That I May Know Him

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” 
Philippians 3:10-11

Paul deeply desired to know Christ in an intimate fashion - to experience an even deeper relationship. In our Scripture, he lists three things that will also be known if we know Christ.

The power of His resurrection: The victory of Christ over sin and death exhibited His great power. Paul not only longed for an ultimate resurrected body (Phil. 3:11), but he longed for the power over sin as well “to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11).

The fellowship of His sufferings: Paul’s desire to know Christ was so great he was willing, if need be, to suffer as He suffered. And, indeed, Paul did suffer in many ways (as seen in 2 Cor. 11:23-37 and elsewhere). “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). “If indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17).

Being conformed to His death: Paul was willing to die as Christ died and soon did die a martyr’s death, beheaded in a Roman prison. But that is not in view here. Rather, he wanted to be like Christ in His death, gaining complete victory of all sin. “For he who has died is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7).
   
To know Christ in this way, to be conformed to Him as Paul desired, primarily demands developing the servant’s heart and selfless humility that took Christ to the cross (Phil. 2:5-8) to make it possible for us to know Him.