In Philippians Paul ties our spiritual growth in with essential spiritual truths. Last week we looked at the way in which Jesus’ resurrection was the beginning of new creation. This week we look at closer union with Jesus’ cross and resurrection. In Phil. 2:1 Paul instructs the Philippians: “if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ” then please be one with each other. Paul considers Christians to be united with Christ.
Then in Phil. 3:10-11 Paul talks about his spiritual growth:
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (NIV)
Notice that Paul is expanding on his union with Christ. He wants to experience more union with Christ. Specifically, he wants to experience Jesus’ “resurrection from the dead” for himself, which has not happened for him yet. He also wants to know the “power of his resurrection” which I always thought refers to Paul’s earthly life but now I realize it probably refers to future bodily resurrection. (This is because this passage is probably a chiasm – an A-B-B-A structure in which Paul mentions resurrection, then suffering/death, then suffering/death again, then resurrection again. Since the last phrase refers to bodily death the first phrase probably does too.)
Even if “power” refers to the future in this passage, we know that Christ’s resurrection power is also for the present. But there is another critical idea here. The key point for our discipleship is that Paul wanted to participate in Christ’s death so that he could experience Christ’s resurrection. Paul intentionally embraces suffering (which he equates with Christ’s death) so that he can be more identified – united – with Christ. Just after these words in vv. 10-11, Paul goes on in Phil. 3:12, 14 and says he presses on toward the goal of the resurrection. How does Paul press on? By what he told us in vv. 10-11; by participating in Christ’s sufferings.
“It is good that we want to be Christlike but this passage makes it clear that being like Christ includes “becoming like him in his death.””
It is good that we talk about wanting to be closer to God or Jesus. This is what Paul wanted too. Paul says that he “wants to know Christ” but then right away expands on this by saying he wants to participate in Christ’s sufferings. In other words, if we want to know Christ we need to know his sufferings.
It is good that we want to be Christlike but this passage makes it clear that being like Christ includes “becoming like him in his death.” Christlikeness requires “Cross-likeness”.
Thus, if we want to experience spiritual formation into the image of Christ we will look for ways to die to self. We will crucify the flesh with its lust, pride, dishonesty, destructive words, and self-centeredness. If we want to be closer to Jesus then we will bind ourselves to his death as well as his resurrection. We are already bound to his death and resurrection, but we are not yet completed in his death and resurrection. Our responsibility in discipleship is to press into all of Jesus’ life.
