“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12–14, NAS)
There is no way to read some verses in the Scriptures and think about the fact that we are living short of what we should already be living in. In these verses we see that Paul was not ashamed to say that he was still looking to obtain the promises, and that he was not perfect, but he was pressing on to the goal!
I think that if the apostle Paul did not have a problem saying “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet,” nobody should feel like they already have it! But it is interesting to think of the next sentence, “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,” there has to be a drive to press on, to forget the past and to reach for the future.
Somehow there must be a way of not being satisfied with what we already know, because whatever that is, it is only partial.
“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ” (1 Corinthians 13:8–10, NAS)