To know Christ is to know the power of His resurrection. All the powers of Satan and death could not hold Him. As we begin to know Christ, we see that Satan and death and all the powers of hell could not hold Him because He had finished the work that God had given Him to do. He had performed that perfect sacrifice to the satisfaction of the Father and paid the penalty of sin. He had performed that perfect righteousness and that perfect obedience under the law. He had been obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He had paid the penalty as an act of obedience and all the powers of hell and Satan and sin could not hold Him. They all had to give way because He came out of the grave as a victor over death and the grave. This is to know Him in the power of His resurrection.
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."
PHI 3:10.
Since Christ satisfied the penalty of sin, death has lost its sting and the grave has lost its victory. Christ has satisfied the just demands of the law with perfect obedience. Christ's resurrection is His pledge to the New Testament church that the Father's just demands have been met, and that the power of sin and of death have been broken.
To know the power of His resurrection is to be delivered from the power
of sin. This was demonstrated when He arose from the grave. He gained
victory over the power of sin. Are we going to fellowship in His
resurrection? Are we going to know Him in the power of His resurrection
and be delivered from the power of sin? Sin will have no more dominion
over us. ROM 6:4 tells us, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
If we
understand the power of His resurrection, then we are delivered from the
power of sin, that we should not serve sin any more. Verses 7-9 say,
"For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being
raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over
him." If we want to claim that we have fellowship in the power of His
resurrection, then we know what it is to have victory over death, hell,
the grave, and the power of sin.
By our fallen nature, we are all under the power of the prince of this
world. In EPH 2:2 it says, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the
air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." To
know the power of His resurrection is to see the prince of this world
judged. That means that he no longer rules as king in our hearts. The
power of the resurrection has dethroned the prince of this world, and he
no longer rules in our hearts.
EPH 2:4-6 says, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up
together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
It is "But God;" it is not what we have done. It is not that we have
gained the victory in our own strength, "But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved," has raised us from under the
power of the prince of this world.
To know Christ is to fellowship in His suffering. What is
fellowshipping in His suffering? The man who was born blind was cast
out for his testimony. When you and I can see that positive mark of
identification (as we have in the beatitudes: blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness' sake) and share together in the areas in
which we have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, that is
fellowshipping in His sufferings. Not only are we suffering with Him,
but we are fellowshipping in suffering for His name's sake. Then we can
relate to that man who was born blind and cast out for his testimony
because that has happened to us. That is fellowshipping in His
sufferings.
In JOH 9:34 it says, "They answered and said unto him, Thou
wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him
out." Do we not find this quite often if we try to share something that
we believe is precious for our souls, but we find that we are rejected
by those who are such tremendous advocates? They can explain it so
well, but they do not want to hear your personal testimony. They will
cast you out for it.
In JOH 9:34 it says, "They answered and said unto him, Thou wast
altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him
out."
Do we not find this quite often if we try to share something that we believe is precious for our souls, but we find that we are rejected by those who are such tremendous advocates? They can explain it so well, but they do not want to hear your personal testimony. They will cast you out for it.
Amen.