The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. The apostle Paul wrote about wanting to know Christ and “the power of His resurrection” in Philippians 3:10. What did Paul mean by this, and what is the significance and power of Christ’s resurrection for believers today?
The Context of Philippians 3:10
Philippians 3:10 says “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” To understand this verse, we need to look at the context.
In Philippians 3, Paul is warning believers about false teachers who were insisting that Christians must be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses. Paul counters this by explaining that true righteousness and salvation do not come through legalism or human effort, but by faith in Christ (Philippians 3:9).
Paul then expresses his life mission in verses 10-11: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
So in this passage, Paul is contrasting trusting in human righteousness through legalism versus knowing Christ through faith. The power of Christ’s resurrection enables believers to know Christ deeply, share in His sufferings, become like Him, and ultimately attain final resurrection and eternal life.
The Significance of Christ’s Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a real, historical event that is central to the Christian faith. After Jesus was crucified and died, He was buried in a tomb. But three days later, God raised Him from the dead. The empty tomb testified that God had powerfully conquered sin and death through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 4:25).
The resurrection proved that Jesus was truly the Son of God and that God accepted His sacrifice for sins (Romans 1:4). It authenticated Christ’s claims and demonstrated His victory over death (Acts 2:24, 31-32). The resurrection was part of God’s plan from eternity to redeem and restore creation through His Son Jesus (Acts 2:23, Ephesians 1:7-10).
The resurrection affirmed Christ’s authority and ability to give eternal life to those who believe in Him (John 11:25, 1 Peter 1:3). It paved the way for the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church (Acts 2:32-33). It guarantees the future resurrection of all who are in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
The resurrection gives us hope that sin, suffering and death have been definitively defeated and that we have new life in Christ now and forever (1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Romans 6:4-5). The resurrection empowers believers to walk in newness of life and obedience to God (Romans 6:4). Without the resurrection, the Christian faith would be meaningless (1 Corinthians 15:14).
The Power of Christ’s Resurrection for Believers
Paul longed to know Christ through experiencing the mighty power that was demonstrated in raising Jesus from the dead. This same resurrection power is available to every Christian and is at work in us. Understanding and tapping into this resurrection power enables us to live the Christian life and grow in godliness.
1. Power Over Sin
The resurrection broke the power of sin in the lives of believers. When we trust in Christ, we die and rise with Him, and are set free from sin’s dominion (Romans 6:1-14). Sin no longer has mastery over us; we are alive to God and dead to sin (Romans 6:11). The resurrection life of Christ in us empowers us to walk in newness of obedience and holiness (Romans 6:4).
2. Power for New Life
Not only did Christ rise to give us victory over sin, but also to empower us for a new kind of life. We are united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection, which enables us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4-5, 8:11). His resurrection life produces fruitfulness, obedience and Christlike character in us (Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:10). The same Spirit that raised Jesus dwells in believers and makes us alive to righteousness (Romans 8:11).
3. Power for Ministry
The resurrection power that brought Christ from the grave is available to empower our ministry and service to God. Ephesians 1:19-20 says God demonstrates His infinite power toward believers, “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.” This resurrection power equips us to serve God in fulfilling His purposes (Ephesians 3:7, 20). Resurrection power enables our evangelism, makes our ministry fruitful, and activates our spiritual gifts (Acts 4:33).
4. Power Over Suffering
The resurrection connects us with Christ’s sufferings, so that His life and power can flow through our weaknesses and trials (Philippians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Though we suffer and face death, we know God will raise us with Christ. So we can rejoice in suffering, knowing that God uses it to produce character, hope and victory in us (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:10-11).
5. Power Over Death
Christ’s resurrection guarantees our final resurrection and eternal life. Though we die physically, at the second coming Jesus Christ will raise us up with incorruptible, immortal bodies and forever destroy death (1 Corinthians 15:52-57). His resurrection life brings us through death to eternal life (John 11:25-26). The risen Christ holds the keys of Death and Hades, so we need not fear death any longer (Revelation 1:18).
How to Know the Power of Christ’s Resurrection
How can believers today experience and walk in the reality of the power of Christ’s resurrection?
1. Be United with Christ Through Faith
We must be joined to Jesus Christ by faith. It is only through personal faith and trust in Christ that we are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 2:20). His resurrection life flows to us and empowers us as we abide in close relationship with Him by faith (John 15:1-5).
2. Reckon Yourself Alive to God in Christ
We release the resurrection power in our lives as we count and reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Romans 6:11). This is not merely positive thinking, but affirming and counting as true the spiritual reality of being new creations, alive and free in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
3. Submit and Yield Yourself to God
As we present ourselves to God, we unlock the resurrection power that transforms our lives (Romans 6:13, 19). Only when we yield control of our lives to Christ and obey Him will we walk in newness of life. Resurrection power flows through surrender and obedience.
4. Draw Near to God
Experiencing the resurrection power is the result of being near to God, abiding in Christ through His Word, prayer, worship, meditation and fellowship with other believers (James 4:8). Staying close to Jesus enables Him to conform us to His death and resurrection life.
5. Put Off Sin and Put On Righteousness
The resurrection empowered us to put off the old self-ruled life and be renewed in mind (Ephesians 4:22-24). As we put off sin and put on godly living, we walk in new life (Colossians 3:5-14). Sin blocks the fruit of resurrection life, so we must avoid it.
6. Rely on the Holy Spirit
The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in us and applies the resurrection power to transform us (Romans 8:11). We must depend on the Spirit daily through prayer, yielding, worship, and obedience to His leading.
7. Embrace Suffering in Hope
Part of knowing Christ is sharing in His sufferings so that His life and victory can shine through our weakness (Philippians 3:10). When we embrace trials in faith and hope, we experience the power of His resurrection sustaining us.
The Transforming Power of the Resurrection Today
Christ’s resurrection is not merely an event of the past with no relevance today. The incredible power that raised Jesus from the dead is available right now to every believer in Him. This resurrection power is life-transforming, enabling us to walk in newness of life by the Spirit. The resurrection is the key to overcoming sin, producing spiritual fruit, finding strength in weakness, living for Christ, and having victory in the midst of suffering. Our mission is to know Jesus and become like Him through accessing this incredible resurrection power every day. As we walk in the reality of His resurrection life, we can experience true transformation and power to live the Christian life.