Living Christ vs. Living the Out-resurrection

 

Living Christ vs. Living the Out-resurrection

The two expressions—“living Christ” and “living the out-resurrection”—can be understood as two aspects of the same spiritual reality: living Christ emphasizes Christ as our life and person, while living the out-resurrection emphasizes the manifestation and goal of this life in our entire being. The crucial issue is not merely whether something is “right or wrong,” but whether it is “in resurrection.”

Integrated Table: Living Christ vs. Living the Out-resurrection

Item	Living Christ	Living the Out-resurrection	Inner Relationship
Core meaning	Not merely imitating Christ, but allowing Christ to live in us: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).	Living a life that is absolutely outside the old creation and absolutely in God, with every part of our being progressively entering into resurrection.	To live Christ is to live the out-resurrection; the former emphasizes “who is living,” while the latter emphasizes “in what realm we live.”
Biblical center	Gal. 2:20: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” Phil. 1:21: “To me, to live is Christ.”	Phil. 3:10–11: “To know Him and the power of His resurrection…being conformed to His death, if perhaps I may attain to the out-resurrection from the dead.”	Philippians 3:10–11 connects knowing Christ with His resurrection and being conformed to His death.
Source of life	Christ Himself is our life (Col. 3:4); He lives in us.	The divine life enters into us and makes us alive from the dead (Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13).	Christ is the life and reality of resurrection; without Christ, there is no out-resurrection.
Beginning	Believing into Christ, gaining Christ, and allowing Christ to live in us.	It begins with regeneration. We were dead in offenses and sins, but God made us alive with His divine life (Eph. 2:1, 5).	Regeneration makes our spirit alive; afterward God continues His work so that our entire being may enter into resurrection.
Meaning of “living”	Taking Christ as our life, person, content, and living.	Allowing our living to be separated from the old creation and filled with the divine element.	Living Christ = living by Christ as our life; living the out-resurrection = expressing the reality of Christ as resurrection life.
Relation to the old creation	We no longer live by the natural “I,” but by Christ (Gal. 2:20).	Absolutely outside the old creation; the old-creation element is excluded and the divine element is expressed.	Christ’s death deals with the old creation, while resurrection brings in the new creation; therefore, living Christ necessarily includes being delivered from the old creation.
Relation to God	Christ lives in us and causes us to live in the Triune God.	Living absolutely in God, with a living full of the divine element.	A person living in the out-resurrection causes others to sense God, because God is expressed through his living.
Practical standard	Christ Himself is our standard: “To me, to live is Christ.”	The out-resurrection is the goal we pursue and attain (Phil. 3:11).	Christ is the standard; the out-resurrection is the goal; in reality, both are two aspects of one life.
Way to attain it	Receive Christ, enjoy Christ, and allow Christ to live in us.	Be conformed to Christ’s death (Phil. 3:10), continually remaining in His death.	Remaining in Christ’s death → being conformed to His death → our entire being entering resurrection → living Christ.
Place of the cross	The cross causes the “I” to be dealt with so that Christ may be lived out (Gal. 2:20).	Being conformed to Christ’s death is the way to attain the out-resurrection.	The cross is not the destination; conformity to death brings us into resurrection living.
Principle of living	“No longer I, but Christ.”	“No longer the old creation, but living in resurrection.”	It can be condensed as: I decrease → Christ increases; the old creation decreases → resurrection increases.
Our speaking	Our words are no longer merely human expression but Christ speaking through us.	Our speaking is in resurrection and carries the divine element, causing others to touch God.	Living Christ → speaking in resurrection → others sense God through our speaking.
Our behavior	Not natural good behavior, but Christ acting through us.	Our behavior contains no old-creation element but is in God and in resurrection life.	Not ethical improvement, but the expression of Christ’s life.
Mind, emotion, and will	Christ progressively becomes the inner content of our thinking, affection, and decisions.	Not only our spirit but also our mind, emotion, and will progressively enter into resurrection.	God’s goal is not merely to resurrect our spirit but for our entire being to be resurrected.
Scope of the whole being	Christ is to spread into our entire being and saturate our mind, emotion, and will.	The “out-resurrection” means that every part of our being must be resurrected.	The spreading of Christ as life is the process by which our entire being enters the out-resurrection.
Process	Daily allowing Christ to live in us and growing in life  (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:15).	A long process and course of Christian living, from regeneration until the whole being enters resurrection.	Regeneration → growth → conformity to Christ’s death → the whole being entering resurrection → living the out-resurrection.
Paul’s pursuit	“To me, to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).	Paul pursued knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection and being conformed to His death, so that he might attain the out-resurrection  (Phil. 3:10–11).	Paul’s pursuit was not merely an abstract teaching concerning resurrection but a living of Christ.
Effect upon others	Those who contact us should contact Christ.	Those who are with a person living in the out-resurrection will sense God.	Christ becomes our living → God is expressed through our living.
Content of life	Christ Himself.	The divine life and the divine element of resurrection.	The content is Christ; the nature is resurrection; the result is the expression of God.
Relation to the Body of Christ	Living Christ is not merely individual spirituality but is for the Body of Christ  (Col. 1:18; 2:19).	Our entire being is renewed and built up in resurrection to become a part of Christ’s Body.	Individual living of Christ → the whole being living in resurrection → the Body of Christ being built up.
Ultimate result	Christ is expressed and magnified (Phil. 1:20–21).	Our entire being attains the out-resurrection, being fully separated from the old creation and filled with the divine element.	Christ is expressed → God is expressed → the new creation is consummated.
One-sentence distinction	Living Christ: Christ lives as my life.	Living the out-resurrection: I live Christ in resurrection.	Living Christ is living the out-resurrection.

