“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
(Philippians 1:9-11)
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight, that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment, so that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value, recognizing the highest and the best, distinguishing the moral differences, and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless, so that with hearts of sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach the day of Christ not stumbling or causing others to stumble. May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness, of right standing with God and right doing which come through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, to the honor and praise of God, that His glory may be both manifested and recognized.
(The Amplified Bible)
“I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ, for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” (The New Living Translation)
Again, before we continue on with our study of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians, let find out what themes are being repeated:
KNOWLEDGE
“may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”(Ephesians 1:7)
“to ask that you may be filled with knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” (Colossians 1:9)
“abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,” (Philippians 1:9)
LOVE
“being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be fill up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-18)
“that your love may abound still more and more” (Philippians 1:9)
So we can see the themes of knowledge and love being repeated in his letter to the Philippians.
Unlike the Colossians, who had never met Paul face to face, the church at Philippi was founded by Paul and his team of co-laborers, Silas, Timothy, and Luke on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:9-40). A strong bond of friendship developed between the apostle and the Philippian church. Several times the church sent Paul financial help and contributed generously to his offering for the distressed Christians in Jerusalem (II Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:15-16). It appears that Paul visited the church twice on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:1, 3, 6). Paul wrote this letter to the Philippian believers to thank them for their recent generous gift carried to him by Epaphroditus, and to update them on his present circumstances. This letter was not written primarily to address church problems or conflicts.
As it was Paul’s custom, he prayed a short prayer for them. It may have been short, but it was packed with power.
So let’s begin to jump right in and see what he prayed for the Philippians.
These verses contain the prayers he put up for them. Paul often let his friends know what it was he begged of God for them, that they might know what to beg for themselves and be directed in their own prayers, and that they might be encouraged to hope they should receive from God the quickening, strengthening, everlasting, comforting grace which so powerful an intercessor as Paul asked of God for them. It is an encouragement to us to know that we are prayed for by our friends, who, we have reason to think, have an interest at the throne of grace. It was intended likewise for their direction in their walk, and that they might labor to answer his prayers for them; for by this it would appear that God answered them. Paul, in praying thus for them, expected good concerning them. It is an inducement to us to do our duty, that we may not disappoint the expectations of praying friends and ministers.
In this short prayer for the Philippians, Paul prayed 6 specific things for them:
ONE: He prayed that they might be a loving people, and that good affections might abound among them: “That your love might abound yet more and more.”
I like what the New Living Translation says, “that your love for each other will overflow more and more.”
Let’s dig a little deeper into what Paul is praying for the Philippian believers in this first section of his prayer.
He means it of their love for God, and one another, and all men. He is talking here of “Agape” love, God’s love.
Love is the fulfilling both of the law and of the gospel. Observe, those who abound much in any grace have still need to abound more and more, because there is still something wanting in it and we are imperfect in our best attainments.
“Agape” love is spiritual, divine love. It is love that comes from God alone. There are very few things in the Bible totally equated with God, but I John 4:16 tells us that “God is love “(Agape).
Whatever you understand about God is wrapped up in the term “Agape,” the highest kind of love. At the heart of “Agape” love is the concept of sacrifice. Consider John 3:16 and John 15:13 in the light of this concept.
If you study the word “Agape,” which is found over and over again in I Corinthians 13, you discover it is not the spontaneous kind of love that is paraded before in movies and television today, but a reasoning, esteeming type of love.
“Agape” is one of the rarest words in Greek writing, almost impossible to find apart from the New Testament, but one of the most common words within the text of New Testament literature. When “Agape” was introduced into the language, it was the answer to the yearning in the hearts of those who had known only “eros” love and knew there had to be something more. Young people who have been promiscuous have found that erotic love brings a moment of pleasure, but leaves them empty. When the Lord introduced “Agape” love, He raised the whole understanding of love out of the erotic depths into a glorious understanding of what it truly means to love as God loves.
The best definition of “Agape” love I have found is this: “Agape” love is the power that moves us to respond to someone else’s needs with no expectation of reward.”
The fundamental characteristic is sacrifice. If we are going to understand what Paul is writing about in I Corinthians 13, we have to start on the right foundation. If you try to apply I Corinthians 13 to any of the other kinds of love, you will not understand love at all. In many passages of Scripture the definition of love is given in clear terms: God loved us and that love was His sacrifice on our behalf. “Agape” love is almost synonymous with sacrifice. It is the willingness to give oneself totally, with abandon for the one who is the object of our love not expecting anything in return.
What reward could God expect from us to cause Him to give Himself on our behalf?
It was wholehearted, unselfish, sacrificial love.
If we are to see the importance of this concept, we have to place I Corinthians 13 in the context of the priority of this thought in the Word of God. Sometimes people think I Corinthians 13 is the only place where we get information about love, but the fact is that “Agape” love is really the central truth of the New testament. One of the reasons things seem kind of “out of focus” in many churches and in the lives of many Christians is that they do not have God’s priority concept at the center of their lives governing their actions.
There are several reasons why love is crucial for Christians to understand:
ONE: LOVE IS THE PRIORITY COMMANDMENT
Jesus was once asked, “Which is the greatest commandment in the law?” His response” “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
“Agape” love is the number one concept in the Word of God. In the New Testament alone, Christians are commanded 55 times to love. Go to I John 4 and count how many times the word “love” appears.
Is it possible that some of the difficulty we have in relating to one another in the body of Christ is that we are going about the task of trying to obey the priority commandment without fully understanding what it means to do what God has commanded us to do?
If we are trying to follow Jesus’ commandment to love, but are replacing “Agape” love with our own worldly word for love, we will fail.
TWO: LOVE IS THE PERFECT GIFT
In I CORINTHIANS 12:31 Paul writes, “But earnestly desire the bet gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
What is it?
I Corinthians 13!
Paul spent all of the previous verses discussing spiritual gifts, and at the end he says, “Having said all that, I want to tell you something that is even better. If you master “Agape” love you will have it.
THREE: LOVE IS THE PREEMINENT GRACE
Love is first in the heart of God. Love is the first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:2-23. Paul writes, “Now abide faith, hope, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13) It is as if God is saying, “If you could have any one quality, if you could choose from all the fruit of the Spirit, let Me tell you the one to choose: love. That is the preeminent grace. That will help you to be what you want to be.” You see, love is the embodiment of God Himself.
FOUR: LOVE IS THE PERMANENT VALUE
Paul reminds us that where “there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge; it will vanish away. (I Corinthians 13:8) But love never fails. It is the permanent virtue.
FIVE: LOVE IS PROOF OF SONSHIP
Jesus told His disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) When the lives of Christians are marked by love, the world will know Christians are truly the people of God.
SIX: LOVE IS THE PREREQUISITE TO FAITH
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told the young pastor, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned.” (I Timothy 1:5) Love is the prerequisite to faith, because faith works by love. (Galatians 5:6)
SEVEN: LOVE IS THE PATH UPON WHICH CHRISTIANS MUST WALK
Time after time we are told as Christians to be filled with love, and to have our lives radiate the love of Christ. Paul tells us to “live a life of love.” Peter encourages us to “fervently love one another. (I Peter 1:22) John warns us to “love in word and truth.” (I John 3:18) The writer of Hebrews says to “spur one another on to more love.” (Hebrews 10:24) Paul sums up the Christian life when he says in Ephesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.”
EIGHT: LOVE IS THE PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPY HOMES
“Husbands,” Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25, “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”
We need to take the time to study I Corinthians 13 in depth so that we can learn what God means when He calls us to “Agape” love. God’s Word tells us that love is critically important, and I Corinthians 13 is perhaps the best place to see “Agape” love described and expounded.
