Truth Lesson: Out Resurrection

The past few days I have been pursuing the Life-study of Philippians on the matter of "out-resurrection." This word is kind of awkward and I will not be surprised if many Christians understand this word at all. The literal translation in the Recovery Version is below with the note on "out-resurrection":

If perhaps I may attain to the out-resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:11

I.e., the outstanding resurrection, the extra-resurrection, which will be a prize to the overcoming saints. All believers who are dead in Christ will participate in the resurrection from the dead at the Lord’s coming back (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52). But the overcoming saints will enjoy an extra, outstanding portion of that resurrection. See note 35 2 in Heb. 11. 

To arrive at the out-resurrection indicates that our entire being has been gradually and continually resurrected. God first resurrected our deadened spirit (Eph. 2:5-6); then from our spirit He proceeds to resurrect our soul (Rom. 8:6) and our mortal body (Rom. 8:11), until our entire being — spirit, soul, and body — is fully resurrected out of our old being by and with His life. This is a process in life through which we must pass and a race that we must run until we arrive at the out-resurrection as the prize. Hence, the out-resurrection should be the goal and destination of our Christian life. We can reach this goal only by being conformed to the death of Christ, by living a crucified life. In the death of Christ we are processed in resurrection from the old creation to the new.

The Lord impressed me so much as I was considering this "out-resurrection." This is not the resurrection that Lazarus experienced in John 11: 43-44 though he indeed was resurrected from the dead. His resurrection was not a resurrection out from the old creation into the new creation by receiving the divine and eternal life of God. The resurrection here is the resurrection out from the old creation into the new creation. In general, this out-resurrection is Christ Himself living in and through us in practicality. This is the practical living our of Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

But how can one attain this? It is practically possible only through knowing the power of Christ's resurrection, the fellowship of His suffering, and also by being conformed to His death.

To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

Now, I gradually begin to understand the truth of the power of Christ's resurrection and conforming to His death, and how vital an experience this is. 

Further, this is not to be achieved only in the coming kingdom age, because this is the result of the living out of Christ practically today. It is possible to be in the out-resurrection today too.  

Brothers, I do not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward. Philippians 3:13, 14 

Apostle Paul himself was pursuing this goal, that is to attain the out-resurrection in his lifetime as his goal and also to attain it in the next age of the kingdom as his prize. Taking Paul as my pattern, I also pursue the goal of gaining and living Christ as my experience of the out-resurrection in this age, even now, today, and all the days of my life. And also to attain to the out-resurrection in the coming age as my prize. The way to attain the goal and the price is also made clear:

To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

Praise the Lord for such a marvelous truth unveiled to me these days! This will be my life goal and prize henceforth. May the Lord grace me to attain the goal and the prize, the out-resurrection!