 

The Most Important Spiritual Line

Regeneration → our spirit becomes alive → being conformed to Christ’s death → remaining in His death → our entire being progressively entering resurrection → living Christ → living the out-resurrection → God being expressed

This gives us a very important spiritual formula:

Christ is the life → the cross is the way → resurrection is the realm → living Christ is the living → the out-resurrection is the goal.

The Key Transitions between Living Christ and Living the Out-resurrection

From…	To…	Spiritual Significance
Right or wrong	Whether it is in resurrection	From an ethical standard to a life standard
Am I doing well?	Is Christ being lived out?	From self-improvement to Christ as life
Natural life	Resurrection life	From the old creation to the new creation
Only our spirit being made alive	Our entire being entering resurrection	From the beginning of regeneration to the goal of the out-resurrection
Being conformed to Christ’s death	Attaining the out-resurrection	The death of the cross is not the goal but the way into resurrection
Self being expressed	God being expressed	Others do not merely see human virtues in us but touch God

 

Final Integration

“Living Christ” does not merely mean outwardly imitating Christ, and “living the out-resurrection” does not merely refer to something that will happen in the future resurrection. According to the ministry quoted above, the out-resurrection is a living that we can experience and practice today.

We remain in Christ’s death and allow the natural life, the old creation, and the self to be dealt with, so that Christ as resurrection life may progressively saturate our spirit, mind, emotion, will, and entire being.

Therefore:

“Living Christ” is the inward person and life; “living the out-resurrection” is the reality and expression of this life in our entire being.

The two are ultimately one spiritual reality viewed from two sides:

Christ as life → the cross as the way → resurrection as the realm → Christ lived out in our daily life → the out-resurrection progressively realized in our whole being.

One-Sentence Prophetic Summary

We are not merely to be people who resemble Christ outwardly; rather, we should allow Christ to live as our life. Nor should we merely wait for a future resurrection; rather, today, through being conformed to Christ’s death, we should allow our entire being to progressively enter resurrection. Thus, to live Christ is to live the out-resurrection—to be delivered from the old creation and live absolutely in God, so that through our words, behavior, mind, emotion, and will, others may sense God in us.

 

*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.

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.