Phil. 3:10-16; Ro. 8:8-13; 2 Co. 4:7-10, Attaining Resurrection

What does Paul mean in 3:11?  That seems confusing.  For one thing everyone will be resurrected, the just and the unjust.  Is Paul in doubt about being raised to live with Christ?  That would seem to work against the confidence he had in Phil. 1:6.

First we would like to clarify the translation.  Most English translations in v12-13 translate the same Greek word with different English words: attained, lay hold of (2) and apprehended.  Another Greek word is also translated attain in v11.  Here is how I translate it and I have used colors to highlight and group together various words.

10. to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable to His death, 11. if by any means I should come to/arrive at the resurrection of the dead.  12. Not that I have already grasped it or already finished, but I pursue/press on that I may grasp that for which I was grasped by Christ.  13. Brothers, I do not count myself to have grasped, but one thing, the things behind forgetting and the things in front reaching out to, 14. according to the mark (hard to see in the distance) I pursue/press on into the reward (from an umpire) of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (the thing He took me by the hand for).

Now, what does Paul mean in v11?  Paul is not in doubt about whether there will be a resurrection nor is he concerned about whether after death he will wake up in a place of torment or a place of comfort.  He has already made it clear: to die is gain! 

Instead he is describing his life as he sits in prison in Rome.  He wants to be conformed to the death of Christ so his life will become the “resurrection life” of Christ.  Paul actually spoke of this often.  Look at these two passages.

·        Rom. 8:8-13: Verse 8 sounds like Phil. 3:1-6: you cannot please God in the flesh.  But we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (v9).  Paul goes on to describe a Christian, one who belongs to Christ and has the proof in the indwelling Holy Spirit.  A Christian has died with Christ but is alive spiritually.  Paul then describes the current life: through the Spirit you are being given resurrection life.  Daily we are putting to death the deeds of the body (being conformed to His death, Phil. 3:10) so that we might truly live (arrive at the resurrection, Phil. 3:11).

·        2 Cor. 4:7-10: Again, v7 indicates Paul is speaking to believers, those who have the treasure of Christ in their earthly body.  We are going through various afflictions so that the (resurrection) life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body (v8-10).  The life is in us because Christ is in us; but the manifestation of that life is a growing experience until the day comes when we have arrived at the resurrection.

This passage is clarifying the life-goal that results in true joy.  We are needing to be conformed to Christ’s death so that we might more and more manifest His resurrection.  This is the life of every one who follows Christ!