Being LIke Christ in His Death

This week I’m reading in Philippians in my devotions. It’s a wonderful book, full of love and joy, exhortations to Christian unity and a real focus on Christ as our righteousness.

As I read the third chapter I was reminded of two things. First of all I recall reading Dr. Boice’s commentary some years ago, in which he stated that the whole book of Romans is summarized in Philippians 3:9, “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—a righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (NIV)

The second was an insight I got while dealing with a reluctant counselee a few years ago. I was sharing with this person the need to die to self and to allow God to have complete and total charge of his life. I found myself quoting key passages on the matter such as Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Eventually I got to Philippians 3: 10, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, being like him in his death.” My friend walked out of my office rejecting the whole idea of letting God be in charge of his life.

At that point I was too wound up to do much good work, so I went home to have lunch. All that I had said in that session was running around in my head as I walked home. “How can I be like Christ in His death? What is the essence of Christ’s death that I can be conformed to it? I can’t be the atonement for the sins of the world. What does this mean, anyway?” This was all churning around inside of me.

As I was standing in my kitchen with an empty saucepan in my hand it hit me like a thunderbolt. “What is the essence of Christ’s death that I should be conformed to it? The essence of Christ’s death is, ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will but Thine be done.’”

Being a very strong willed person I found this really earthshaking. It’s a matter of submitting my will to the Lord and allowing Him to have the final say. I needed to be reminded of this fully as much as my friend. I also need to re-read Philippians from time to time to remind me of this. If we are going to be like Christ we must be absolutely in tune with God and be ready to His will even if it means facing what we dread most.

I know Christ and am becoming increasingly and progressively more deeply acquainted with Him. I’ve known something of the power of His resurrection. These past years I’ve learned something about the fellowship of His sufferings. Becoming like Him in His death is definitely a “growth area”, something that I still need to work on.