If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
To attain to the resurrection of the dead is set forth as Paul's one ruling purpose and the aim every Christian is to pursue. Attaining it means counting all former gains and all things as loss and refuse for the excellency of knowing Christ, in order to win Him and be found in Him, not with one's own righteousness from the law but with the righteousness from God by faith in Christ. It means knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings by being made like Him in His death. It is not presented as already attained or as already perfect, but as followed after by forgetting things behind and reaching forth to things before and pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The hope held out is the resurrection of life, that even if the faithful die before the Lord comes they will be raised when the last trumpet sounds, see Jesus in His glory, have the vile body changed like His glorious body, and be made like Him.
Paul's Aim Explained
The verse states Paul's one ruling purpose and goal, to attain unto the resurrection of the dead, and this is the aim every Christian is to pursue, to press toward the resurrection of the dead and the life with Christ for which they strive. Attaining means counting all former gains as loss for Christ, and counting all things as loss for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord, suffering the loss of all things and counting them as loss and refuse and dung, in order to win Christ and be found in Him. It means not having one's own righteousness which is of the law, but rejecting a righteousness of one's own from the law for the righteousness which is from God by faith and through faith in Christ, through the faith of Christ.
It means knowing Christ, and knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, and sharing the fellowship of His sufferings, by being made conformable unto His death and becoming conformed to His death and becoming like Him in death. The resurrection is not presented as already attained and not as being already perfect, but as followed after to apprehend that for which Christ apprehended Paul. This is done by forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth and stretching forward unto the things which are before, and pressing toward the mark and pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
This teaching was not from a human mind but truths declared in vision to Paul, to whom God gave many revelations, recorded for the benefit of all who desire to be sincere, earnest, whole-hearted Christians obedient to all God's requirements, as the fundamental principles of the law that declares the whole duty of man. Attaining means walking the one strait and narrow way by loving God supremely and neighbor as self, following Christ in everything and conforming life to His teachings, and pressing toward the light with His divine perfection in view.
The Coming Resurrection
The verse holds out the hope of the resurrection of life, that even if a faithful person dies before the Lord comes, that person will rise, see Jesus, and be made like Him. That resurrection brings the joy of seeing Jesus in His glory and receiving His welcome. Those who follow Christ and seek to know Him will be raised as He was, for though they may be laid in the grave they will be brought out of it when the last trumpet sounds. Believers have their citizenship in heaven and look for the Saviour from heaven, who shall change the vile body to fashion it like His glorious body.
Pressing On Faithfully
Attaining unto the resurrection of the dead is the goal of a life wholly surrendered to Christ and devoted to knowing and serving Him. It is not claimed as already attained but is pressed toward as the hope that governed Paul, who longed to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to become like Him in death. That pursuit requires counting all other gains as loss and resting in righteousness through faith rather than one's own righteousness, while persevering through trials and temptation. It calls Christians to pursue spiritual growth and faithfully practice its lessons, keeping the heart guarded and receiving strength through communion with Christ, pressing toward the resurrection and the life with Christ for which they strive.
This pressing on calls for self-denial and vigilance against evil, setting aside worldly attractions and sin. It means consecrating wholly to God's service, laying aside every weight and the sin that easily besets, and allowing nothing to divert from being faithful to Christ and winning souls to the Saviour in the face of opposition, hardship and persecution. It involves persevering through trials and temptation and patiently enduring until the time of trial ends. The hope of seeing the face of God and attaining the heavenly goal is worth all effort and sacrifice. That same hope of rising to see Jesus in His glory and receive His welcome makes present toil and suffering bearable.
Gaining the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus comes by forgetting things behind and reaching forward and pressing toward the mark. It calls for being thus minded and walking by the same rule and minding the same thing, following together the apostolic example and marking those who walk so. It requires refusing the enemies of the cross of Christ whose god is their belly and who mind earthly things and whose end is destruction. It means having citizenship in heaven and looking for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, who shall change the vile body to fashion it like His glorious body, and so standing fast in the Lord in vigilant waiting for that blessed hope and glorious appearing in watchful readiness because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown.