It is a short precise passage, only 13 verse long. It has just 280 words in 3 paragraphs. Yet is it vitally located in the Word of God.
Corinth was a place in desperate need of love. There were many gifts in the church, but few graces. The people we impatient, proud, critical, and envious. Paul hammers them for their behavior and puts the believers in their place. Then, between talking about the bestowal of gifts and the exercise of those gifts, he teaches that love alone can safeguard the use of one’s gifts. A church can have many gifted people, but if it does not have love to bring the various people together as a team, all those gifts are for naught. When love is missing, the gift is meaningless. Three times in the first three verses we find the phrase “but have not love.” These verses tell us what we will be like if we don’t have love. Five times in the first three verses we find the phrase “though I.” All of those are an introduction to the things in life, which are empty without love. In essence what Paul is saying in those first three verses is this: No matter what gifts I have, if I don’t have love in my life I am nothing. Regardless of my talent, I will be worthless in the work of God without “Agape” love.
For example:
Words are nothing. The Corinthians prided themselves on their ability to stand and make great speeches. Paul says, “Your words are beautiful, but since you don’t have any love, what you say is worthless.”
Prophecy is nothing. In chapter 14, Paul wills say that prophecy is the greatest gift. But first he warns them that if they don’t have love, their gift will come to nothing.
Wisdom is nothing. A professor can be in love with teaching, in love with his subject, in love with the campus, but if he does not love his students he will not impact their lives. Wisdom without love amounts to zero.
Faith is nothing. You can know all about God and His Son, but without love it is a dead faith that amounts to nothing.
Works are nothing. Good works done without love are for our own glory. It is possible to do all sorts of good deeds, to give away money, to tackle huge projects, and to do them without love. And Paul warns that those sorts of works will amount to nothing.
Martyrdom is nothing. People can to on hunger strikes, lock themselves up in rooms, or travel to the farthest reaches as missionaries, and not have that indispensable ingredient by which God has chosen to work in His world today, the absolute sacrificial “Agape” love of the Eternal God.
“Agape” love is a decision to love someone whether or not that love is reciprocated.
It is the love Jesus talks about when He said we are to “love” our enemies, to pray for those who persecute and despitefully use us. It is the “love” that will help turn the other cheek.
“Agape’ love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, (Romans 5:5), but it has to be developed. When you make the decision to walk in “Agape” love, God will not bring lovable people into your life. He will bring the unlovable, the crude and rude, the obnoxious, the sarcastic, the back stabbers, gossipers, and nasty people into your life.
I bet Paul had this in mind when he wrote to the Philippians and prayed that their “Agape” love would abound.
No wonder Paul prayed for the Ephesians to be rooted and grounded in “Agape” love, that they would be able to comprehend the unfathomable nature of “Agape” love, and that they would come to know the “Agape” love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.
And so Paul prays that their “Agape” love might increase. Love displays itself in knowledge and discernment. In proportion as it abounds it sharpens the moral perceptions for the discernment of what is best. Did you realize that an intimate understanding of God’s Word regulates the divine love flowing through believers? It is not an uncontrolled emotion; real love is anchored in convictions based on the revealed truths of Scripture.
Our love is to “abound” in “all discernment” which speaks of moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge. A Spirit produced love which has been confined like a river within the limiting banks of a full experiential knowledge and a sensitive more and ethical tact, is the thing that sharpens the moral and spiritual perceptions for the discernment of the finer qualities of Christian conduct. This will result in the saint being sincere and without offense until The Day.
“Abound" is in the progressive present tense indicating Paul's desire and plea to God was that the saints continually overflowing love. A growing and maturing love is something that has to be worked at (and prayed for). Like the law of entropy, which describes how the physical universe is winding down, our ability to express divine love disintegrates unless we commit ourselves daily to the Spirit's power. We need continual strengthening and practice in showing love to others.
In his prayers for the saints Paul made frequent use of the verb “abound”(perisseuo):
In Ro 15:13 Paul prayed for the Roman saints
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will (continually) abound (present tense of perisseúo) in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
In (1Thessalonians 3:12) Paul prayed for the Thessalonian saints that the
"Lord cause (them) to increase and abound (perisseuo) in love for one another..."
In (1Cor 15:58) he used "abound" to encourage the saints at Corinth
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be (present imperative) steadfast, immovable, always abounding (perisseuo) in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
And finally a verse the truth of which surely forms in part the basis for Paul's frequent use of the verb "abound" (2Cor 9:8)
"God is able to make all grace abound (perisseuo) to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed"
A common desire in Paul's prayers was that they ''super abound'': Paul prays that their love may keep on overflowing, a veritable, perpetual flood of love, "yet more and more" but with necessary limitations [river banks] "in real knowledge and all discernment"
More and more coupled with the preceding verb "abound" paints the picture of the saint's love superabounding. This phrase also indicates their (and our) continual need for unremitting progress of growth in grace. But like a river in flood-time, rushing waters need to be brought within guiding limitations lest it work harm rather than bring blessing. So Paul prays that this love may overflow more and more, but that its outflow and application might be brought within the guiding limitations of knowledge and judgment as discussed below.
TWO: The second thing in this prayer that Paul prayed for the Philippians is that they might be a knowing and judicious people, that love might about “in knowledge and in all judgment or discernment.”
It is not a blind love that will recommend us to God, but a love grounded upon knowledge and judgment. We must love God because of his infinite excellence and loveliness, and love our brethren because of what we see of the image of God upon them. Strong passions, without knowledge and a settled judgment, will not make us complete in the will of God, and sometimes do more hurt than good.
Real knowledge “epignosis” is full knowledge, indicating that it is a fuller, more complete form of the root word, “gnósis.”
Both epígnosis and gnósis denote acquired or experimental knowledge; but whereas gnósis may be true or false.
For example, Paul writes:
"O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” (gnósis) (I Timothy 6:20)
Epígnosis is always true knowledge and is knowledge in the spiritual (in contrast to the secular) sphere. It usually conveys the thought of full knowledge or increasing knowledge.
The context makes clear that this knowledge is not speculative or theoretical nor only devotional, although this latter element is an essential factor in this epignosis.
Epígnosis is an intensely practical activity. It cannot be dissociated from the following exhortations to conducting themselves worthily of the Lord. These are the inevitable effects of an increase in the knowledge of God.
Epígnosis is knowledge based on personal involvement with the object of that knowledge (experiential)--not a mere intellectual understanding of the Truth.
True knowledge will hone our senses that we might accurately perceive what is true or what is worthless in any given matter. Far from being uncontrolled emotion, divine love is regulated by a knowledge of God's Word. Love controlled by God's Word is deep, anchored in convictions based on the truth. Vine adds that if the Philippian saint's "love were to increase, its outgoings were to be directed and controlled. Love is not impulsive, as though it were a mere emotion; love is intelligent, and therefore seeks that full and accurate knowledge which enables it to bestow itself worthily."
Kenneth Wuest writes that...
