Not as though I had already attained
William MacDonald teaches that while Christians will never fully attain perfection in this life, they must continually strive to align their lives with God's truth and boldly proclaim His message despite their own shortcomings.
In this sermon, William MacDonald explores the tension between the Christian's ongoing spiritual journey and the high standards of God's truth. He emphasizes that while believers will never fully attain perfection in this life, they must persistently strive to live according to their faith and boldly proclaim God's message. MacDonald encourages humility, perseverance, and the courage to share the full counsel of God despite personal limitations.
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“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” (Philippians 3:12)
In yesterday’s study we saw that our conduct should correspond to our creed. But in order to balance the subject we must add two postscripts.
First, we have to acknowledge that we will never fully and completely live out the truth of God as long as we are in this world. After we have done our best, we still have to say that we are unprofitable servants. But we must not use this fact to excuse failure or even mediocrity: our obligation is to continually try to close the gap between our lips and our lives.
The second consideration is this. The message is always greater than the messenger, no matter who he is. Andrew Murray said, “We who are the Lord’s servants will sooner or later have to preach words which we ourselves are unable to fulfil.” Thirty-five years after he wrote the book Abide in Christ, he wrote, “I would like you to understand that a minister or Christian author may often be led to say more than he has experienced. I had not then (when he wrote Abide in Christ) experienced all that I wrote of. I cannot say that I have experienced it all yet.”
The truth of God is superlative and sublime. It is so supernal that, as Guy King wrote, it “causes one to fear lest one should in any wise spoil it by touching it.” But must it go forever unheralded simply because we do not reach its loftiest summits? On the contrary we will proclaim it, even if in so doing we condemn ourselves. To whatever extent we fail to experience it ourselves, we will make it the aspiration of our hearts.
Once again we emphasize that these considerations must never be used to excuse behavior that is unworthy of the Savior. But they should keep us from unwarranted condemnation of a true man of God just because his message sometimes leaps to heights which he himself has not attained. And it should not keep us ourselves from holding back the full counsels of God, even if we have not experienced them in full. God knows our hearts. He knows whether we are practicing hypocrites or passionate aspirants.
Sermon Outline
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I. Acknowledging Our Imperfection
- We will never fully live out God's truth in this life
- Even our best efforts leave us as unprofitable servants
- This reality should not excuse failure or mediocrity
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II. The Supremacy of the Message
- The message is greater than the messenger
- Ministers may preach beyond their personal experience
- Proclaiming God's truth is essential despite personal shortcomings
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III. Balancing Aspiration and Humility
- We must not excuse unworthy behavior
- Avoid unwarranted condemnation of sincere servants
- Hold back no part of God's counsel even if not fully experienced
Key Quotes
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” — William MacDonald
“The message is always greater than the messenger, no matter who he is.” — William MacDonald
“God knows our hearts. He knows whether we are practicing hypocrites or passionate aspirants.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Continuously strive to align your conduct with your faith without excusing failure.
- Boldly proclaim God's truth even if you have not fully experienced it yourself.
- Maintain humility by recognizing your imperfections while aspiring to spiritual growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'not as though I had already attained' mean?
It means Christians recognize they have not yet reached spiritual perfection but continue striving toward it.
Should Christians expect to be perfect in this life?
No, perfection is not attainable in this life, but believers are called to continual growth and effort.
Can a preacher teach truths they have not fully experienced?
Yes, ministers often preach beyond their personal experience to encourage others to aspire to God's highest truths.
How should we respond to our own spiritual shortcomings?
We should avoid excuses for failure but also avoid harsh condemnation, focusing instead on sincere aspiration.
Why is it important to proclaim God's message fully?
Because the truth of God is greater than any individual, and withholding it would limit its transformative power.