To what state was Paul seeking to attain (to advance; to arrive at)?

The resurrection from the dead.

The traditional understanding is that every person who makes a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is baptized in water will participate in the first resurrection from the dead. The traditional understanding does not agree with the third chapter of the Book of Philippians nor does it agree with the parables of the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught us.

Given current Christian thinking and preaching, it is astonishing to discover that Paul admonished us to press forward into the life and death of Christ in order to attain the resurrection that will take place when the Lord Jesus appears.

The Kingdom of God, the resurrection, is a living Seed that enters us causing us to be born again. If we would attain the out-resurrection we must conscientiously nourish the living Seed. Otherwise the Seed, the resurrection life, will wither away or be choked out before it can bring any fruit to perfection (Luke 8:5-16).

The Greek term employed in Philippians 3:11 (above) is out-resurrection. It is not used elsewhere in the New Testament unless one regards the term first resurrection as its equivalent, which is how the author regards it. It is our point of view that Paul's "out-resurrection" is the same as the "first resurrection."

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5).

Philippians 3:11 is a remarkable verse. It does not fit our traditional understanding of the resurrection from the dead.

The term out-resurrection implies an earlier resurrection, a first resurrection from among the dead.

There may be no greater doctrinal need in our day than the understanding of the first resurrection and our need to attain it. The Christian discipleship always is to be pursued with the intention of attaining a "better resurrection."

The context of 3:11 suggests the out-resurrection concerns knowing the power of Christ's resurrection and sharing His sufferings, and also the change of our mortal body; for Paul states a few verses later:

Who shall change our vile body [the body of our humbling], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21).

No doubt the out-resurrection is the resurrection of which Paul spoke in Romans 8:11, I Corinthians 15:52, and I Thessalonians 4:16; and the Apostle John revealed in Revelation 20:4-6.

. . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

By the expression "and they lived" (above) John is speaking of the transformation into life of our mortal body, because our new born-again inner nature already is eternally alive in Christ at the right hand of the Father.

The following passage refers to the resurrection and ascension of our new born-again inner nature.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3).

To be continued.