Glorifying God with Small Beginnings (LD 44; Philippians 3:12-16)

The Law of God and the Heart

The Heidelberg Catechism concludes its teaching on the Law of God by showing that the Ten Commandments are not merely outward checklists but matters of the heart. The first commandment calls us to love and serve the true God.  We do this by discerning God’s will by the Spirit in faith, according to his standard, and not man’s standard.  The catechism ends with the tenth commandment, which warns against coveting, which are desires that can lead to sin against our neighbor and making a mockery of God’s image. The first and the tenth commandments remind us that God’s law deals with our inward motivations as much as our actions. Even the most godly believers have only “small beginnings” in true obedience, which raises the question: why study the law if we cannot perfectly keep it?

Paul’s Example in Philippians 3

The Apostle Paul answers this question by modeling how Christians pursue holiness. Writing from prison, Paul reminds the Philippians that although he has not attained perfection (telos/the goal of redemption), he presses on because Christ has taken possession of him. His sufferings and chains do not hamper God’s power.  They not only deepen Paul’s reliance on Christ but move the gospel forward.  He warns the church against false teachers who promote shortcuts or works-based perfection, calling believers instead to find sufficiency in Christ and to persevere with humility.

Small Beginnings and Ongoing Growth

Sanctification, as both Paul and the Catechism teach, is a continual progression. Desires of the flesh can easily draw us away from Christ’s gospel, but through union with Christ, believers learn to resist sinful desires and press forward in holiness. Growth in the Christian life cultivates humility, which recognizes that all progress is Christ’s work in us, not our own achievement. Even the most admired saints only have small beginnings of obedience, yet they continue to walk forward by grace.  Their earnest purpose is not their initiative, but it is their walking in the Spirit by the Lord’s prodding.

Pressing Toward the Goal

Paul captures the paradox of the Christian life: he has not yet reached the goal (telos), but in Christ, he already shares in maturity by having the right mindset. The mature Christian recognizes the need to depend on Christ daily, forgetting past achievements or failures, and striving toward the upward call of God. This perseverance is not self-reliance but Spirit-empowered reliance on Christ’s preservation. Thus, our orientation is not toward our own accomplishments but toward being drawn closer to Christ, who is our Redeemer, our life, and our ultimate goal.