–11 (Ed: Seems to be the most common interpretation), while others believe that Paul is referring to his resurrection from the dead in verse 11; still others interpret the object as the prize referred to in verse 14 (cf. 1 Cor 9.24–25). (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series or Logos)

Jamieson feels that Paul is denying he had obtained...

a perfect knowledge of Christ, and of the power of His death, and fellowship of His sufferings, and a conformity to His death. (Philippians 3 Commentary)

Robert P. Lightner agrees writing...

he wanted them to know that he had not yet attained the goals stated in verse 10. He was still actively pressing on toward them. He had by no means reached the final stage of his sanctification. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor or Logos)

Matthew Poole explains that...

by an elegant anticipation and correction, lest any should conclude from what he had written, as if he were now arrived at the height he aimed at in the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and a full and perfect stature in that body, or almost at the very pitch, he doth here make a modest confession of his not attainment, (whatever false apostles might pretend to), 2 Co 10:12 12:6, 7; but of his earnest desire and utmost endeavour to be raised to the complete holiness he was designed to, “in heavenly places in Christ” “:Jesus,” Eph 2:6. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament)

Kenneth Wuest explains that obtained (lambano)...

"in this verse is from a different Greek word than that in the preceding verse ("that I may attain [katantao]" ). In the latter instance, we found that it meant “to arrive at, as at a goal.” Here the Greek verb (lambano) speaks of an active appropriation.

That which Paul says he has not yet appropriated in an absolute sense, he mentions in Philippians 3:10. He has come to experience in some degree at least, the power of God surging through his being. He has entered into a joint-participation with Christ in suffering for righteousness’ sake. The stoning at Lystra (Acts 14:19-22) is an example of that. He has been brought to the place in his experience where he radiates to some degree the self-lessness, the self-abnegation of the Lord Jesus. But he has not appropriated these, laid hold upon these, in the fullest measure. There is room for much improvement and advance in these respects." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) (Bolding and references added)

EBC adds that...

Having stated that his conversion brought about a new assessment of his goals and gave him the overwhelming desire to know Christ ever more fully, Paul then explains how his present life is a pursuit in this new direction.

But he does not want to be misunderstood. He is not claiming that his conversion has already brought him to his final goal. He has not already received all he longs for nor has he been brought to that perfect completeness to which he has aspired. Perhaps there were perfectionists in Philippi who had resisted the Judaizers with their emphasis on works and ceremonies by going to the extreme of claiming to have acquired already the consummation of spiritual blessings. Paul understands clearly that he has a continuing responsibility to pursue the purposes Christ had chosen him for. Spiritual progress is ever the imperative Christians must follow. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing) (Bolding added)

OR HAVE ALREADY BECOME PERFECT: e ede teteleiomai (1SRPI): (Job 17:9; Ps 138:8; Pr 4:18; 1 Cor 13:10; 2 Cor 7:1; 13:9; Eph 4:12 - note; Heb12:23 - note; Heb 13:21- note; 1 Pet 5:10 - note; 2 Pet 1:5-8 - note; 2 Peter 3:18 - note)

Become perfect (5048) (teleioo related to teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal, consummate soundness, idea of being whole) means to accomplish or bring to an end or to the intended goal (telos). It means to be or become complete, mature, fully developed, fully grown, brought to the end (goal), finished, wanting nothing necessary for completeness or that which assures it will be in good working order. It does not mean simply to terminate something but to carry it out to the full finish which is picked up in the translation "perfected".

In sum the fundamental idea of telioo is the bringing of a person or thing to the goal fixed by God.

In the present verse Paul uses telioo not to signify sinless or flawless but to picture his goal (and his desire for all saints - see Colossians 1:28; 29) of spiritually maturity.

The implication is that Paul would one day "become perfect". That day for all of us will be when we receive our glorified bodies. Paul states that he has not come to the place in his Christian life where his growth in spiritual maturity has been completed (i.e., he is not yet glorified) and beyond which there is no room for further improvement.

Marvin Vincent comments that in the two verbs (have obtained...become perfect)...

