undoubtedly saved, doubt whether he might be raised from the dead after death? The

answer is "no" and the problem comes because of the translation not being adequate.

Literally he wrote "the out-resurrection, out from the dead", the preposition ek being used

twice, thus being emphatic. The doctrine of resurrection was a part of orthodox Judaism.

When the Lord said to Martha concerning Lazarus, "thy brother shall rise again"

(John 11: 23), Martha replied, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the

last day" (24) for this was the hope of every Jew. We can better understand the force of

ek in Phil. 3: 11, if we turn to Mark 9: 9, 10. The Lord charged the disciples to tell no

one of the things they had seen until He was risen from (ek) the dead. This puzzled them,

for they questioned what the rising from or out of the dead could mean (10). A general

resurrection was understandable, but a selective one, leaving others behind was

something new to them.

We know that this is new also to many believers today for the creeds as a whole, teach

one general resurrection at the end of time, whereas the Scriptures teach that it will be

"every man in his own order" or rank (I Cor. 15: 23), as God wills. Not all will be raised

at once, but according to the working out of the Lord's purpose for the various groups of

His children. His timing is correct and no one can alter this. There is a resurrection

which is the realization of hope and the consummation of salvation for the people of God.

Rom. 8: 23 definitely teaches that this is the final out-working of redemption, and "the

redemption of the body" and redemption is not complete without it. Redemption from

sin is the beginning of salvation, and redemption from death which embodies resurrection

is the climax or goal.

However, in addition to this there is a resurrection which leads to a prize or reward

and this must not be passed by or confused with "hope". In Luke 20: 34, 35, the Lord,

in answer to the Sadducees, declares that marriage belongs to the present age, but those

who are accounted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection out (ek) from the dead,

do not marry. Here is a selective resurrection depending on personal worthiness or

faithfulness and when we get the double ek in Phil. 3:, we have similar teaching. The

Apostle had not the slightest doubt that, if he died, he would be brought back to life. This

was an essential part of his hope. But in Philippians he was pressing on in his eagerness

to obtain not the hope but the prize in connection with the high calling of God in Christ

Jesus, and this would be pre-fixed by this special out-resurrection which "if by any

means" he endeavoured to obtain. Let us not confuse these two distinct aspects of