Philippians 3:9-11

9. and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10. that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; 11. if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.

Translation and Paraphrase

9. (I desire not only to gain, or win, Christ, but also that) I may be found in him (found by God, and found by Christ himself, and by my brethren, and by those who oppose meand when I am thus found that all may behold me,) not as (having) a righteousness of my own (which is) the (righteousness) based on (keeping) the law, but (as having) that (righteousness which comes) through Christ, the (righteousness) from God (which is given) upon the basis of faith.
10. (And I desire) to know him (that is, to know Christto know him in all the limitless experiences of fellowship available to us in the gospel), and (to know) the power of his resurrection (with that power working in my life), and (to know the) fellowship of his sufferings (to have a share in them, if need be, even to the point of) being made to conform to his death (along with him),
11. so that I may, if possible, attain unto the resurrection from the dead, (that is, unto the resurrection unto eternal life).

Notes

1.

3:9-11 expresses some of Paul's desires as they related to Christ. He desired to gain Christ, to be found in Christ, to know Christ, to know the power of Christ's resurrection, and to know the fellowship of His sufferings. All of these things involve Christ.

2.

Paul wanted to be found in Christ. (No secret discipleship for him!) He wanted anyone who might care to investigate him, or who might accidentally cross his path, to find that he Paul was in Christ.

3.

Paul desired that those who found him would find out quickly that his righteousness was not the righteousness commanded in the lawa righteousness which consisted of doing or not doing a long list of things that were contained in the law (Galatians 3:12)but that his righteousness was that which is given through faith in Christ. This is a bestowed righteousness. God says, as it were, I know that you have sinned, but because you believe in and desire to serve my Son, I declare you to be righteous, as righteous as if you had never sinned in your life. (Romans 1:17; Romans 3:21-24). Out of the joy and inward peace that comes from this bestowed righteousness, we live lives of obedience, holiness, love, and good works, not because we are under the law of Moses, but because we desire to obey God's will and desire to do good unto all men to the utmost of our power. (Titus 3:8; Ephesians 3:10).

A synonym for righteousness is justification, or acquittal. When God declares a man righteous, he is justified and acquitted of all guilt, just as if he had never sinned. Then he is furthermore aided by the Holy Spirit to live a life of true personal righteousness.

4.

Our own righteousness

The righteousness from God.

a.

Based on the law.

a.

Based on grace.

b.

Requires meritorious works.

b.

Requires faith.

c.

Earned.

c.

Free.

d.

Brings glory to me.

d.

Brings glory to Christ.

e.

Impossible to attain (Romans 3:20)

e.

Freely available.

5.

Paul desired to know Christ. Compare Ephesians 1:19. Knowing in Biblical usage, often means more than mere acquaintance. It signifies knowing intimately by experience and devoted association, (Ephesians 4:13; John 17:3; Jeremiah 9:23-24). Sometimes know means to approve. (Matthew 7:23), Do you truly want to know Christ as Paul wanted to know him, or would you rather keep Christ off at a safe distance?

Paul seems to have come to feel in later years that he really did know Jesus. I know him whom I have believed. (2 Timothy 1:12).

6.

Paul desired to know the power of Christ's resurrection. Compare Ephesians 1:19-20. This power that brought Christ back from the dead is available to us as Christians. God will assist us with the same power with which he raised Christ. Romans 6:3-5 emphasizes that in baptism we are united with Christ in the likeness of his resurrection, as well as in the likeness of his death.

7.

Paul desired to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, even to the point to becoming conformed to Christ's death.

Paul did not deliberately try to bring troubles upon himself; on several occasions in his life he took steps to prevent trouble from coming upon himself. But he accepted trouble and even death as a reality, and looked upon it as a means of identification with Christ.

Certainly Paul did experience a full fellowship (or share) in suffering for (and with) Christ. Acts 9:16; 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. Paul has revealed to us that we enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). Also that all who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (1 Timothy 3:12).

But in all of these things Paul kept himself joyful and expectant. If we died with him, we shall also live with him. (2 Timothy 2:11-12). That which God appoints for us, though it seems grievous for a moment, at last produces wonderful fruit in our lives.

8.

Paul's statement in Philippians 3:11, in which he says, if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead, is a bit hard to understand.

Paul cannot have meant that he needed to work for Christ to a certain point to be assured that his body would rise from the dead. This notion conflicts with Paul's own plain statements that he believed in a general resurrection of both the just and the unjust (1 Corinthians 15:23; Acts 24:15; Acts 26:8). Christ also spoke of the coming general resurrection (John 5:28-29).

It would appear, then, that Paul meant that he hoped to live in such a way that he would be worthy of the honor of being raised from the dead, even though our worth has nothing to do with the certainty that we shall be raised. Or perhaps Paul meant that he wanted to be sure to be raised in the resurrection with the just. A resurrection unto eternal punishment is hardly an inviting resurrection.