There is a change of tenses which may be intentional; the aorist "attained" (obtained) pointing to the definite period of his conversion, the perfect tense, "am made perfect" referring to his present state, Neither when I became Christ’s did I attain, nor, up to this time, have I been perfected. (Vincent, M. R. Word Studies in the New Testament. Vol. 3, Page 1-449)

Spurgeon introduces his sermon Onward! writing...

SO far as his acceptance with God is concerned a Christian is complete in Christ as soon as he believes. Those who have trusted themselves in the hands of the Lord Jesus are saved: and they may enjoy holy confidence upon the matter, for they have a divine warrant for so doing. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." (see note Romans 8:1) To this salvation the apostle had attained.

But while the work of Christ for us is perfect, and it were presumption to think of adding to it, the work of the Holy Spirit in us is not perfect, it is continually carried on from day to day, and will need to be continued throughout the whole of our lives. (Ed: cp progressive sanctification). We are being "conformed to the image of Christ," (see note Romans 8:29) and that process is in operation, as we advance towards glory.

The condition in which a believer should always be found is that of progress: his motto must be,

"Onward and upward!"

Nearly every figure by which Christians are described in the Bible implies this. We are plants of the Lord's field, but we are sown that we may grow - "First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear." (Mark 4:28)

We are born into the family of God; but there are babes, little children, young men, and fathers in Christ Jesus; yea, and there are a few who are perfect or fully developed men in Christ Jesus. It is a growth evermore.

Is the Christian described as a pilgrim? He is no pilgrim who sits down as if rooted to the place. "They go from strength to strength." (Ps 84:7)

The Christian is compared to a warrior, a wrestler, a competitor in the games: these figures are the very opposite of a condition in which nothing more is to be done. They imply energy, the gathering up of strength, and the concentration of forces, in order to the overthrowing of adversaries.

The Christian is also likened to a runner in a race, and that is the figure now before us in the text. It is clear that a man cannot be a runner who merely holds his ground, contented with his position: he only runs aright who each moment nears the mark.

Progress is the healthy condition
of every Christian man

Progress is the healthy condition of every Christian man; and he only realizes his best estate while he is growing in grace, "adding to his faith virtue," "following on to know the Lord," and daily receiving grace upon grace out of the fullness which is treasured up in Christ Jesus.

Now, to this progress the apostle exhorts us - nay, he does more than exhort, he allures us. He stands among us; he does not lecture us ex cathedra, standing like a learned master far above his disciples, but he puts himself on our level, and though not a whit behind the very chief of the apostles, he says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended."

He does not give us the details of his own imperfections and deficiencies, but in one word he confesses them in the gross, and then declares that he burned with eager desire for perfection, so that it was the one passion of his soul to press onward towards the great goal of his hopes, the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus.

We cannot desire to have a better instructor than a man who sympathises with us because he humbly considers himself to be of the same rank as ourselves.

Teaching us to run, the apostle himself runs; wishing to fire our holy ambition, he bears testimony to that same ambition flaming within his own spirit. I desire so to speak from this text that every believer may want for progress in the divine life....

...My observation of personal character has been somewhat wide, and I cannot help bearing my testimony that I am greatly afraid of men who make loud professions of superior sanctity. I have had the misfortune to have known, on one or two occasions, superfine brethren, who were, in their own ideas, far above the rest of us, and almost free from human frailties. I confess to have felt very much humbled by their eminent goodness until I found them out: they talked of complete sanctification, of a faith which never staggered, of an old nature entirely dead, until I wondered at them; but I wondered more when I found that all the while they were rotten at the core, were negligent of common duties while boasting of the loftiest spirituality, and were even immoral while they condemned others for comparative trifles. I have now become very suspicious of all who cry up their own wares. I had rather have a humble, timid, fearful, watchful, self-depreciating Christian to be my companion, than any of the religious exquisites who crave our admiration. These great-winged eagles who fly so loftily will, I fear, turn out to be unclean birds. The excessive verdure of a superfinely flourishing religiousness often covers a horrible bog of hypocrisy.

