The Threefold Progress of a Christian to Attain the Out-resurrection - Path vs. Race vs. Process — An Integrated Table

 

The Threefold Progress of a Christian to Attain the Out-resurrection - Path vs. Race vs. Process — An Integrated Table

"The journey, the race, and the process" are not seen as three separate concepts, but rather as three aspects of achieving "out-resurrection": the journey refers to the path taken, the race refers to the race of striving and winning the reward, and the process refers to the whole person's gradual entry into resurrection through the death of Christ. The central theme is Philippians 3:10-14.

Spiritual Item	Path	Race	Process
Key Scriptures	Phil. 3:10–11; John 14:6; Matt. 16:24	Phil. 3:12–14; 1 Cor. 9:24–27; 2 Tim. 4:7–8	Phil. 3:10–11; Rom. 8:6, 11; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Thes. 5:23
Basic meaning	The life-path ordained by God that we must take	The race in which we pursue Christ and run forward to obtain the prize	The gradual process in which our whole being passes from the old creation into the new creation and from death into resurrection
Question answered	“Which way should I go?”	“How should I run this race?”	“What spiritual transformation is taking place as I run?”
Direction	Being conformed to Christ’s death	Pursuing Christ Himself with all our strength	Passing through death into resurrection
Central burden	Accepting the cross as the way of life	Gaining Christ and attaining maturity	Allowing the divine life to saturate our whole being
Center	Christ’s death	Christ Himself as the goal and prize	Christ’s resurrection life
Starting point	A person who has been regenerated and saved	A person who has already been saved in Christ but must continue to pursue	A person who already possesses the divine life, while his whole being still contains natural and old-creation elements
Key action	Bearing the cross, denying the self, being conformed to Christ’s death	Pursuing, pressing forward, chasing after, and running	Allowing the cross to work so that the spirit, soul, and body may progressively experience resurrection
Relation to Phil. 3:10	“Being conformed to His death” is the path	“Pursuing” is the manner of running	“Being conformed to His death” produces the experience of resurrection
Relation to Phil. 3:11	Christ’s death is the way	The believer runs to attain to the out-resurrection	Resurrection is the result produced by the cross working in us
What is the out-resurrection?	The ultimate goal of the path	The special prize to be obtained through a victorious race	The ultimate condition in which the whole being enters fully into resurrection life
Is it already fully attained?	The way is already before us	It has not yet been fully attained; therefore we must continue to pursue  (Phil. 3:12)	It is a gradual and continual work of life
Paul’s experience	He was wholly committed to the way of the cross	He pressed on to gain Christ and finish the race	By being conformed to Christ’s death, he progressively experienced resurrection
Meaning of “pursue”	The Greek word is the same as “persecute,” carrying the sense of pursuing, chasing, pressing forward
Salvation vs. pursuit	Salvation brings us onto the path in Christ	Obtaining the prize requires continued running	The divine life received in salvation must progressively work in our whole being
Common salvation vs. special portion	We have entered into the way of salvation	We pursue the special portion of the out-resurrection	We allow the divine life already received to be worked into our whole being
Function of the cross	Defines the way	Removes obstacles along the race	Causes the old man, natural life, and soulish life to pass through death
Function of resurrection	Points to the ultimate goal	Becomes the hope and prize of the race	Progressively operates as life in the spirit, soul, and body
Our cooperation	Willingness to take the narrow way and bear the cross	Actively pursuing, pressing on, and running	Accepting the cross’s work in life and allowing the divine life to operate
God’s work	God places us on His ordained path	God operates in us so that we may pursue (Phil. 2:13)	God makes our deadened spirit alive and continues to give life to our soul and mortal body (Rom. 8:11)
Experience of the spirit	The spirit is regenerated	The spirit is strengthened and governs the whole being	The deadened spirit is made alive first
Experience of the soul	Denying the self and bearing the cross	Not turning back but continuing to pursue Christ	The soul is progressively renewed and transformed by life
Experience of the body	Presenting the body to the Lord	Disciplining and subduing the body (1 Cor. 9:27)	The Spirit gives life to our mortal body (Rom. 8:11)
From the old creation to the new creation	Taking the way of the cross	Continuing forward on the way of the cross	“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17)
From death to life	Choosing Christ’s death	Willingly passing through the cross without stopping the pursuit	Death issues in resurrection, and resurrection swallows up death
Spiritual sequence	Direction: taking the way of the cross	Running: pursuing Christ with all our strength	Completion: the whole being entering into resurrection
Main danger	Choosing an easy, natural, self-centered way	Stopping the pursuit, becoming relaxed, turning backward, or losing the prize	Remaining in outward improvement without allowing life to work in the whole being
Key to victory	Accepting Christ’s death as the way of life	Not being satisfied with what has already been gained, but continuing to pursue Christ	Allowing resurrection life to spread progressively through the spirit, soul, and body
Final result	Becoming one who walks the way of the cross	Becoming one who finishes the race and obtains the prize	Becoming one whose whole being is in resurrection and who is conformed to Christ’s image
In one sentence	Path = walking the way of Christ’s death	Race = pursuing Christ until the prize is obtained	Process = through Christ’s death, allowing the whole being to enter progressively into resurrection

