Section 6
vast territory of His riches to be possessed. He was stretching forward to gain these riches and to advance further into this territory.
Paul was pursuing toward the goal for the prize. Christ is both the goal and the prize. The goal is the fullest enjoyment and gain of Christ, and the prize is the uttermost enjoyment of Christ in the millennial kingdom as a reward to the victorious runners of the New Testament race. In order to reach the goal for the prize, Paul was exercised to forget the things which are be hind and to stretch forward to the things which are before. This is the way to gain Christ by pur suing Him.
Even though Paul was a matured saint and a very experienced apostle, he tells us that he had not already obtained and had not yet been per fected. He did not regard himself as one who had obtained the full enjoyment of Christ or the full maturity in life. He, of course, had obtained the common salvation by the common faith (1 Tim. 1:14-16), but he was still pursuing Christ in order to gain Him. Furthermore, Paul was also seek ing Christ in order to have the extra portion of resurrection. In order to have this portion of res urrection, called the out-resurrection, we must