The Christian soldier
has to fight with sins every day

Let me add, once more, that whatever shape self-satisfaction may assume - and it bears a great many - it is at bottom nothing but a shirking of the hardship of Christian soldierhood. The Christian soldier has to fight with sins every day, and if he be a man of God, and God's Spirit is in him, he will find he wants all the strength he has, and a great deal more, to maintain his ground and make progress in the divine life.

Now, self-contentment is a shirking of the battle, I do not care how it is come by. Some people shirk watchfulness, repentance, and holy care, by believing that the only sanctification they need is already theirs by imputation. They use the work of the Lord Jesus for them as though it could thrust away the necessity of the Spirit's work in them. Personal holiness they will not hear of: it is legal. If they come across such a text as "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" (see note Hebrews 12:14) or, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap," they straightway force another meaning upon it, or else forget it altogether.

Another class believe that they have perfection in the flesh, while a third attain to the same complacent condition by the notion that they have overcome all their sins by believing that they have done so; as if believing your battles to be won was the same thing as winning them. This, which they call faith, I take the liberty to call a lazy, self-conceited presumption, and though they persuade themselves that their sins are dead, it is certain that their carnal security is vigorous enough, and highly probable that the rest of their sins are only keeping out of the way to let their pride have room to develop itself to ruinous proportions.

You can reach self-complacency by a great many roads. I have known enthusiasts reach it by sheer intoxication of excitement, while Antinomians come at it by imagining that the law is abolished, and that what is sin in others is not sin in saints. There are theories which afford an evil peace to the mind by throwing all blame of sin upon fate, and others which lower the standard of God's demands so as to make them reachable by fallen humanity. Some dream that a mere dead faith in Jesus will save them, let them live as they list; and others that they are already as good as need be.

Many have fallen into the same condition by another error, for they have said, "Well, we cannot conquer all sin, and therefore we need not aim at it. Some of our sins are constitutional, and will never be got rid of." Under these evil impressions they sit down and say, "It is well, O soul, thou art in an excellent condition; sit still and take thine ease, there is little more to be done, there is no need to attempt more." All this is evil to the last degree.

The Lord calls us to this high calling of
contending with sin
within and without until we die

I have used few theological terms, because it does not matter how we get to be self-satisfied, whether by an orthodox or a heterodox mode of reasoning; it is a mischievous thing in any case. The fact is, my brother, the Lord calls us to this high calling of contending with sin within and without until we die; and it is of no use our mincing the matter, we must fight if we would reign; our sins will have to be contended till our dying day, and probably we shall have to fight upon our death-bed.

Therefore, every day we are bound to be upon our watch-tower against sin around and with us. It is of no use our deluding ourselves with pretty theories, which act only as spiritual opium to cause unhealthy dreams. Sin is a real thing with each one of us, and must be daily wrestled with; there is an evil heart of unbelief within us, and the devil without us, and we must watch, and pray, and cry mightily, and strive, and struggle, and own that we have not yet apprehended. If we dream that we are at the goal already, we shall stop short of the prize. The full soul loathes the honeycomb; a man full of self, cares for nothing more. Shake off these slothful bands, my brethren; quit you like men - be strong. You are as weak as others, and as likely to sin; watch, therefore, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

What is it, at bottom, that makes men contented with themselves? It may be, first of all, a forgetfulness of the awful holiness of the law of God. If the law of the ten commandments is to be read only as its letter runs, I could imagine a man's judging himself and saying, "I have apprehended; "but when we know that the law is spiritual, how can we be self-complacent? My dear brother, if thou thinkest thou hast reached its perfect height, I ask thee to hear these words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself." Canst thou say, in the sight of a heart-searching God, "I have fulfilled all that"? If you can, I am staggered at you, and think you the victim of a strong delusion, which leads you to believe a lie.

The least sin is
a desperate evil

Brethren who can take delight in themselves must have lost sight of the heinousness of sin. The least sin is a desperate evil, an assault upon the throne of God, an insult to the majesty of heaven. The simple act of plucking the forbidden fruit cost us Paradise. There is a bottomless pit of sin in every transgression, a hell in every iniquity. If we keep clear of sins of action, and if our tongue be so bridled that we avoid every hasty and unadvised speech, yet do we not know that our thoughts and imaginations, our looks and longings of heart, have in them an infinity of evil? If, after having learned that sin can only be washed out by the death of the Son of God, and that even the flames of hell cannot make atonement for a single sin, a man can then say, "I am content with myself," it is to be feared that he has made a fatal mistake as to his own character.