 

I. The Inner Relationship of the Threefold Progress

These three aspects should not be viewed as three unrelated concepts. Rather, they are three aspects of one spiritual pursuit toward the out-resurrection.

They can be summarized as:

Path → Race → Process → Out-resurrection

More precisely:

Being conformed to Christ’s death → Pursuing Christ with all our strength → Our whole being progressively experiencing resurrection → Attaining to the out-resurrection

1. The Path — Being Conformed to Christ’s Death

Philippians 3:10 says:

“To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

Therefore, the out-resurrection is not reached by some mysterious alternative route. The death of Christ itself is the way to resurrection.

The cross is not the final destination itself; rather, it is the way ordained by God through which we enter into resurrection life.

Thus:

Christ’s death → the termination of the old creation → the spreading of resurrection life

The cross terminates the old man, the natural life, the self, and everything that belongs to the old creation so that Christ’s resurrection life may have the ground to spread within us.

II. The Race — Pursuing Christ with All Our Strength

Philippians 3:12–14 presents the matter of the race very clearly:

“Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected, but I pursue, if even I may lay hold of that for which I also have been laid hold of by Christ Jesus. … I pursue toward the goal for the prize.”

One crucial point here is:

Paul was not unsaved; yet after being saved, he still had not stopped pursuing.

He had already received the common salvation, but he continued to run toward a special goal:

Attaining to the out-resurrection.

Therefore:

Salvation is received by grace; the prize requires us to pursue Christ and run the race.

This explains Paul’s statement:  “Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected.”

He had been saved, but he had not yet reached full maturity.

III. The Process — Our Whole Being Progressively Experiencing Resurrection

This is perhaps the most easily overlooked aspect of the three.

The out-resurrection does not refer merely to the resurrection of the body in the future. It also involves the fact that our whole being is progressively experiencing resurrection life today.

Romans 8 shows a significant sequence:

The spirit first receives life → the soul is renewed and transformed → the mortal body will eventually receive life

Romans 8:6 says:  “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.”

Romans 8:11 says:  “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.”

Therefore:

Resurrection is not merely a future event at the end of the age; resurrection is also a life-process taking place in us today.

IV. The Threefold Relationship of Path, Race, and Process

Aspect	Emphasis	Spiritual Verb	Our Requirement	Result
Path	The way	Walk	Accept the cross	Right direction
Race	The running	Pursue	Pursue Christ with all our strength	Obtain the prize
Process	The work of life	Be transformed	Allow resurrection life to work	Maturity in life
Goal	The out-resurrection	Attain	The whole being fully experiences resurrection	Glory and prize

Therefore, we can express the spiritual formula as:

Walk the way of the cross → Run the heavenly race → Experience the process of resurrection → Attain to the out-resurrection

V. Why Can Christ’s Death and the Out-resurrection Never Be Separated?

Philippians 3:10–11 is the center of the entire thought:

“Being conformed to His death” → “attaining to the out-resurrection from the dead.”

