But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ…
that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being conformed to His death, if, by any means,
I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(NKJV)

Pero las cosas que para mí eran ganancia las he considerado pérdida a causa de Cristo…
a fin de ganar a Cristo y ser hallado en él…
Anhelo conocerlo a él y el poder de su resurrección,
y participar en sus padecimientos,
para ser semejante a él en su muerte; y de alguna manera,
me encontraré en la resurrección de los muertos.
(RVA-2015)

Mas o que para mim era lucro, isto considerei perda por causa de Cristo…
para ganhar a Cristo e ser achado nele…
O que eu quero é conhecer Cristo e o poder da sua ressurreição,
tomar parte nos seus sofrimentos
e me tornar como ele na sua morte, para, de algum modo,
alcançar a ressurreição dentre os mortos.
(NAA)

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Life comes after Death

Life can come only after death.

For Paul, Christ’s death on a cross and subsequent resurrection were both an all sufficient sacrifice made for us, from which we can receive the forgiveness of sins, and also a process through Christ wants us to go through with Him.

To put it plainly, only dead people can receive a resurrection from the dead. More specifically, only people who have died with Christ can resurrect with Christ.

Paul is very clear that to him, dying is - primarily - neither a physical experience nor a single spiritual experience. It is a journey of walking with Christ.

Whatever it is we currently have of value is on the chopping block in order to do this.

Job security, friendships, family relationships, etc… Paul lost all of these things - not because he didn’t want them - but because he was not willing to lose the chance to walk with Christ. Any cost was acceptable.

I have a feeling I haven’t experienced a fraction of the loss that Paul did for Christ’s sake, and I’ve learned I hold so tightly onto things!

Why am I afraid to speak my mind on Christ when it might ruin a friendship or cause tension? Why am I so quick to feel hurt and lonely when people don’t live up to my expectations?

Aren’t these all opportunities to walk with Christ? Surely He was misunderstood, He suffered, He felt lonely…

I don’t want His sacrifice to be only an act He did for me. I want to participate in His journey with Him.

I don’t want His sacrifice to be only an act He did for me. I want to participate in His journey with Him.