Is there not a failure, in such cases, to understand the highest standard of Christian living? If we measure ourselves among ourselves, there are many believers here who might be pretty well satisfied. You are as generous as other Christians are, considering your income. You are as prayerful as most other professors, and as earnest in doing good as any of your neighbors; if you are worldly, yet not more worldly than most professors, nowadays, and so you judge yourself not to be far below the standard. But what a standard! Let us seek a better. Brethren, it is a very healthy thing for us who are ministers to read a biography like that of M'Cheyne. Read that through, if you are a minister, and it will burst many of your wind-bags. You will find yourselves collapse most terribly. Take the life of Brainerd amongst the Indians, or of Baxter in our own land. Think of the holiness of George Herbert, the devoutness of Fletcher, or the zeal of Whitfield. Where do you find yourself after reading their lives? Might you not peep about to find a hiding-place for your insignificance?

In the presence of giants
we become dwarfs

When we mix with dwarfs we think ourselves giants, but in the presence of giants we become dwarfs. When we think of the saints departed, and remember their patience in suffering, their diligence in labor, their ardor, their self-denial, their humility, their tears, their prayers, their midnight cries, their intercession for the souls of others, their pouring out their hearts before God for the glory of Christ, why, we shrink into less than nothing, and find no word of boasting on our tongue. If we survey the life of the only perfect One, our dear Lord and Master, the sight of his beauty covers our whole countenance with a blush. He is the lily, and we are the thorns. He is the sun, and we are as the night. He is all good, and we are all ill. In his presence we bow in the dust, we confess our sin, and count ourselves unworthy to unloose his shoelatchets.

It is to be feared that there is springing up in some parts of the Christian church a deceitful form of self-righteousness, which leads even good people to think too highly of themselves. It is a fashionable form of fanaticism, very pleasing to the flesh, very fascinating, and very deadly. Many, I fear, are not really living so near to God as they think they are, neither are they as holy as they dream. It is very easy to frequent Bible readings, and conferences, and excited public meetings, and to fill one's self with the gas of self-esteem. A little pious talk with a sort of Christians who always walk on high stilts will soon tempt you to use the stilts yourself; but indeed, dear brother, you are a poor, unworthy worm and a nobody, and if you get one inch above the ground, you get just that inch too high. Remember, you may think yourself to be very strong in a certain direction, because you do not happen to be tried on that point. Many of us are exceedingly good tempered when nobody provokes us. Some are wonderfully patient, because they have a sound constitution, and have no racking pains to endure; and others are exceedingly generous, because they have more money than they want.

A ship's seaworthiness is never quite certain till she has been out at sea. The grand thing will be to be sound before the living God in the day of trial. I pray every believer here to get off the high horse, and to remember that he is, "naked and poor and miserable" apart from Christ, and only in Jesus Christ is he anything, and that if he thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, but does not deceive God. (Philippians 3:13,14 Onward!)

Paul Billheimer in Overcomers Through The Cross,  reminds us that just as God takes many years to produce an oak tree, He also takes a life time to mature a saint. Christian growth is a process that takes time. Billheimer reminds us that

An unripe apple is not fit to eat, but we should not therefore condemn it. It is not yet ready for eating because God is not done making it. It is a phase of its career and good in its place.

There are no shortcuts
To spiritual maturity

John Walvoord explains that...

One of the by-products of Judaizing legalism was the thought of the possibility of attaining perfection through human works. This, however, Paul definitely disclaims. Even though he is perfectly satisfied in Christ, he recognizes there is much yet to attain in Christian experience. This he states in verses twelve through fourteen: “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.”

In this statement the apostle definitely puts behind him the idea that perfection is something that can be reached before we see our Lord at the rapture of the church. Perfection in an absolute sense is not for this life. The Scripture teaches that it is possible for the Christian to be filled with the Spirit and to have victory over sin. Christians should grow in grace and increase in maturity and experience holiness. All of these are proper goals. In spite of all God’s wonderful provision, however, no one reaches the stage of sinless perfection.

