The Christian Life Is J-Shaped

“The lower the depth of the suffering, the greater the resurrection.”

Paul Miller delivered a message at Bethlehem College & Seminary’s PasCon 2020 titled “J-Curve: Dying and Rising with Jesus in Everyday Life.” He introduces the idea of the J-Curve—a very simple idea that the letter “J” traces the path down into Jesus's death and up into his resurrection—from Philippians 3:7-11. Miller emphasized the idea that we share in the suffering of Christ and become like him in death, making two points and asking one question in regard to that truth:

1. It’s strange.
2. We usually flee from suffering.
3. Aren’t Jesus’s sufferings over?