After Paul’s pointed statements to the Philippians about his own achievements, he moves directly to that which is worth more than all of our own efforts.

See what he says for yourself in Philippians 3:10-11:

When all is said and done, nothing compares to what we have in Christ. Our own achievements and accomplishments are to be considered as rubbish and worthless in comparison with being found in Christ. With that in mind, Paul makes yet another forceful statement, this time viewing the benefits of knowing Christ instead of the worthlessness of our own attempts.

Paul longs to have the reality of Christ in his life beyond anything else. When we truly long for such things, it affects our entire lifestyle, and everything about us.

In this passage, Paul expresses two things that he wants to know, and that we can know, and two things that he longs to experience, as should we.

Know the power of his resurrection

Paul’s word for “power” is a very forceful term, dunamis, from which we get our English word for dynamite. The power that he is referring to is a very powerful power, one that has the ability to change the world. Of course, he is referring to the victory of Christ over death when he walked out of that tomb on Easter morning. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we too can experience a resurrection, to which Paul will turn in a moment.

Participation in his sufferings

This may seem an odd thing to desire, and it should be noted that Paul is not seeking martyrdom. However, suffering for the sake of Christ meant to Paul, and to other early believers (Acts 5:41), that they were on the right track. We are called to die to ourselves. As Deitrich Bonhoeffer stated so simply, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Some see this as dying and rising in baptism, and this fits, but it goes far beyond that event and encompasses the entire life.

Becoming like him in his death

Conforming to Christ’s death is something Paul wants to experience. Again, this is not a desire for martyrdom, but a complete death to self. Christ died for sin, and to sin, and that means that our old selves also have to die and be raised to a newness of life. Christ’s death and resurrection was representative of you and me, and in Romans 6, we also are called to be conformed to his death. Physical death cannot conquer us.

Attaining to the resurrection from the dead

Paul refers here not to Christ’s resurrection but to the final resurrection, one which all in him will experience. As believers, in this life, we have already risen with Christ, and have experienced the victory he accomplished. But we still look forward to the completion of the work of grace, when we are raised to new life, for all of eternity. Paul’s use of the word “somehow” does not imply any doubt. He is certain of the resurrection to come. What he does not yet know is by what means that will come about. Remember, he is in prison, facing potential execution. But he also holds hope of being released to continue his efforts of promoting the gospel.

This is perhaps one of the most encouraging passages from Paul to the Philippians, and to us. He expresses here his deepest longings, and by this, encourages us to long for the same things.

Question: What are your deepest longings? Do you long for things such as this? You can leave a comment by clicking here.