No possibility is recognized in the Scripture of eradicating sin or of reaching the point in spiritual maturity where it is impossible to sin any more. There are always more goals to be reached. The word perfect in verse twelve (Gr. teleleiomai) does not mean perfection in the absolute sense. It is rather the word for reaching an ultimate goal. This Paul declares to be the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” as stated in verse fourteen. This future goal is when Paul leaves earth and flesh behind and enters into the presence of the Lord, either through death or translation. His present task is not perfection, but is rather to lay hold on the purposes of God for his life, to wit, to fulfill his apostleship and God’s purpose for him to grow in grace. (Philippians 3 We Look for the Savior)

C H Spurgeon writes that Paul says...

“I count,” as if he had taken stock, made a careful estimate, and had come to a conclusion. The conclusion was dissatisfaction; nor was this to be regretted: it was a sign of true grace. And yet he was vastly superior to any of us. Shame then on us poor dwarfs if we are so vain as to account ourselves as having apprehended. Yet there are those who prate of having reached a higher life than this. But self-complacency is the mother of spiritual declension. We have observed —

1. That the best of men do not talk of their attainments. Their tone is self-depreciation, not self-content. Everybody could see their beauty of character but themselves. Shallow streams brawl and bubble, but deep waters flow on in silence.

2. That we, in our holiest moments, do not feel self-complacent. Job spoke up for his innocence till the Lord revealed Himself. We shall never see the beauty of Christ without perceiving our own deformity.

3. That whatever shape self-satisfaction may assume it is a shirking of the hardships of Christian soldier hood. Some shirk watchfulness and repentance by believing that the only sanctification they need is already theirs by imputation. Personal holiness, they say, is legal. Others believe they have perfection in the flesh, and others yet attain complacency by the notion that they have overcome all their sins by believing they have done so, as if believing a battle won could win it.

4. That complacency can be reached by many roads.

(1) Enthusiasts reach it by sheer intoxication of excitement.

(2) Antinomians by imagining that the law is abolished, and that sin is not sin in the saints.

(3) Cowards, who say we cannot conquer all sin, and, therefore, we need not aim at it.

5. That complacency has its root in forgetfulness of the awful holiness of God’s law, and the heinousness of sin.

M. R. DeHaan says

Self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Dissatisfaction with past accomplishments is the mother of invention. Because man was dissatisfied with carrying and lifting loads upon his shoulders, he invented vehicles to ride in. Pity the man who is content with his own progress and feels he has [arrived]. This is all the more true in the Christian life. Nothing here is as deadly as self-satisfaction. The most boring people I ever meet are the ones who take up my lime telling me what they have done, when they ought to be doing more.

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Room For Advancement - After Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, issued his famous "I do not choose to run" statement, he was besieged by reporters wanting details. One persistent journalist kept asking, "Exactly why don't you want to be president again?" "Because," Coolidge replied, "there's no chance for advancement!"

Although spoken with humor, his answer hints at the letdown that often follows high attainment. When a goal is reached, the anticipation associated with it is gone.

Even though we experience letdowns in the Christian life, we never come to the place where there's no room for growth. The apostle Paul described himself as spiritually mature (Phil. 3:15), yet he also declared that he wasn't perfect (v.12). He was aiming for the goal of being like Christ in all of life's varied experiences, whether he was enjoying prosperity or enduring adversity. He knew that attaining the goal of Christ-likeness takes a lifetime.

Oh, to have that same restless contentment! Our soul's deepest longings are satisfied when we know Jesus as our Savior, but we must keep pressing on to know Him better and to become more like Him! That's the mark of a growing Christian. There's always room for advancement. --D J De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Room for improvement
is the largest room in the world.

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BUT I PRESS ON: dioko (1SPAI) de: (Phil 3:14; Ps 42:1; 63:1-3,8; 84:2; 94:15; Isa 51:1; Hos 6:3; 1Thes 5:15; 1Ti 5:10; 6:11;