Yet In My Flesh

"...that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;  if somehow I may come into the resurrection out of death." Philippians 3:10-11 (my own translation of these verses"). 

"...if somehow I may come into the resurrection out of death."  This part of the section is always troublesome. That is why I choose to translate it differently. This is not something "attained" as some translations suggest, because that whole idea violates the "righteousness in Christ" and Christ alone concept Paul worked so hard to establish. So when we come across things in the Word that appear to conflict, we have to look deeper. Paul is telling us that these things (knowing Him, the power of His resurrection, fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death) in his life will lead into the resurrection out of death that will come, not just in a spiritual dimension (as has already occurred when He received Jesus Christ), but the automatic consequences of following and becoming in Christ ending in bodily resurrection.

The fact of the resurrection of the flesh body of Christ continues to be a debate among those who discount the obviously impossible idea. The fact that a body, long since decayed and in worms and dust, now to be brought back to life is seemingly preposterous. It is only preposterous to those who do not believe this is what the Lord promised. Even Job in the Old Testament said,

"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Job 19:15-27 TNIV

It is clear to me that Job was looking very forward to the resurrection of his body of flesh. So we too, look forward to a time of resurrection of our flesh - because of the empowerment given to us in Jesus. Since He lives in us (our body of flesh), therefore, He will indeed raise this temple in newness and in life eternal.