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“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

Philippians 3:12

Complacency is a major roadblock to Christlikeness. It is also known as “the silent killer.” As a believer, we are called for great things. We are considered children of God and ambassadors for Christ. Because of our personal relationship with Christ, we have the potential to leave a lasting, meaningful legacy. 

But if we allow complacency to creep into our hearts, not only will it slow us down, but it will also kill our passion for God. Complacency gives us a false sense of reality and robs us of self-awareness—we overestimate ourselves while underestimating others.

In our previous blog, we learned that Paul desired to reach Christian perfection (verses 10-11). But in today’s verse, Paul explains that he hasn’t reached his goal yet. He uses the word “perfect” to describe his life’s mission. The Philippians regard Paul as a spiritual giant but he lets them know that he isn’t. He still consciously strives to obey Christ day after day. Just like them, he is also a work in progress.

To claim perfection is utter foolishness. Being like Christ, who is holy, does not happen overnight—not over a month, year, or decade. It is a life-long process. Truth be told, there is never a point in our earthly life where we will reach the level of Christ’s holiness.

When we compare ourselves with others, especially Christians who do not seem to make much progress, we obtain this sense of self-confidence that is detrimental to our growth. We begin to slack off and be a little careless. This is a surefire way to stop maturing.

A healthy alternative is to compare ourselves to no one else but ourselves—or even better, to Christ. That way, we will have spiritual dissatisfaction that should lead us to continue running the race and strive to finish it.

To be clear, we do not work to be saved—God made that possible for us. But to be Christlike is different. It requires yielding to the Spirit and a daily effort to overcome temptations and increase our love for God and His word.

Therefore, when you begin to be satisfied with your spiritual condition, remember Paul and follow his example. While he was perhaps one of the most prolific Apostles, he considered himself imperfect and pressed on to know Christ even more. 

So, let’s do our best to kill complacency and be more like Christ.

Pursue the Saviour today!