“The full knowledge which these Philippians needed to gain by experience was a better understanding of God’s Word as translated into their experience, and a clearer vision of the Lord Jesus in all the beauty and fragrance of His Person. A Christian can have an “understanding” knowledge of the Word, that is, be able to explain its meaning to others, without having an experiential knowledge of the same. But when that Christian has put the Word of God into practice in his life, then he has what Paul is talking about here. This is the difference between a young convert and a matured believer. The former has not had time to live long enough to live out the Word in his life, the latter has. The former, if his life is wholly yielded, is a delight to look upon in his Christian life, as one would enjoy the vigor and sparkle of youth. The latter, in his mellowed, well-rounded, matured, and fully developed Christian experience, his life full of tender reminiscences of his years of companionship with the Lord Jesus, has the fragrance of heavenly things about him. This was what the Philippian saints needed, but it would take time for this to be brought about. This mellowed Christian experience would constitute the limitations thrown around this overflowing love that would insure its proper application and wise outreach.”(Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)
Discernment refers to the capacity to understand, referring not so much to an intellectual acuteness but to a moral sensitiveness. It thus speaks of moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge, the deep knowledge Paul had already mentioned. “Aisthesis” therefore is more of an immediate knowledge than that arrived at by reasoning. It describes the capacity to perceive clearly and hence to understand the real nature of something. It is the capacity to discern and therefore understand what is not readily comprehensible. It refers to a moral action of recognizing distinctions and making a decision about behavior.
It is interesting to note that the meaning of “aisthesis” is almost the opposite of the English word “aesthetic” which is derived from the Greek word. Aesthetic speaks of one who is appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful. It has largely to do with personal taste and preference. Paul calls believers to put aside personal tastes and preferences and to focus instead on achieving mature insight and understanding.
The English dictionary states that discernment is the power to see what is not evident to the average mind and stresses accuracy as in reading character or motives.
MacArthur writes that “aisthesis” refers to a high level of biblical, theological, moral, and spiritual perceptions. It also implies the right application of that knowledge. In other words, discernment is the understanding and appreciation of the real knowledge of God’s revelation that produces holy living. Unlike the way that worldly love is often characterized, biblical love if for from blind. On the contrary, it is wise and judicious. (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Barclay writes that:
“Aisthesis” is “sensitive perception”. It is the quality of heart and mind, which is sensitive to that which, is wrong. It is the experience of life that the first time a man commits a wrong action he does so with a kind of shuddering reluctance; if he does it twice he does it more easily; if he goes on doing it he will end by doing it without thinking at all. His sensitiveness to sin is gone; his heart is hardened. It is indeed true that the most awful thing about sin is exactly its power to beget sin.” (Barclay, William: New Testament Words: Westminster John Know Press, 1964)
“Aisthesis” represents a moral action of recognizing distinctions and making a decision about behavior. Discernment selects, classifies, and applies what is furnished by knowledge. It means to have the capacity to perceive clearly. It describes the ability to understand the real nature of something and once discriminating to make the proper moral decision.
Hebrews has the sole NT use of the related word “aistheterion” which refers to the organs or senses of perception...
“solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses (aistheterion) trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)
The mature believer in the spiritual realm has discernment about what is right and wrong, true and false, helpful and harmful, righteous and unrighteous.
Love is controlled by theology, and theology must be applied to life with insight. It is used of those moral and spiritual concepts and actions, which involve delicate and keen distinctions, those that require a deep and keen discernment to recognize. Not the ordinary, everyday, easily understood spiritual obligations, but the finer points of Christian conduct. It speaks of those things that are superior, vital, that surpass, that excel! Finally, it refers to the ability to make proper moral and spiritual decisions in the midst of a vast array of differing and difficult choices.
One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love. This goal speaks of sensitive moral perception, and a quickness of ethical tact. How often we saints mean to be loving to others, and say the wrong words or do the wrong thing. We lack that delicate sensibility, that ability to express ourselves correctly, that gentle, wise, discriminating touch which would convey the love we have in our hearts to the lives of others. But this can be ours if we but live in close companionship with the One who always exhibited that sense of delicate tactfulness in His life. While it is true that we must approach the Word of God with an open mind, we also must recognize that God’s truth provides absolute boundaries for that openness.
Paul was praying that their self sacrificial love produced in yielded hearts by the Holy Spirit might overflow but that like a river in flood-time, its volume needed to be brought within guiding limitations ("real knowledge and all discernment") lest it work harm rather than bring blessing.
R J Morgan writes that...
Paul prayed for this love to “abound”—not a one-time overflowing, but a continual activity (Rom. 5:5). This is an others-centered love. It looks for needs in the lives of others and seeks to meet those needs with no thought of returned favors. This love is also characterized by knowledge and discernment. Many people today want to focus on love with no discernment. From their perspective, love means tolerance, accepting anyone and everything, like the song that says, “If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right.” But love must be based on truth" (Morgan, R. J. Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook: 2002. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers)
As G. K. Chesterton said,
“Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”
ILLUSTRATIONS OF BIBLE TRUTH by Harry A. Ironside - DISCERNING LOVE - "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment" (Phil. 1:9).
Lack of discernment often accounts for the failure of those in the pew to realize the full import of unsound teaching from the pulpit.A brilliant modernistic preacher, who had pleased his audience with flowery oratory and beautiful perorations, as he discoursed glibly of the importance of breadth of view and the danger of bigoted opinions, was bidding farewell to his congregation as he was about to leave them for a new parish. One of his young men approached him and said, "Pastor, I am sorry we are losing you. Before you came I was one who did not care for GOD, man, or the devil, but through your delightful sermons, I have learned to love them all!" This is mere sentimentality -- not discerning love.
In Our Daily Bread (Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) we read the following devotional:
It is said that one day Michelangelo entered his studio to examine the work of his students. As he came to the painting of one of his favorite pupils, he stood and looked at it for a long time. Then, to the utter surprise of the class, he suddenly took a brush and wrote one word across the canvas.That one word he splashed on the picture was “amplius,” meaning "larger." Michelangelo was not rejecting the work, for it exhibited great skill and was good as far as it went. But the small size of the canvas had made its design appear cramped. It needed to be expanded.The Lord may have to write the word “amplius” across many of our lives. Our spiritual outlook becomes confined, and our vision of what God wants to do in and through us gets restricted by our small faith and limited spiritual growth. He wants to increase the dimensions of our spiritual lives, widen our outreach, and strengthen our witness. —P.R.V.
OUR LIMITED VISION NEEDS CONTINUAL REVISION
THREE. The next thing Paul prayed for the Philippians was that they might be discerning people.
This would be the effect of their knowledge and judgment: That you may approve the things which are excellent, or, Try the things which differ, that we may approve the things which are excellent upon the trial of them, and discern their difference from other things. Observe, the truths and laws of Christ are excellent things; and it is necessary that we every one approve them, and esteem them such. We only need to try them, to approve them; and they will easily recommend themselves to any searching and discerning mind.
“Approve” was used in ancient times for the testing of gold to determine its purity, of testing money to be sure it wasn't counterfeit and for trying oxen to assess their usefulness for the task at hand (Luke 14:19). The purpose of increasing in love, controlled by knowledge and discernment, is to be able to evaluate people and situations correctly. Paul desires that they may continually test things for the purpose of approving and ultimately practicing what is morally and ethically superior. He prays for them to have the ability to sift or test a certain thing and recognize its worth and put their stamp of approval on it.
Two good tests for us to follow as we exercise spiritual discernment:
(1). Will it make others stumble?
(2) Will I be ashamed if Jesus should return?
“Things...excellent” means literally to carry or take something through an area or structure. To differ in context speaks of those things that are superior, vital, that surpass, that excel.
Paul was not referring merely to the ability to distinguish between good and evil. Most everyone is able to do that. Paul was concerned about distinguishing between better and best--a capability only a few seem to have. That kind of discernment enables a person to focus his or her time and energy on what really counts. It's what separates the simple from the profound, the weak from the powerful, and the common from the exceptional.
"Things…excellent” applies to those moral and spiritual concepts and actions, which involve delicate and keen distinctions and a deep and keen discernment to recognize. These are not the ordinary, everyday, easily understood spiritual obligations, but the finer points of Christian conduct.
