Attain to the Resurrection

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 10

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study – (IBS)

Attain to the Resurrection

“…if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:11

If one were to put a theme to chapter three here in Philippians, it very easily could be titled “transformation.”  Because verse 11 is the last piece of one of Paul’s sentences, it was kind of difficult at first to get anything from it right away.  This verse can actually stand by itself, but it is crucial to go through the rest of the chapter for this to make sense.  Earlier on Paul starts off by talking about we can have confidence in the Holy Spirit of Christ and not confidence in the flesh.  He demonstrates this by showing how if there was any worth to fleshly credentials, he of anyone had something to speak of – “…circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews...” and the list goes on.  That being said, he also goes on to say that each one of these credentials, or “benefits” from this world mean absolutely nothing in the presence of God, and can’t compare to the benefits that come with following Christ, and verse 8 says that he “counts them as rubbish.”  This is what I meant earlier on when I said that the theme that sticks out at me is transformation, because this is a transformation of the mind, spirit, soul, and even physical habits and patterns.  This kind of transformation only comes about by truly believing that God is actually capable of this transformation, and also by setting Him at the very forefront of the life He has created for me.  By doing this, Christ is then able to transform me through His precious blood that was spilt when He died on the cross, putting to death my old worldly man with it, then resurrecting me into new life with Him.  This is what Jesus displayed when He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11:21-27 – 21Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  22But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.  23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.  24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”  25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”  27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is come into the world.”  This transformation shown here leads then into what is described in Philippians 3:21 – “…who will transform our lowly body that it may be transformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”  If I may attain to the resurrection from the dead…“Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is come into the world.”  I ask for a continual outpouring of Your Holy Spirit and a transformation of my lowly body to more like Your glorious body!

Application: Today, I will spend time praying specifically for this transformation of my life.