In the book of Philippians Paul uses certain unusual expressions that are not found elsewhere in the Bible. Some of these expressions are "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," "the power of His resurrection," "the fellowship of His sufferings," and "being conformed to His death." Although these expressions may be familiar to us, we may not understand them adequately. In this message we shall consider another peculiar expression, "the out-resurrection." This refers to the resurrection that is outstanding, not the ordinary resurrection. This resurrection is like graduation with highest honors. Hundreds of students may graduate at the same time, but only one is the valedictorian, one whose graduation is outstanding. We may call this kind of graduation the outstanding-graduation, or the extra-graduation. When Paul wrote this Epistle, he probably realized that he would soon be martyred. Believing that there would be a resurrection at the time of the Lord's coming back, he was assured that he would participate in the resurrection. However, he desired to attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead, the outstanding resurrection.
In Philippians 3:11 Paul says, "If by any means I might attain unto the out-resurrection from among the dead" (Gk.). The words "by any means" reveal that Paul was desperate. He was like a runner in a race who is desperate to be first. Paul's concept was that of a race in the Olympic games. By any means, he wanted to arrive at the goal of the out-resurrection. We all need to have this sense of desperation infused into us. We need to be desperate to attain the out-resurrection.
A student becomes valedictorian by doing outstanding work in his studies and by being filled with all he has learned. In order to be valedictorian, you must be the graduate most filled with learning. Likewise, in order for Paul to attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead, he had to be filled with Christ. Today, many young people are good at shouting and releasing the spirit. However, when the Lord Jesus comes back, what will count is how much we have been filled with Christ. It is possible to shout and release the spirit and yet be short of Christ. There is nothing wrong with shouting and releasing the spirit. But inwardly we need to be filled with Christ. When the Lord Jesus comes back, He will be concerned with the degree to which we have been filled with Him, not with how much shouting we have done. How much Christ have you obtained? How much Christ has filled your being? If you are filled with Christ, then you will be qualified for the out-resurrection.
We should not only shout in the meetings, but be filled with Christ and express Christ in our daily living. God does not want shouting or release. He wants His Son, Jesus Christ, to be wrought into our being to become our life and our living. Christ must be our everything. The more we receive of Christ, the more qualified we shall be to attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead.
Paul's concept in Philippians 3 is that of gaining and obtaining Christ. As I have pointed out, the word obtain implies both experience and enjoyment. Thus, Paul wanted to experience Christ and enjoy Christ. This means he desired to participate in Christ, to partake of Christ, and to have Christ wrought into the fibers of his being.