This part of Paul's prayer is a prayer for the mind, just as the first part was a prayer for the heart. Very few people are able to pursue excellence because they don't use their minds. Instead they do whatever impulse, emotion, mood, or their environment suggests that they do. They don't think; they just react. They don't control themselves; their selves control them. They can't pursue what is excellent because they can't discern what is excellent. They are like a ball bouncing off every wall it hits in a new direction.
An educational study was done in which a group of people were presented a new concept. 50% percent of the people believed the new concept immediately without thinking and 30% didn't; 15% wanted to wait a little while before they made up their minds but didn't ask for any clarification or information. Only 5% analyzed all the details before coming to a conclusion. Apparently 5%t of the population thinks, 15% thinks they think, and 80% would rather die than think!
Someone has said that most of society is on a caboose looking backward: they see only what has already gone by. There's a story about a pilot who came on the loudspeaker during a flight and said,
"I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is we've lost all our instrumentation and don't know where we are. The good news is we have a strong tail wind and are making great time."
This may seem funny but sadly it's a fairly accurate picture of how most people live. They have no directional instrumentation and a strong tail wind, so they fly through life with no idea of where they're going. The pursuit of excellence that Paul prays for is realized as we exercise our minds according to the Scriptural pattern laid out in the following Scriptures (among many others): Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8; Ephesians 5:8-10, 15; I Thessalonians 5:21
Take a look at your life: is it filled with the pursuit of the abiding fruit of spiritual excellence or the lusts of the world, which are passing away?
FOURTH: 4. That they might be an honest upright-hearted people: “that you may be sincere
“In order that” marks the purpose of approving the things that are excellent for it is only as the saint approves what is good (as God esteems "goodness") that he or she is able to order their steps in a manner worthy of the Lord. The idea is that believers love (Phil 1:9) so they can pursue excellence (Phil 1:10), which would in turn produce integrity (sincere and blameless).
In essence Paul is praying that the Philippians ''pass the test", ready for the Judgment seat Tests are to be applied in order that the counterfeit and the false may be distinguished from the real and the true, and that when they are distinguished the former may be refused, the latter accepted and followed.
R J Morgan (Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook) writes that...
“Paul understood the struggles we face in our choices. He wanted believers to evaluate the things of life correctly. Many things in life have no ultimate value, and the Bible reminds us that to find the real worth of things, we must weigh them in the light of eternity and approve the things that are excellent. There must be an ultimate standard to follow, one not to be found in the varied philosophies of mankind, but arrived at only through a knowledge of God’s Word” (Heb. 4:12). Genuine love, when making a decision, asks:
• Does the Bible speak against it? (Ps. 119:9-11)
Will it glorify God? (1 Cor 10:31)
• Will it harm me physically or spiritually? (1 Cor 6:12)
• Could it cause another to stumble? • Would I make that choice if Jesus were standing right here?
“SINCERE”, literally means that which is judged by sunlight' (compare the "Son's light" as when we all ''appear before the bema of Christ'' in II Corinthians 5:10. Being tested by sunlight something is shown to genuine, pure, sincere, uncontaminated, unmixed by seductive influences of the world, the flesh, and the devil. “Eilikrines” describes that which is free from spot or blemish such a degree as to bear examination in full splendor of sun.
Alternatively, some say that “eilikrines” may be derived from “eilein” which means to whirl round and round as in a sieve and so to sift until every impurity is extracted. On that basis the Christian character is cleansed of all evil until it is altogether pure. The picture is like a winnowing process that removes chaff "expresses that moral quality by which all that is said and done is consistent with convictions." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
The only other NT use of “eilikrines” is by Peter who writes...
This is now, beloved, the second letter am writing to you in which am stirring up your sincere (eilikrines) mind by way of reminder (see note 2 Peter 3:1) (Comment: Barclay writes that "Plato uses this same phrase—eilikrines dianoia—in the sense of pure reason (dianoia = mind as the faculty of understanding), reason which is unaffected by the seductive influence of the senses. By using this phrase Peter appeals to his people as having minds uncontaminated by heresy. - Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)
“Eilikrines” is found only in the Greek translation of the apocryphal book The Wisdom of Solomon 7:25 where “eilikrines” is used to describe Wisdom as a “pure influence” or as the Revised Version renders it “clear effluence.”
Paul and Peter's point is that the sincere Christian is not afraid to ''stand in the light'' for they know that their character can stand any light turned upon it. There is no hypocrisy about such a saint. His or her life is like an open book waiting to be read by the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
In ancient times the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it brought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And this pottery would often crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest pottery salesmen would fill in the cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable on the shelf, especially when the piece was painted or glazed. This wax ruse however was immediately uncovered if the pottery was held up to bright light, especially sunlight, for the cracks would show up as darker lines. It was said that the artificial element was detected by “sun-testing.” Such a vase was known as "sun-judged". It is notable that the honest pottery dealers would mark their product with the words "sine cera" which means “without wax”. Our English "sincere" comes from the Latin word "sine cera"! In sum, God wants His people to have sun-judged minds, not those in which their sin spots have been covered over.
Even as it was wise for customers in the ancient marketplaces to give all pieces of pottery the “sunlight test” by holding it up to the sun, our lives need to be tested for the "wax of hypocrisy". In the church are those who appear as fine pottery but are not. There are cracks of sin in their lives filled with the wax of religious ceremony and activity. When held up to the light of God’s Word, the presence or absence of sinful cracks will be apparent. That’s why it is so important for us to feed daily on Scripture (Ps 119:9-11) and to allow our lives to be shaped by its power (Heb 5:14).
Believers are to be vessels of the Lord, sanctified, useful to the Master and prepared for every good work.
Beloved "vessel" of the Lord, how would your life stand up to the "sun judged" ("Son judged") test?
Barclay adds several piercing questions regarding “eilikrines”:
The question that this word asks is, could our inmost thoughts stand being brought out into the full light of day? Could our inmost motives stand being dragged out into the full glare of revealing light? To put the matter at its highest, could the inmost thoughts of our minds and motions of our heart stand the scrutiny of the light of God's eye? The Christian purity is a purity which is sifted until the last admixture of evil is gone, a purity which has nothing to conceal and whose inmost thoughts and desires will bear the full glare of the light of day. (Barclay, William: New Testament Words: Westminster John Know Press, 1964)
FIVE. That they might be an inoffensive people; that you may be “without offense until the day of Christ.” This is the fifth thing Paul has prayed for the Philippians.
“BLAMELESS,” literally means without stumbling, not stumbling or not tripping.
“Aproskopos” describes "relational integrity" meaning that Christians are to live lives of true integrity that do not cause others to stumble. It is blameless in the sense of not offending or not causing someone else to stumble. It describes one who does not lead others into sin. Such a one is inoffensive and clear in their conscience.
Thayer has the following entry for “aproskopos”:
1) Actively: having nothing for one to strike against; not causing to stumble;
a. properly: a smooth road
b. metaphorically, not leading others into sin by one's mode of life (1Co 10:32)
2). Passively:
a. not striking against or stumbling; metaphorically, not led into sin; blameless: (Phi 1:10)
b. without offence: not troubled and distressed by a consciousness of sin, Acts 24:16 (Not found in secular authors except Sextus Empiricus)
There are only two other NT uses of “aproskopos”:
(1) Certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked"), I also do my best to maintain always a blameless (aproskopos) conscience both before God and before men. (Acts 24:15) (Comment: “Aproskopos” is here applied to the conscience, as not stumbling over or impinging upon anything for which our heart condemns us.