This reveals a crucial spiritual principle:

Without being conformed to Christ’s death, there is no way to attain to the out-resurrection.

Christ’s death:

terminates the old creation;

terminates the natural life;

terminates the self;

terminates the independent soulish life;

gives resurrection life the ground to operate;

allows more of Christ Himself to live in us.

Thus, the cross does not bring us merely into negative death; rather, it brings us into positive resurrection.

We may therefore say:

The cross is the entrance into resurrection; resurrection is the result of the cross.

VI. Paul’s “Positive Persecution” — From Persecuting Christ to Pursuing Christ

This is a particularly precious light in Philippians 3:12.

Before Paul was saved:  He persecuted Christ.

After Paul was saved:  He pursued Christ.

The Greek word translated “pursue” is the same word used for “persecute.”

Thus:

Before salvation, Paul persecuted Christ in a negative sense; after salvation, he “persecuted” Christ in a positive sense by pursuing, chasing after, and laying hold of Christ. 

This shows that the genuine Christian life is not passive waiting. Rather, it is:

Seeing Christ → loving Christ → pursuing Christ → gaining Christ → living Christ → attaining maturity

VII. The Relationship among Salvation, Maturity, and the Prize

Level	Salvation	Maturity	Prize
Already	We have received Christ and His salvation	Life-growth has begun	The prize has not yet been fully obtained
Today	We live in salvation	We pursue Christ and are conformed to His death	We run the race
In the future	Salvation reaches its full consummation	The whole being reaches full maturity	We attain to the out-resurrection
Key Scriptures	Eph. 2:5–6	Phil. 3:10, 12	Phil. 3:11, 14; 2 Tim. 4:7–8
Key thought	Gain salvation	Gain Christ	Gain the prize

A proper balance is important here:

We do not run the race in order to earn eternal salvation. Rather, having already been saved by grace, we pursue Christ and run the race for the prize, with a view toward attaining to the out-resurrection.

III. The Threefold Spiritual Formula

First Stage: The Path — WALK

Christ’s death

↓
Bear the cross
↓
Deny the self
↓
Be conformed to His death
↓
Walk the way ordained by God

Second Stage: The Race — PURSUE

Christ Himself

↓
Pursue with all our strength
↓
Press forward
↓
Chase after Christ
↓
Forget the things behind and stretch forward to the things before
↓
Pursue toward the goal
↓
Obtain the prize

Third Stage: The Process — RESURRECTION

Resurrection life

↓
The spirit receives life
↓
The soul is renewed and transformed
↓
The body will eventually receive life
↓
The whole being—spirit, soul, and body—progressively experiences resurrection
↓
The old creation is fully brought into the new creation

IX. The Ultimate Result

Walking is the direction; running is the exercise; resurrection is the result of life; the out-resurrection is the ultimate prize.

The entire spiritual line may therefore be expressed as:

Walk the way of Christ’s death
↓
Run the race by pursuing Christ
↓
Experience the progressive process of resurrection
↓
Attain to the out-resurrection
↓
Obtain the prize prepared for maturity

X. The Most Important Spiritual Line

Path: Being conformed to Christ’s death

↓

Race: Pursuing Christ with all our strength

↓

Process: Our whole being progressively experiencing resurrection

↓

Maturity: Attaining to the out-resurrection

↓

Prize: Gaining what Christ desires us to gain

One-Sentence Prophetic Summary

Having received the common salvation by grace, we should walk the way of being conformed to Christ’s death, pursue Christ with all our strength and run the heavenly race, allowing the resurrection life to work progressively in our spirit, soul, and body, until we attain to the out-resurrection and obtain the prize prepared for those who reach maturity.

Key Scripture Line

Philippians 3:10–14 → Romans 8:6, 11 → Ephesians 2:5–6 → 2 Corinthians 5:17 → 1 Thessalonians 5:23 → 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 → 2 Timothy 4:7–8

 

*Please refer to the April 2026 Summer Training, General Topic: Believers, Chapter Ten: The Conformation into Christ's Death and the Attainment of His Magnificent Resurrection.