that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. [ASV]
Phil 3:10-11
Do you see how this verse is laid out? Paul had a layered thought process. Not only does he think about knowing Christ intimately as we discussed in the previous Gem but he also wants to know other things too.
That I may know Him
and that I may know the power of His resurrection
and that I may know the fellowship of His sufferings
being conformed unto His death
so that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [IVV]
Yes I have modified the conjunctions and adjusted the words to fit the pattern in Ian Vail’s Version.
Let’s continue to explore Paul’s experience a little more. Paul wanted to know the power of Christ’s resurrection. Paul’s view was not theoretical as you and I may think of it.
Paul had come to face to face with the resurrected Christ on the Damascus road. I have written about the way that experience changed Paul dramatically already. You will find one of those series begins in Bible Gem 1514 – What a remarkable change! What a remarkable experience! (Acts 9:3-9) You can spend time investigating the significance of Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ by reading a number of the Gems on Acts at this point in the series. But remember Paul retells this encounter with the Messiah three times through the book of Acts. That shows how significant this encounter was to Paul. It requires a lot more of our attention. So I spent some time when I gemmed the book of Acts comparing each of Paul’s accounts of that experience. You can explore all of that detail on my website. Bible Gem 1821 – The Three Accounts of Paul’s Testimony Compared in Colour (Acts 22:3-23; 9:3-18; 26:9-20)
Paul had also been involved in seeing that miraculous power at work. Here are seven examples.
Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.
Acts 13:11
said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.
Acts 14:10
She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
Acts 16:18
God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
Acts 19:11-12
But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.
Acts 20:10-12
However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.
Acts 28:5
And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.
Acts 28:8
Paul had moved beyond the testimony of meeting Christ on the Damascus road to the level of living and moving in Him everyday. Just as Jesus lived and moved in the Father. He had a well of everlasting water springing up to eternal life. As I said above, Paul wasn’t talking about the power of Christ’s resurrection theoretically. Consider this: Paul was an example of one the disciples who were to be witnesses to the resurrection and to spread the Good News from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Paul was used by God to take the Gospel from Jerusalem to the centre of the Roman empire. (Acts 1:8). Paul’s conversion which is shared three times in the Acts of the Apostles, is highly significant. Not only because Paul was one of those disciples who carried out the action of Acts 1:8. But Paul was the one God had earmarked to carry His Gospel to the Gentiles. Why? Because Paul had been so vehemently opposed to this new sect of Judaism. The results of that first encounter Paul had with Christ on the Damascus road had far reaching effects. I strongly suggest you look at the extensive comparison I made of the three occasions Paul told his testimony in Acts. See the links I have given you above.
How might we know the power of Christ’s resurrection? By living in fellowship with His sufferings.
Do you want to gain eternal life? Then learn to die to self daily.
Do you see how important FELLOWSHIP with Christ is?
We will explore the next thing Paul wanted to KNOW in the following Gem.
Paul understood that he and the church were to exercise a transcendent power that did not depend on being a kingdom or government in any human sense. It was literally a “God government” in which they were participants.
Dallas Willard
The same power that brought Christ back from the dead is operative within those who are Christ’s. The Resurrection is an ongoing thing.
Leon Morris
Even though we must walk in the land of fear, there is no need to fear. The power of His resurrection comes before the fellowship of His sufferings.
Amy Carmichael
Are you stuck at the point of telling your testimony of how you came to Christ 40 years ago or is your testimony more than mere words? Are you moving onward in Him?
Ian Vail
If we die as we live, we will live as He died and indeed will live again; we too will return from the dead.
Ian Vail