(2) Paul commands the saints at Corinth to give (present imperative) no offense (aproskopos) either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God (1Cor 10:32) (Comment: Paul is commanding them literally to "become offenseless". The idea is to continuously live in such a way so as not to cause moral or spiritual damage to anyone. Don't trip others up by being a stumbling block.)
Barclay adds that...
“There are people who are themselves faultless, but who are so austere that they drive people away from Christianity. The Christian is himself pure, but his love and gentleness are such that he attracts others to the Christian way and never repels them from it.”
Christians are to live lives of such integrity so that they do not cause others to sin. This kind of integrity requires a no-compromise attitude in accord with God's Word. We are to live deeply planted in the rich soil of biblical truth so that our roots tap deep into divine revelation and we flourish. That means many times you will find yourself standing against the world. (Romans 12:22; James 1:12, James 4:4; I John 2:15)
The eighteenth-century reformer John Wesley was blessed with a godly mother. When he went away to school she reminded him that:
"whatever weakens one's reason, impairs the tenderness of one's conscience, obscures one's sense of God or takes off the delight for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of one's body over one's mind, that thing is sin"
The "Day of Christ" alludes in part to the future day when believers will stand:
"before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2Co 5:10).
Then:
"each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1Cor 3:11-15)
On the day when the Lord comes He will:
"both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God." (1Co 4:5).
And we shall and we will be rewarded according to our deeds so let us heed our Lord's loving reminder
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done (Rev 22:12)
“Day” (hemera) has various meanings in Scripture in addition to that of the period of natural light. It frequently signifies a period of undefined length marked by certain characteristics. This is the significance in the present of undefined length marked by certain characteristics. This is the significance in the present phrase. It denotes the period of the Parousia (coming) of Christ with His saints, a period with a beginning, a course and an issue (a final conclusion).
The word Parousia has no English equivalent; it needs transliterating: it combines the thought of the coming of a person to a place with that of his presence there subsequently till a certain event transpires.
The Parousia of Jesus Christ begins with the Rapture, when He comes for His saints, as mentioned in (1Th 4:16). That is to be followed by the period of His presence with them when, having come to the air for them, and received them to Himself, He will take them to the place prepared for them, the Father’s “House,” (Jn 14:2), At the close of that period He will come with them in manifested glory for the overthrow of His foes and the establishment of His kingdom.
This Parousia is described in similar phrases; “the day of Christ” (1:10, 2:16); “the day of the Lord Jesus,” (1Co5:5;II Cor 5:10); “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1Cor 1:8.) In (2Pet 1:19) it is called “the day.”
From these phrases, which all contain one or other or both of the titles Jesus and Christ, the phrase “the day of the Lord” is to be distinguished...In the Day of Jesus Christ the circumstances connected with “the Judgment Seat of Christ” will take place, as mentioned in (2Cor 5:10).
SIX: The sixth thing Paul included in his prayer for the Philippians is that they might be a fruitful useful people (Phil. 1:11): being filled with the fruit of righteousness,
Philippians 1:11 “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (NASB: Lockman)
HAVING BEEN FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: “pepleromenoi karpon dikaiosunes”: (Phil 4: 17; Ps 1:3; 92:12-14; Isa 5:2; Lu 13:6-9; Jn 15:2 15:8 15:16; Ro 6:22; 15:28; 2Cor 9:10; Gal 5:22 5:23; Eph 5:9; Col 1:6 1:10; Heb 12:11; Ja 3:17 Ja 3:18)
“Filled” (pleroo) means to be completely filled like a net or cup filled to the brim.
“Pleroo” is in the perfect tense which indicates these saints had been (passive voice = subject receives action from outside source) filled at some point in time in the past and they continue in that "filled" state. This verse and specifically the perfect tense speaks of their "human potential" to be supernatural fruit bearers.
When were we filled? When we believed we were "made complete (pleroo)" in Christ or as the NIV phrases it we were "given fullness in Christ
A thought to ponder: If we have already been filled with fruit what must we do to bear that fruit so that it becomes visible and brings glory (gives a proper opinion) of our great God? Let us not be like faithless Israel for although God:
"dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine...(and) expected it to produce good grapes...it produced only worthless ones." (Isa 5:2)
The writer to Hebrews teaches that God uses the rod of discipline to train us and in time to bring forth:
"the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Heb 12:11)
Solomon teaches that
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he who is wise wins souls" (Pr 11:30)
Paul is not interested in ''churchianity'' but spiritual fruit produced by abiding (Jn 15:5) for apart from Jesus the Vine "we can do nothing." Too many Christians try to ''produce'' fruit in their own efforts and then ask God to bless their efforts instead of abiding in Him and allowing His life in us to bear the fruit as we
"grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (2Peter 3:18)
GOD WANTS A BUMPER CROP OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR LIVES
This phrase is better translated “the fruit righteousness produces" or “the fruit that results from being justified”.
Fruit (karpos) is literally the fruit (as of trees, vines, etc) and then the "fruit" of ones loins, specifically his or her offspring. Most of the NT uses are figuratively describing an effect or a result = that which originates or comes from something. The context determines the exact nuance as can be discerned from noting the numerous ways karpos is translated in the NAS.
“Karpos” is used 66 times in the NASB and is translated: benefit, 2; crop, 5; crops, 2; descendants, 1; fruit, 43; fruitful, 1; fruits, 4; grain, 1; harvest, 1; proceeds, 1; produce, 4; profit, 1,
What fruit? Spiritual fruit in contrast to religious activity brings glory and praise to God. If we produce the fruit in our strength, our nature is to boast. When the Spirit of Christ produces fruit in a surrendered saint, the saint can only bow down in awe, adoration and thankfulness that he or she was allowed to witness such a miracle and to experience God!
The fruit tree does not make a great deal of noise when it produces its crop. It merely allows the life within to work in a natural way, and fruit is the result (cf Jn 15:5). In nature for the fruit tree to produce fruit it needs (among other things) light. By analogy believers who are to be "fruit bearers" are commanded by Paul to continually walk in the light that we might bring forth the fruit of light which is righteousness, Paul explaining that...
"the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Eph 5:8-9)
“WHICH COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST”: Literally this reads "that through Jesus Christ".
The Source and the "conduit" of these virtues is Jesus Christ, and their object is the glory and praise of God.
Paul explained to the Colossians that now it is...
"Christ Who is our Life." ''Who is'' is added by translators. More literally "Christ our life") Col 3:4
Lawrence of Arabia once brought a group of Bedouins to London and housed them in a beautiful hotel. The only kind of dwelling they had ever lived in was a tent in the desert. They quickly became fascinated with the faucets in the hotel. In the desert water was hard to come by, but in the hotel they merely had to turn a knob to get all the water they needed. When Lawrence helped them pack up to leave, he discovered they'd taken the faucets off all the sinks and put them in their bags. They believed that if they possessed the faucets they would also possess the water. Christians often forget that in the spiritual realm they are like faucets. Unless they are connected to the pipeline of spiritual water, they are just as useless as the faucets the Bedouins had in their bags. Spiritual fruit flows out of a Christian only when he or she is connected to the source of spiritual power..."which comes through Jesus Christ"
“TO THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD”: The idea parallels the words of our Lord Jesus:
"by this is My Father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples." (Jn 15:8)
Spiritual fruit brings glory to God the Father. And so Paul sets down the Christian aim which is to live such a life that the glory (a proper opinion of God is given to others by my life) and the praise are given to God. Christian fruit is not meant to win credit for a man himself but is meant to win glory and praise for God. The Christian knows, and witnesses, that he is what he is, not by his own unaided efforts, but only by the grace of God. The ultimate end of all Paul’s prayers was that God be glorified. As the fruit that is in us comes out of us it is so humanly inexplicable, so unnatural (so supernatural) that those who see the FRUIT can ONLY give God the glory
Jesus taught a similar truth in Mt 5:16
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and GLORIFY (form a proper opinion of) your Father who is in heaven" (see notes Matthew 5:14-16)
Compare parallel Scripture in Isa 61:3b:
"So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The final result of growing in love and of living a wise and pure life that overflows with righteousness is that God will be honored and pleased. All the glory and praise belongs not to believers but to God, for he has redeemed them by the work of his Son and has implanted within them his Spirit to produce the fruit of righteousness
Compare parallel Scripture in Isa 61:3b:
"So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The final result of growing in love and of living a wise and pure life that overflows with righteousness is that God will be honored and pleased. All the glory and praise belongs not to believers but to God, for he has redeemed them by the work of his Son and has implanted within them his Spirit to produce the fruit of righteousness. In Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century, J. C. Ryle describes the ministries of great British Christian leaders--George Whitefield, John Wesley, and others observing that...
