Ian & Jocelyn Barker

We looked at how Paul did not consider his salvation to be complete in any way but was still pressing forward in order to “attain to the resurrection from the dead”. His life was a constant press toward eternity as he grappled with the tensions of wanting to dwell in eternity but living in the present now.

I want to look at the connection between verse 10 where he desires to be “conformed to His death”, and verse 11 where he reaches for the resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul’s discourse on the resurrection, he says, “That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” John calls Jesus “the firstborn from the dead” (Rev. 1:5). The lesson to us is that life only comes through death. When I say “life”, I mean the resurrection life that is the privilege of the saints. The roadway to this type of eternal life and uninterrupted communion with the Trinity is to die to yourself. Being conformed to His death is to walk the way of the cross, which was humility and sacrifice. We can only enter into glory through the death to self (Phil. 2:5-11).

Paul says that he has not obtained the resurrection from the dead, or become perfect. For Paul, the finish line was not in the middle of the race, but it was really actually at the end. He is saying that we have to run the whole race to claim our prize. So he presses on and keeps going so that he can lay hold of something.

What is that something? “That for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” This is important. You see, Paul is pressing on towards eternity and the resurrection, but he is not the only one who is pressing. Christ Jesus is pressing towards Paul more than Paul is Christ, and this is his victory and assurance. Christ has called us into this glorious promise of resurrection life, and our response is to follow Him. Our job is to press and His job is to finish and perfect us (Heb. 12:2). Oh, this is wonderful news! Another skip for me!