Paul encouraged the Philippians to respond to the call of God in Christ Jesus by leaving the past behind. If Paul had allowed his past as a persecutor of Christians to dictate his future, his ministry and witness would have been stunted. Instead, our sinful past should inspire us, like Paul, with an ever greater fervency. God desires to use ordinary men and women so that He might receive the glory. Paul also reminds us that our calling is not complete until we reach heaven (we have more yet to do).