“In our own time many have come to view spiritual fruit to be an optional characteristic in the Christian life--not a natural product of salvation.”
Paul said,
"my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." (Ro 7:4).
Are you living a holy life that produces fruit "to the glory and praise of God"?
This ends our four part teaching on Powerful Prayers. We have looked at Ephesians 1: 16-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Colossians 1:9-11 and Philippians 1:9-11. In each of these four passages of Scripture, Paul has prayed some very specific and powerful prayers, prayers that we can pray for others and for ourselves.
Paul prayed 2 things for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 1:16-23:
ONE: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
TWO: “That the eyes of your heart may be (being) enlightened to know 3 things:
a. “What is the hope of His calling”
b. “What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
c. “What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
How can we summarize Ephesians 3:14-19?
a. Pray for inner strength from the Holy Spirit, both for you and others
b. Pray to experience the abiding presence of Christ in your heart and the hearts of others.
c. Pray that you and others would be rooted and grounded in love.
Envision two significant developments, or outcomes, from this:
a. A deeper understanding and appreciation of the extent of God’s love.
b. The ultimate goal, being “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
How many people in your life could be touched if you prayed Colossians 1:9-11?
a. Be thankful for their faith and changed lives.
b. Ask God to help them know what He wants them to do.
c. Ask God to give them deep spiritual understanding.
d. Ask God to help them live for Him.
e. Ask God to give them more knowledge of Him.
f. Ask God to give them strength for endurance.
g. Ask God to fill them with joy, strength, and thankfulness.
Who do you know that you could pray Philippians 1:9-11 for?
a. That their love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.
b. That they may approve the things that are excellent
c. That they would be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.
d. That they would continue to be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
(Philippians 1:9-11)
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight, that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment, so that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value, recognizing the highest and the best, distinguishing the moral differences, and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless, so that with hearts of sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach the day of Christ not stumbling or causing others to stumble. May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness, of right standing with God and right doing which come through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, to the honor and praise of God, that His glory may be both manifested and recognized.
(The Amplified Bible)
“I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ, for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” (The New Living Translation)
Again, before we continue on with our study of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians, let find out what themes are being repeated:
KNOWLEDGE
“may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”(Ephesians 1:7)
“to ask that you may be filled with knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” (Colossians 1:9)
“abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,” (Philippians 1:9)
LOVE
“being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be fill up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-18)
“that your love may abound still more and more” (Philippians 1:9)
So we can see the themes of knowledge and love being repeated in his letter to the Philippians.
Unlike the Colossians, who had never met Paul face to face, the church at Philippi was founded by Paul and his team of co-laborers, Silas, Timothy, and Luke on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:9-40). A strong bond of friendship developed between the apostle and the Philippian church. Several times the church sent Paul financial help and contributed generously to his offering for the distressed Christians in Jerusalem (II Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:15-16). It appears that Paul visited the church twice on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:1, 3, 6). Paul wrote this letter to the Philippian believers to thank them for their recent generous gift carried to him by Epaphroditus, and to update them on his present circumstances. This letter was not written primarily to address church problems or conflicts.
As it was Paul’s custom, he prayed a short prayer for them. It may have been short, but it was packed with power.
So let’s begin to jump right in and see what he prayed for the Philippians.
These verses contain the prayers he put up for them. Paul often let his friends know what it was he begged of God for them, that they might know what to beg for themselves and be directed in their own prayers, and that they might be encouraged to hope they should receive from God the quickening, strengthening, everlasting, comforting grace which so powerful an intercessor as Paul asked of God for them. It is an encouragement to us to know that we are prayed for by our friends, who, we have reason to think, have an interest at the throne of grace. It was intended likewise for their direction in their walk, and that they might labor to answer his prayers for them; for by this it would appear that God answered them. Paul, in praying thus for them, expected good concerning them. It is an inducement to us to do our duty, that we may not disappoint the expectations of praying friends and ministers.
In this short prayer for the Philippians, Paul prayed 6 specific things for them:
ONE: He prayed that they might be a loving people, and that good affections might abound among them: “That your love might abound yet more and more.”
I like what the New Living Translation says, “that your love for each other will overflow more and more.”
Let’s dig a little deeper into what Paul is praying for the Philippian believers in this first section of his prayer.
He means it of their love for God, and one another, and all men. He is talking here of “Agape” love, God’s love.
Love is the fulfilling both of the law and of the gospel. Observe, those who abound much in any grace have still need to abound more and more, because there is still something wanting in it and we are imperfect in our best attainments.
“Agape” love is spiritual, divine love. It is love that comes from God alone. There are very few things in the Bible totally equated with God, but I John 4:16 tells us that “God is love “(Agape).
Whatever you understand about God is wrapped up in the term “Agape,” the highest kind of love. At the heart of “Agape” love is the concept of sacrifice. Consider John 3:16 and John 15:13 in the light of this concept.
If you study the word “Agape,” which is found over and over again in I Corinthians 13, you discover it is not the spontaneous kind of love that is paraded before in movies and television today, but a reasoning, esteeming type of love.
“Agape” is one of the rarest words in Greek writing, almost impossible to find apart from the New Testament, but one of the most common words within the text of New Testament literature. When “Agape” was introduced into the language, it was the answer to the yearning in the hearts of those who had known only “eros” love and knew there had to be something more. Young people who have been promiscuous have found that erotic love brings a moment of pleasure, but leaves them empty. When the Lord introduced “Agape” love, He raised the whole understanding of love out of the erotic depths into a glorious understanding of what it truly means to love as God loves.
The best definition of “Agape” love I have found is this: “Agape” love is the power that moves us to respond to someone else’s needs with no expectation of reward.”
The fundamental characteristic is sacrifice. If we are going to understand what Paul is writing about in I Corinthians 13, we have to start on the right foundation. If you try to apply I Corinthians 13 to any of the other kinds of love, you will not understand love at all. In many passages of Scripture the definition of love is given in clear terms: God loved us and that love was His sacrifice on our behalf. “Agape” love is almost synonymous with sacrifice. It is the willingness to give oneself totally, with abandon for the one who is the object of our love not expecting anything in return.
What reward could God expect from us to cause Him to give Himself on our behalf?
It was wholehearted, unselfish, sacrificial love.
If we are to see the importance of this concept, we have to place I Corinthians 13 in the context of the priority of this thought in the Word of God. Sometimes people think I Corinthians 13 is the only place where we get information about love, but the fact is that “Agape” love is really the central truth of the New testament. One of the reasons things seem kind of “out of focus” in many churches and in the lives of many Christians is that they do not have God’s priority concept at the center of their lives governing their actions.
