"ALL-OUT CHRISTLIKENESS"

“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3:10-11

Many professing Christians miss out on the fullness of life with Christ. They believe that as long as they “make Jesus their Lord and Savior,” they should be fine. They think their relationship with Christ is done by saying a simple prayer for salvation. In reality, this is just the beginning.

In today’s passage, Paul lists four things he wants to share with Christ:

• Knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection
• Sharing in His sufferings
• Becoming like Him in His death
• Taking part in the resurrection of the dead

First, Paul has a burning desire to know Christ. This doesn’t only refer to knowledge obtained by information gathered; instead, it speaks of experiential knowledge. The Greek word for “know” is “gnonai,” which means “to know by experience.” This implies having an intimate, personal relationship with Christ, rather than a casual acquaintance.

Paul mentions “the power of His resurrection”. The word “power” comes from the Greek “dynamis,” which means “the ability to overcome resistance.” This power that raised Jesus from the dead also operates in the lives of believers as they have been “raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1).

Second, the Apostle seeks to share in Christ’s sufferings. This does not mean sharing in Jesus’ suffering on the Cross, but Paul’s desire to participate with Christ by suffering persecution and hardship in proclaiming the Gospel. Throughout his thirty years in the ministry, Paul suffered immense affliction that ultimately cost him his life.

Third, Paul wants to become like Christ in His death. He is not suggesting that he wants to suffer death by crucifixion, but metaphorically, to be like Christ in overcoming sin. Just as Christ died for sin, so we should die to sin. Romans chapter 6 is an excellent place to look into.

Last, Paul speaks about attaining the resurrection of the dead. This is a rather tricky verse and commentators have at least two interpretations. This can be a reference to the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); it can mean faithful believers experiencing a better resurrection than others.

But since Paul did not make it clear, I think it’s best to not make assumptions.

This is the path that every Christian should walk. Our relationship with God did not end when we believed in Jesus. Instead, our entire life is a work in progress. Slowly but surely, God transforms us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), and He does this by giving us a greater love for Him and a desire to be like Him, suffering included.

Do you desire to share in these four areas of the Christian life?

Pursue the Saviour today!