Bible Facts Little Understood by Christians

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The Out-Resurrection[1]

If, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection [out- resurrection] from the dead. (Philippians 3:11)

In Philippians 3:10-14, the “resurrection [lit., out-resurrection]” in verse eleven appears in connection with “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” in verse fourteen.  A prize necessitates a conflict, which has to do with the present conflict between Christians and the world-rulers of the darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12ff); and the reception of this prize requires victory in the conflict.  Consequently, the “out-resurrection” of Philippians 3:11 cannot be the resurrection of Christians to which Paul refers in 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, for all of “the dead in Christ” — both the overcomers in the conflict and those who have been overcome in the conflict — will be raised from the dead at the time referred to in these verses.

The regular Greek word for “resurrection” appearing throughout the New Testament is anastasis.  This is a compound word comprised of ana, which means “up,” and stasis, which means “to rise,” or “to stand.”  Thus, anastasis means “to rise up” or “to stand up.”  When used relative to those who have died, the exact meaning of the word would be, “a resumption of life, allowing one to rise up or stand up from the place of death.”

The Greek word appearing in Philippians 3:11, erroneously translated “resurrection” in most English versions of Scripture, is exanastasis.  This word is made up of three parts (ex-ana-stasis).  The latter two parts of the word (ana-stasis), as has been shown, mean “to rise up,” or “to stand up.”  But the preposition ex (from ek) prefixed to anastasis adds a new dimension.  The first part, ex (the form that “ek” takes when prefixed to words beginning with a vowel) means “out of,” making exanastasis mean “to stand up out of [out-resurrection].”

The resurrection (anastasis) of Christians will be a separation of “the dead in Christ” from the remainder of the dead, whether Old Testament saints or the unsaved dead.  The out-resurrection (exanastasis) will be a further separation beyond this point.  It is the “standing up” of a particular group “out of” those previously raised from among the dead.

At the time of the resurrection (anastasis), Christians will be separated from non-Christians; but at the time of the out-resurrection (exanastasis), certain Christians will be separated from other Christians.  A smaller group will be separated from the one large group.  The called out will be removed from the called.

Understanding exanastasis in the light of its context in Philippians 3:11 will clearly reveal that a resurrection per se (a rising from the dead) is not what is in view at all.  The subject at hand is “overcoming,” “winning a prize in a conflict”; and these things are associated with the issues of the judgment seat and the coming kingdom.  The word exanastasis has to do with certain Christians (the overcomers) being elevated to a status above — “a standing up out of” — the status occupied by the remaining Christians (the non-overcomers).

At the judgment seat of Christ, certain Christians will be shown to have overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil — the three great enemies presently confronting every Christian.  And the remaining Christians will be shown to have been overcome. Overcoming Christians will then be elevated to a standing above Christians who were overcome and, in this manner, will be set apart for the distinct purpose of occupying positions with Christ in the kingdom.  They will realize the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).  The overcomers will “stand up out of” (exanastasis) the entire group that had previously “stood up” (anastasis) from among the dead.

These are the ones who will realize life during the Messianic Era, as opposed to those who will not (Romans 8:13).  And this life will be in connection with a new order of sons (comprising a firstborn son, following the adoption) that God will bring forth at that time (Romans 8:14ff).