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Paul renounces all in a personal passion for the closest intimacy and full identity with Christ. He does not miscalculate the demands of this life, knows it to be a fourfold experience beginning and ending with the resurrection.
The power of the resurrection is placed before the fellowship of His suffering. Although in Christ's life suffering and death led to the resurrection, the believer's experience starts with the resurrection.
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,"
No amount of self-effort and renunciation can achieve regeneration. Without the power of Christ's resurrection we are unable to endure the fellowship of His sufferings. Unaided energies fail. The power which raised Christ is given to us who believe.
Ephesians 1:19,20 "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,"
It is available for our spiritual needs. Christ's resurrection is not only assurance of ours, it is a mighty force which can give daily victory over sin. The blood-stained Warrior has broken the bands of death, and wants to make that victory a living power in our lives, as we yield to Him.
The sufferings of Calvary are over, finished once for all, yet the Saviour's sufferings did not cease at Calvary. Sorrow of rejection, the jabs of bitter reproach, stab His compassionate heart. Paul identifies himself with this reproach and rejection of Christ. He is willing to endure extreme hardship, and to suffer the fierce antagonism of the world. Such suffering is the great process by which we become conformed to Christ.
Self-interest is consumed in the intense heat of the world's scorn. We become careful how we walk, because any impurity or misrepresentation of Christ by our conduct, ends our suffering for Christ, and brings buffeting and reproach for our faults. We become a laughing stock through inconsistencies. The more we suffer for Christ, the more Christlike we become.
One who has not suffered, cannot really serve humanity. If we are going to meet the needs of men, our ministry must be hallowed by pain, and hallowed by lonely vigils. Suffering disciplines us in great lessons of obedience. All self-will bends to comply with the perfect will of God. Suffering teaches us the great art of comfort.
It is when we have suffered we can lend a sympathetic ear, extend a healing, helping hand. In every way, suffering prepares us for more Christlike service.
From the moment on the Damascus road, Paul has never lost sight of that resurrection glory. The consecrated concern of his life has been to attain to that glory (Philippians 3:11 ). There have been endless discussions surrounding its meaning. Some see no more than an assured hope of resurrection for which Paul surrendered all - resurrection not attained by works. Through Christ's work alone. Others see it as a peculiar reward given to surrendered saints. Our translation to heaven is a vital part of the programme of redemption, in which human merits are not considered. Paul is yearning and striving after something which he wants to attain while he lives. Otherwise, "not as though I had already attained" is a senseless statement if it refers to experience after death. They know he is not dead.
What is resurrection power? This is one of the most exciting of New Testament themes. Paul writes that "if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, through His Spirit, who lives in you" (Romans 8:11 ). The point Paul makes is that the Holy Spirit, the agent of Jesus' resurrection lives within the believer, this means that the resurrection power is available to us even in our mortality. The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Lawrence O. Richards. Zondervan
Paul teaches that complete and eternal conformity awaits the glorious return of His Lord, when he will be fashioned like unto that glorious body; but he purposes to experience Christ so fully while he lives, that he strives for the fullest measure of the greatness and glory of Christ that is humanly possible, because of Holy Spirit power.
Once - all out for Judaism. Now, for Christ. As conformity to Christ meant another Calvary, so is attaining to the out resurrection means another Easter. Right now, he wants to live the transporting and transfigured life, to present a preview of that glorious resurrection in coming day of days. We need a practical experience so that our radiant resurrection living will testify to the glory of that coming day, in which we shall be changed into the likeness of our Lord.
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTIONCan you experience resurrection power while in your mortal body? (Philippians 3:10-11; Romans 8:11 ).