To attain to the resurrection of the dead is set forth as Paul's one ruling purpose and the aim every Christian is to pursue. Attaining it means counting all former gains and all things as loss and refuse for the excellency of knowing Christ, in order to win Him and be found in Him, not with one's own righteousness from the law but with the righteousness from God by faith in Christ. It means knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings by being made like Him in His death. It is not presented as already attained or as already perfect, but as followed after by forgetting things behind and reaching forth to things before and pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The hope held out is the resurrection of life, that even if the faithful die before the Lord comes they will be raised when the last trumpet sounds, see Jesus in His glory, have the vile body changed like His glorious body, and be made like Him.
Paul's Aim Explained
The verse states Paul's one ruling purpose and goal, to attain unto the resurrection of the dead, and this is the aim every Christian is to pursue, to press toward the resurrection of the dead and the life with Christ for which they strive. Attaining means counting all former gains as loss for Christ, and counting all things as loss for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord, suffering the loss of all things and counting them as loss and refuse and dung, in order to win Christ and be found in Him. It means not having one's own righteousness which is of the law, but rejecting a righteousness of one's own from the law for the righteousness which is from God by faith and through faith in Christ, through the faith of Christ.
It means knowing Christ, and knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, and sharing the fellowship of His sufferings, by being made conformable unto His death and becoming conformed to His death and becoming like Him in death. The resurrection is not presented as already attained and not as being already perfect, but as followed after to apprehend that for which Christ apprehended Paul. This is done by forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth and stretching forward unto the things which are before, and pressing toward the mark and pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
This teaching was not from a human mind but truths declared in vision to Paul, to whom God gave many revelations, recorded for the benefit of all who desire to be sincere, earnest, whole-hearted Christians obedient to all God's requirements, as the fundamental principles of the law that declares the whole duty of man. Attaining means walking the one strait and narrow way by loving God supremely and neighbor as self, following Christ in everything and conforming life to His teachings, and pressing toward the light with His divine perfection in view.
The Coming Resurrection
The verse holds out the hope of the resurrection of life, that even if a faithful person dies before the Lord comes, that person will rise, see Jesus, and be made like Him. That resurrection brings the joy of seeing Jesus in His glory and receiving His welcome. Those who follow Christ and seek to know Him will be raised as He was, for though they may be laid in the grave they will be brought out of it when the last trumpet sounds. Believers have their citizenship in heaven and look for the Saviour from heaven, who shall change the vile body to fashion it like His glorious body.
Pressing On Faithfully
Attaining unto the resurrection of the dead is the goal of a life wholly surrendered to Christ and devoted to knowing and serving Him. It is not claimed as already attained but is pressed toward as the hope that governed Paul, who longed to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to become like Him in death. That pursuit requires counting all other gains as loss and resting in righteousness through faith rather than one's own righteousness, while persevering through trials and temptation. It calls Christians to pursue spiritual growth and faithfully practice its lessons, keeping the heart guarded and receiving strength through communion with Christ, pressing toward the resurrection and the life with Christ for which they strive.
This pressing on calls for self-denial and vigilance against evil, setting aside worldly attractions and sin. It means consecrating wholly to God's service, laying aside every weight and the sin that easily besets, and allowing nothing to divert from being faithful to Christ and winning souls to the Saviour in the face of opposition, hardship and persecution. It involves persevering through trials and temptation and patiently enduring until the time of trial ends. The hope of seeing the face of God and attaining the heavenly goal is worth all effort and sacrifice. That same hope of rising to see Jesus in His glory and receive His welcome makes present toil and suffering bearable.
Gaining the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus comes by forgetting things behind and reaching forward and pressing toward the mark. It calls for being thus minded and walking by the same rule and minding the same thing, following together the apostolic example and marking those who walk so. It requires refusing the enemies of the cross of Christ whose god is their belly and who mind earthly things and whose end is destruction. It means having citizenship in heaven and looking for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, who shall change the vile body to fashion it like His glorious body, and so standing fast in the Lord in vigilant waiting for that blessed hope and glorious appearing in watchful readiness because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown.