Objection 31

From Sovereign Grace and the Scope of Election: A Comparative Examination of Attainment Theology and Grace Theology, with Particular Attention to the Question of Whether God's Elect Are Found Among All Nations and Religions

Philippians 3:11-14. Paul pressed "toward the mark for the prize of the high calling," striving "if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Surely this is attainment doctrine.

The chapter opens with Paul flinging his entire attainment resume, circumcision, tribe, law-righteousness "blameless", on the dung heap (3:4-8), that he may "be found in him, not having mine own righteousness" (3:9). Whatever verse 11 means, it cannot re-erect on one page the ladder Paul burned on the previous one. The "resurrection" Paul strains toward (exanastasis, the out-resurrection) is the experiential power of Christ's resurrection in his present life and ministry (3:10, "that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection") and its full realization; the prize of the high calling is the crown of finished, faithful service (2 Timothy 4:7-8), reward vocabulary, running vocabulary, the very register Paul always distinguishes from the gift (Romans 6:23). And Paul immediately disclaims perfection: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect" (3:12), a verse that by itself dismantles the attainment system's entire sanctification, quoted from the man they would place in Zion.