Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the out-resurrection of the dead.
Paul's aim was to be a participant in the out-resurrection of the dead. This is the extra special resurrection that the winners of the Christian race will enjoy. He implies at the beginning of this chapter that at one time he thought that keeping the law and being the best at it would give him the credit with God. But now he knows that the only way is to experience what Christ had done for him through death and resurrection.
But how to enter into this experience so the he would arrive at his goal. He says that the only way is to know by experience the power of his resurrection, the fellowship (common-being) of his sufferings, being conformed to His death.
The essence of everything that Jesus went through in his human life on earth is now incorporated in the Spirit. All His experiences as a man on the earth are now in the Spirit as are those of His death and resurrection. His suffering of rejection, mocking and threatening, His bearing our sins, our self and our sicknesses and pain on the cross plus His resurrection and ascension and His being enthroned next to the majesty on high. Now this reality is included in the Spirit so that the Spirit not only includes the divine but also the high humanity of Jesus.
When we are regenerated our spirit is infused with the diving Spirit and we now possess in seed form all the Jesus accomplished on the cross and in His resurrection. Therefore the answer to experience Phil 3:10-11 in in our human spirit.
More in the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment