In this message we shall continue to dwell on Philippians 3:10, one of the great verses in the New Testament. This verse speaks of four things: knowing Christ, knowing the power of His resurrection, knowing the fellowship of His sufferings, and being conformed to His death. Thus, four things are included in this verse: Christ, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and the conformity to His death.
Not many Christians have a proper understanding of the power of Christ's resurrection or the fellowship of His sufferings. Many do not even know much about His sufferings, knowing only that He suffered during His crucifixion. But this verse speaks of sufferings, not suffering. Knowing Christ, knowing the power of His resurrection, knowing the fellowship of His sufferings, and being conformed to His death are all related to our experience of Christ. If we would experience Christ, we must know Him. Knowing Him depends on how much we know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. Hence, knowing the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings is vital in our knowing Him.
The New Testament clearly reveals that resurrection, especially the resurrection of Christ, is related to death. Without death, there is no need of resurrection and no opportunity for resurrection to be manifested. In order to know the power of resurrection, we must enter into a death situation and remain there. Since it is necessary to be in death in order to know the power of resurrection, we must understand what it means to be in death.
For this understanding, we need to consider the record of the life of the Lord Jesus as found in the four Gospels. The Gospels are not merely an account of stories, lessons, teachings, or examples, but a record of a Person who is our life. According to the record of the Gospels, His life is a crucified life. Not only was Christ crucified when He was put on the cross; before He was put on the cross, He lived under the cross. In other words, He continually lived a crucified life. This means that He always put Himself under the death of the cross that He might be terminated. Christ was constantly being crucified; nevertheless, He lived.
Galatians 2:20 says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." In this verse there are three significant words: nevertheless...yet...but. Hence, Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." To be crucified is to be terminated and slain. Although Paul had been crucified with Christ, nevertheless he lived, yet not Paul, but Christ. This "nevertheless...yet...but" is the Christian life.