Are You On Target?
To hit a target, one must aim. Of course, we’ve all heard the adage: “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and again”. This means that accidentally, one might possibly hit a target without aiming. However, often, as one takes his eye off the target, a miss occurs. We apply this in many areas of life. We instruct our children to “keep your eye on the ball” as we teach them to catch or hit that little orb. This requires patience on the part of the parent or coach and takes persistence and determination on the part of the child.
When we contemplate taking a job, there is also a ‘target’ in mind. This may be a certain salary or position within a company. The most common advice given is to “keep your eye on the goal” as the appropriate “rungs on the ladder” are taken to achieve the objectives. This also takes patience and perseverance. In many cases, when one perceives themselves as advancing toward the desired purpose, they gain confidence and are more likely to keep their focus.
We need to apply this idea in the realm of religion as well. Are we naïve to the point of thinking, like much of the world, that all are going to go to heaven after life is over? To those who think this way, heaven is not even a goal, but a certainty. Is this why the Spirit had Paul write in Phil. 3:12 that he had not yet “attained”? Why would he be “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before”? Would there be any need to “press toward the mark for the prize” as stated in vss 13 & 14?
Would there have been any reason for the Spirit to have Paul write what we see in 1Cor 9:24ff to the brethren there: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”? Why ‘run’ if heaven is already assured? Why “keep under my body and bring it into subjection” if there is no penalty for disobedience? Why even mention the possibility of being a “castaway” if there’s not a goal to be attained? Why would any “strive” for that incorruptible crown if it’s guaranteed to all? God has given us His Word so we can know there is a goal and how to reach it.
Surely, we all can see the fallacy in thinking that heaven is certain regardless of what we believe or do. Therefore, we need to have a target. We also MUST CHOOSE THE CORRECT TARGET because our soul’s eternal destiny depends on it. We then need to take care to keep this target in sight. This is obviously why the Spirit had Paul tell the brethren of Colossae at what to aim in Col. 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. The things on the earth will not last. Jesus spoke of this in Matt. 6:19-21, in the Sermon on the Mount. He clearly pointed out to the Jews that believed on Him and gathered to hear Him that earth’s treasures are temporary. He also stated that the treasures of heaven are eternally secure. This was to be their target, and in Matt. 6:33 He told them specifically what that target was. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The ‘kingdom of God’ is speaking of the church.
Now that we have firmly established, 1) The need to have a target, and 2) the necessity of having the correct target, we can ask the question: Are You On Target? This question is relevant and needs to be asked because once a target or goal is determined, it is possible to lose focus. Christ also addressed this in the Sermon on the Mount. Just after telling those Jews to ‘lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’, He spoke of the ‘singleness of the eye’. This part of the sermon is about focus and allegiance. In Matt 6:24 we find it is impossible to maintain our fidelity to God and serve ‘self’, money, or power at the same time. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
I said earlier that in many situations it is possible to accidentally hit a target without aiming. That target of ‘salvation of the soul’ that God has provided for man is the exception to that rule. Heaven cannot be ‘accidentally’ attained. One cannot ‘inadvertently be added to the church. In Matt. 7:21, once again from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; (the church) but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. One MUST ‘Take Aim’ and do as God directs in His N. T. Word to ‘become’ part of the church. Remember, one must ‘become before they can be’.
John 1:12 clearly states that what Christ gave to man through His Sacrifice was not Salvation, but the “power to become the sons of God”. Christ shed His blood in His death on the cross. John 1:13 tells us one must be “born of God”. This is only accomplished in baptism ‘into Christ’. Rom. 6:3-4 shows how this spiritual birth occurs. In Baptism ‘into Christ’ (spiritual birth), one contacts the blood of Christ. The difference in physical birth and spiritual birth is that in the former, one does not “choose” to be born. They are a product of their parents. In spiritual birth, we CHOOSE to be born, and when. One can only be born spiritually as God depicts in His Word (John 3:5 & 1Pet. 1:23)
Following our spiritual birth, we have ‘taken aim’. After this, we MUST remain on target (remain faithful) to God and His Word if we expect to receive the prize of heaven. The prize of heaven is not given until the Lord returns. One way of doing this is to “keep your eye on the target”. By the way, there are two ‘targets’ on which one can look. Heb. 10:27 shows God’s adversaries can “look for” the ‘fiery indignation” of God to “devour” them. 1Thess 4:15-18 is where we find the other ‘target’, to be forever with the Lord. Are you on target? If so, which one? Make sure you are focused on the right target.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