There are several reasons why love is crucial for Christians to understand:
ONE: LOVE IS THE PRIORITY COMMANDMENT
Jesus was once asked, “Which is the greatest commandment in the law?” His response” “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
“Agape” love is the number one concept in the Word of God. In the New Testament alone, Christians are commanded 55 times to love. Go to I John 4 and count how many times the word “love” appears.
Is it possible that some of the difficulty we have in relating to one another in the body of Christ is that we are going about the task of trying to obey the priority commandment without fully understanding what it means to do what God has commanded us to do?
If we are trying to follow Jesus’ commandment to love, but are replacing “Agape” love with our own worldly word for love, we will fail.
TWO: LOVE IS THE PERFECT GIFT
In I CORINTHIANS 12:31 Paul writes, “But earnestly desire the bet gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
What is it?
I Corinthians 13!
Paul spent all of the previous verses discussing spiritual gifts, and at the end he says, “Having said all that, I want to tell you something that is even better. If you master “Agape” love you will have it.
THREE: LOVE IS THE PREEMINENT GRACE
Love is first in the heart of God. Love is the first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:2-23. Paul writes, “Now abide faith, hope, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13) It is as if God is saying, “If you could have any one quality, if you could choose from all the fruit of the Spirit, let Me tell you the one to choose: love. That is the preeminent grace. That will help you to be what you want to be.” You see, love is the embodiment of God Himself.
FOUR: LOVE IS THE PERMANENT VALUE
Paul reminds us that where “there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge; it will vanish away. (I Corinthians 13:8) But love never fails. It is the permanent virtue.
FIVE: LOVE IS PROOF OF SONSHIP
Jesus told His disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) When the lives of Christians are marked by love, the world will know Christians are truly the people of God.
SIX: LOVE IS THE PREREQUISITE TO FAITH
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told the young pastor, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned.” (I Timothy 1:5) Love is the prerequisite to faith, because faith works by love. (Galatians 5:6)
SEVEN: LOVE IS THE PATH UPON WHICH CHRISTIANS MUST WALK
Time after time we are told as Christians to be filled with love, and to have our lives radiate the love of Christ. Paul tells us to “live a life of love.” Peter encourages us to “fervently love one another. (I Peter 1:22) John warns us to “love in word and truth.” (I John 3:18) The writer of Hebrews says to “spur one another on to more love.” (Hebrews 10:24) Paul sums up the Christian life when he says in Ephesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.”
EIGHT: LOVE IS THE PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPY HOMES
“Husbands,” Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25, “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”
We need to take the time to study I Corinthians 13 in depth so that we can learn what God means when He calls us to “Agape” love. God’s Word tells us that love is critically important, and I Corinthians 13 is perhaps the best place to see “Agape” love described and expounded.
It is a short precise passage, only 13 verse long. It has just 280 words in 3 paragraphs. Yet is it vitally located in the Word of God.
Corinth was a place in desperate need of love. There were many gifts in the church, but few graces. The people we impatient, proud, critical, and envious. Paul hammers them for their behavior and puts the believers in their place. Then, between talking about the bestowal of gifts and the exercise of those gifts, he teaches that love alone can safeguard the use of one’s gifts. A church can have many gifted people, but if it does not have love to bring the various people together as a team, all those gifts are for naught. When love is missing, the gift is meaningless. Three times in the first three verses we find the phrase “but have not love.” These verses tell us what we will be like if we don’t have love. Five times in the first three verses we find the phrase “though I.” All of those are an introduction to the things in life, which are empty without love. In essence what Paul is saying in those first three verses is this: No matter what gifts I have, if I don’t have love in my life I am nothing. Regardless of my talent, I will be worthless in the work of God without “Agape” love.
For example:
Words are nothing. The Corinthians prided themselves on their ability to stand and make great speeches. Paul says, “Your words are beautiful, but since you don’t have any love, what you say is worthless.”
Prophecy is nothing. In chapter 14, Paul wills say that prophecy is the greatest gift. But first he warns them that if they don’t have love, their gift will come to nothing.
Wisdom is nothing. A professor can be in love with teaching, in love with his subject, in love with the campus, but if he does not love his students he will not impact their lives. Wisdom without love amounts to zero.
Faith is nothing. You can know all about God and His Son, but without love it is a dead faith that amounts to nothing.
Works are nothing. Good works done without love are for our own glory. It is possible to do all sorts of good deeds, to give away money, to tackle huge projects, and to do them without love. And Paul warns that those sorts of works will amount to nothing.
Martyrdom is nothing. People can to on hunger strikes, lock themselves up in rooms, or travel to the farthest reaches as missionaries, and not have that indispensable ingredient by which God has chosen to work in His world today, the absolute sacrificial “Agape” love of the Eternal God.
“Agape” love is a decision to love someone whether or not that love is reciprocated.
It is the love Jesus talks about when He said we are to “love” our enemies, to pray for those who persecute and despitefully use us. It is the “love” that will help turn the other cheek.
“Agape’ love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, (Romans 5:5), but it has to be developed. When you make the decision to walk in “Agape” love, God will not bring lovable people into your life. He will bring the unlovable, the crude and rude, the obnoxious, the sarcastic, the back stabbers, gossipers, and nasty people into your life.
I bet Paul had this in mind when he wrote to the Philippians and prayed that their “Agape” love would abound.
No wonder Paul prayed for the Ephesians to be rooted and grounded in “Agape” love, that they would be able to comprehend the unfathomable nature of “Agape” love, and that they would come to know the “Agape” love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.
And so Paul prays that their “Agape” love might increase. Love displays itself in knowledge and discernment. In proportion as it abounds it sharpens the moral perceptions for the discernment of what is best. Did you realize that an intimate understanding of God’s Word regulates the divine love flowing through believers? It is not an uncontrolled emotion; real love is anchored in convictions based on the revealed truths of Scripture.
Our love is to “abound” in “all discernment” which speaks of moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge. A Spirit produced love which has been confined like a river within the limiting banks of a full experiential knowledge and a sensitive more and ethical tact, is the thing that sharpens the moral and spiritual perceptions for the discernment of the finer qualities of Christian conduct. This will result in the saint being sincere and without offense until The Day.
“Abound" is in the progressive present tense indicating Paul's desire and plea to God was that the saints continually overflowing love. A growing and maturing love is something that has to be worked at (and prayed for). Like the law of entropy, which describes how the physical universe is winding down, our ability to express divine love disintegrates unless we commit ourselves daily to the Spirit's power. We need continual strengthening and practice in showing love to others.
In his prayers for the saints Paul made frequent use of the verb “abound”(perisseuo):
In Ro 15:13 Paul prayed for the Roman saints
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will (continually) abound (present tense of perisseúo) in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
In (1Thessalonians 3:12) Paul prayed for the Thessalonian saints that the
"Lord cause (them) to increase and abound (perisseuo) in love for one another..."
In (1Cor 15:58) he used "abound" to encourage the saints at Corinth
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be (present imperative) steadfast, immovable, always abounding (perisseuo) in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
And finally a verse the truth of which surely forms in part the basis for Paul's frequent use of the verb "abound" (2Cor 9:8)
"God is able to make all grace abound (perisseuo) to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed"
A common desire in Paul's prayers was that they ''super abound'': Paul prays that their love may keep on overflowing, a veritable, perpetual flood of love, "yet more and more" but with necessary limitations [river banks] "in real knowledge and all discernment"
More and more coupled with the preceding verb "abound" paints the picture of the saint's love superabounding. This phrase also indicates their (and our) continual need for unremitting progress of growth in grace. But like a river in flood-time, rushing waters need to be brought within guiding limitations lest it work harm rather than bring blessing. So Paul prays that this love may overflow more and more, but that its outflow and application might be brought within the guiding limitations of knowledge and judgment as discussed below.
