Christian Success and Fulfillment in Daily Life
Christian Success and Fulfillment in Daily Life
Christian fulfillment centers not on worldly achievement but on conformity to Christ and completion in God's purposes. Paul writes, "Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus" [1]. The apostle frames success as progressive sanctification—being grasped by Christ's purpose and pursuing it with diligence.
Scripture defines this pursuit through specific practices. Believers are called to "believing God," "fearing God," "loving God," and "following God," with obedience to Christ as the animating principle [2]. The goal is not self-actualization but living "soberly, righteously, and godly" [2], with Christ as the pattern for holiness, righteousness, purity, love, humility, meekness, and self-denial [4]. This conformity requires diligence in "seeking him," "striving after perfection," "cultivating Christian graces," and "making our call sure" [5].
Fulfillment emerges from experiencing Christ's love and being filled with God's presence. One commentary notes that "the whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God's grace and love in Jesus Christ," and that "the believer's life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within" [8]. This completeness is not static; God works "in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ" [3], making believers complete in every good work.
The tradition emphasizes contentment across circumstances. Any situation "is equally friendly to the salvation of the soul, if a man be faithful to the grace he has received," so that "in all situations a Christian should be content, for all things work together for good to him who loves God" [10]. Success is measured not by external conditions but by faithfulness to grace received.
This framework produces assurance—"the effect of righteousness" [6]—and hope grounded in God's promises, mercy, and the work of the Holy Spirit [7]. The meek who rely wholly on Christ's righteousness "shall eat and be satisfied" [11], finding their joy made full through thorough cleansing from sin and being "filled with the fullness of God" [9]. The present life's goal is simply "to please him" [12], with confidence that this ambition will be vindicated when believers stand before Christ.
Sources
- Philippians “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. -- Philippians 3:12”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
- Hebrews “make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. -- Hebrews 13:21”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Example of Christ, The — Is perfect -- Heb 7:26. Conformity to, required in Holiness. -- 1Pe 1:15,16; Ro 1:6. Righteousness. -- 1Jo 2:6. Purity. -- 1Jo 3:3. Love. -- Joh 13:34; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 3:16. Humility. -- Lu 22:27; Php 2:5,7. Meekness. -- Mt 11:29. Obedience. -- Joh 15:10. Self-denial. -- Mt 16:24; Ro 15:3. Ministering to others. -- Mt 20:28; Joh 13:14,15. Benevolence. -- Ac 20:35; 2Co 8:7,9. Forgiving injuries. -- Col 3:13. Overcoming the world. -- Joh 16:33; 1Jo 5:4. Being not of the world. -- Joh 17:16. Being guileless. -- 1Pe 2:21-22. Suffering wrongfully. --”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Diligence — Christ, an example -- Mr 1:35; Lu 2:49. Required by God in Seeking him. -- 1Ch 22:19; Heb 11:6. Obeying him. -- De 6:17; 11:13. Hearkening to him. -- Isa 55:2. Striving after perfection. -- Php 3:13,14. Cultivating Christian graces. -- 2Pe 1:5. Keeping the souls. -- De 4:9. Keeping the heart. -- Pr 4:23. Labours of love. -- Heb 6:10-12. Following every good work. -- 1Ti 5:10. Guarding against defilement. -- Heb 12:15. Seeking to be found spotless. -- 2Pe 3:14. Making our call, &c, sure. -- 2Pe 1:10. Self-examination. -- Ps 77:6. Lawful business. -- Pr 27:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Assurance — Produced by faith -- Eph 3:12; 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. Made full by hope -- Heb 6:11,19. Confirmed by love -- 1Jo 3:14,19; 4:18. Is the effect of righteousness -- Isa 32:17. Is abundant in the understanding of the gospel -- Col 2:2; 1Th 1:5. Saints privileged to have, of Their election. -- Ps 4:3; 1Th 1:4. Their redemption. -- Job 19:25. Their adoption. -- Ro 8:16; 1Jo 3:2. Their salvation. -- Isa 12:2. Eternal life. -- 1Jo 5:13. The unalienable love of God. -- Ro 8:38,39. Union with God and Christ. -- 1Co 6:15; 2Co 13:5; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:5; 4:13. Peace with ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
- 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 1:4: That your joy may be full - Ye have already tasted that the Lord is good; but I am now going to show you the height of your Christian calling, that your happiness may be complete, being thoroughly cleansed from all sin, and filled with the fullness of God.”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:20: Let every man abide in the same calling - As both the circumcised and uncircumcised, in Christ, have the same advantages, and to their believing the same facilities; so any situation of life is equally friendly to the salvation of the soul, if a man be faithful to the grace he has received. Therefore, in all situations a Christian should be content, for all things work together for good to him who loves God.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 22:26: The meek shall eat and be satisfied,.... Such who, being made thoroughly sensible of sin, look upon themselves the chief of sinners, and the least of saints; and being truly convicted of the insufficiency of their own righteousness, wholly trust to and rely on the righteousness of Christ; and, being acquainted with their impotency and inability to do any good thing of themselves, ascribe all to the grace of God, and have no dependence on anything done by them; who are willing to be instructed and reproved by the meanest saint; are not easily provoked to wrath; patien”
- 2 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Corinthians 5:9: 5:9-10 The goal of the present life is to please him (see also Rom 12:1-2; 14:18; Col 1:10; 1 Thes 4:1). This ambition will be tested when we stand before Christ to be judged. The judge is also our advocate, so we are confident of acquittal (Rom 8:1, 33-34). Yet actions done in this earthly body will be assessed and called to account (Acts 17:31).”