TWO: The second thing in this prayer that Paul prayed for the Philippians is that they might be a knowing and judicious people, that love might about “in knowledge and in all judgment or discernment.”
It is not a blind love that will recommend us to God, but a love grounded upon knowledge and judgment. We must love God because of his infinite excellence and loveliness, and love our brethren because of what we see of the image of God upon them. Strong passions, without knowledge and a settled judgment, will not make us complete in the will of God, and sometimes do more hurt than good.
Real knowledge “epignosis” is full knowledge, indicating that it is a fuller, more complete form of the root word, “gnósis.”
Both epígnosis and gnósis denote acquired or experimental knowledge; but whereas gnósis may be true or false.
For example, Paul writes:
"O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” (gnósis) (I Timothy 6:20)
Epígnosis is always true knowledge and is knowledge in the spiritual (in contrast to the secular) sphere. It usually conveys the thought of full knowledge or increasing knowledge.
The context makes clear that this knowledge is not speculative or theoretical nor only devotional, although this latter element is an essential factor in this epignosis.
Epígnosis is an intensely practical activity. It cannot be dissociated from the following exhortations to conducting themselves worthily of the Lord. These are the inevitable effects of an increase in the knowledge of God.
Epígnosis is knowledge based on personal involvement with the object of that knowledge (experiential)--not a mere intellectual understanding of the Truth.
True knowledge will hone our senses that we might accurately perceive what is true or what is worthless in any given matter. Far from being uncontrolled emotion, divine love is regulated by a knowledge of God's Word. Love controlled by God's Word is deep, anchored in convictions based on the truth. Vine adds that if the Philippian saint's "love were to increase, its outgoings were to be directed and controlled. Love is not impulsive, as though it were a mere emotion; love is intelligent, and therefore seeks that full and accurate knowledge which enables it to bestow itself worthily."
Kenneth Wuest writes that...
“The full knowledge which these Philippians needed to gain by experience was a better understanding of God’s Word as translated into their experience, and a clearer vision of the Lord Jesus in all the beauty and fragrance of His Person. A Christian can have an “understanding” knowledge of the Word, that is, be able to explain its meaning to others, without having an experiential knowledge of the same. But when that Christian has put the Word of God into practice in his life, then he has what Paul is talking about here. This is the difference between a young convert and a matured believer. The former has not had time to live long enough to live out the Word in his life, the latter has. The former, if his life is wholly yielded, is a delight to look upon in his Christian life, as one would enjoy the vigor and sparkle of youth. The latter, in his mellowed, well-rounded, matured, and fully developed Christian experience, his life full of tender reminiscences of his years of companionship with the Lord Jesus, has the fragrance of heavenly things about him. This was what the Philippian saints needed, but it would take time for this to be brought about. This mellowed Christian experience would constitute the limitations thrown around this overflowing love that would insure its proper application and wise outreach.”(Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)
Discernment refers to the capacity to understand, referring not so much to an intellectual acuteness but to a moral sensitiveness. It thus speaks of moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge, the deep knowledge Paul had already mentioned. “Aisthesis” therefore is more of an immediate knowledge than that arrived at by reasoning. It describes the capacity to perceive clearly and hence to understand the real nature of something. It is the capacity to discern and therefore understand what is not readily comprehensible. It refers to a moral action of recognizing distinctions and making a decision about behavior.
It is interesting to note that the meaning of “aisthesis” is almost the opposite of the English word “aesthetic” which is derived from the Greek word. Aesthetic speaks of one who is appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful. It has largely to do with personal taste and preference. Paul calls believers to put aside personal tastes and preferences and to focus instead on achieving mature insight and understanding.
The English dictionary states that discernment is the power to see what is not evident to the average mind and stresses accuracy as in reading character or motives.
MacArthur writes that “aisthesis” refers to a high level of biblical, theological, moral, and spiritual perceptions. It also implies the right application of that knowledge. In other words, discernment is the understanding and appreciation of the real knowledge of God’s revelation that produces holy living. Unlike the way that worldly love is often characterized, biblical love if for from blind. On the contrary, it is wise and judicious. (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Barclay writes that:
“Aisthesis” is “sensitive perception”. It is the quality of heart and mind, which is sensitive to that which, is wrong. It is the experience of life that the first time a man commits a wrong action he does so with a kind of shuddering reluctance; if he does it twice he does it more easily; if he goes on doing it he will end by doing it without thinking at all. His sensitiveness to sin is gone; his heart is hardened. It is indeed true that the most awful thing about sin is exactly its power to beget sin.” (Barclay, William: New Testament Words: Westminster John Know Press, 1964)
“Aisthesis” represents a moral action of recognizing distinctions and making a decision about behavior. Discernment selects, classifies, and applies what is furnished by knowledge. It means to have the capacity to perceive clearly. It describes the ability to understand the real nature of something and once discriminating to make the proper moral decision.
Hebrews has the sole NT use of the related word “aistheterion” which refers to the organs or senses of perception...
“solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses (aistheterion) trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)
The mature believer in the spiritual realm has discernment about what is right and wrong, true and false, helpful and harmful, righteous and unrighteous.
Love is controlled by theology, and theology must be applied to life with insight. It is used of those moral and spiritual concepts and actions, which involve delicate and keen distinctions, those that require a deep and keen discernment to recognize. Not the ordinary, everyday, easily understood spiritual obligations, but the finer points of Christian conduct. It speaks of those things that are superior, vital, that surpass, that excel! Finally, it refers to the ability to make proper moral and spiritual decisions in the midst of a vast array of differing and difficult choices.
One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love. This goal speaks of sensitive moral perception, and a quickness of ethical tact. How often we saints mean to be loving to others, and say the wrong words or do the wrong thing. We lack that delicate sensibility, that ability to express ourselves correctly, that gentle, wise, discriminating touch which would convey the love we have in our hearts to the lives of others. But this can be ours if we but live in close companionship with the One who always exhibited that sense of delicate tactfulness in His life. While it is true that we must approach the Word of God with an open mind, we also must recognize that God’s truth provides absolute boundaries for that openness.
Paul was praying that their self sacrificial love produced in yielded hearts by the Holy Spirit might overflow but that like a river in flood-time, its volume needed to be brought within guiding limitations ("real knowledge and all discernment") lest it work harm rather than bring blessing.
R J Morgan writes that...
Paul prayed for this love to “abound”—not a one-time overflowing, but a continual activity (Rom. 5:5). This is an others-centered love. It looks for needs in the lives of others and seeks to meet those needs with no thought of returned favors. This love is also characterized by knowledge and discernment. Many people today want to focus on love with no discernment. From their perspective, love means tolerance, accepting anyone and everything, like the song that says, “If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right.” But love must be based on truth" (Morgan, R. J. Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook: 2002. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers)
As G. K. Chesterton said,
“Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”
ILLUSTRATIONS OF BIBLE TRUTH by Harry A. Ironside - DISCERNING LOVE - "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment" (Phil. 1:9).
Lack of discernment often accounts for the failure of those in the pew to realize the full import of unsound teaching from the pulpit.A brilliant modernistic preacher, who had pleased his audience with flowery oratory and beautiful perorations, as he discoursed glibly of the importance of breadth of view and the danger of bigoted opinions, was bidding farewell to his congregation as he was about to leave them for a new parish. One of his young men approached him and said, "Pastor, I am sorry we are losing you. Before you came I was one who did not care for GOD, man, or the devil, but through your delightful sermons, I have learned to love them all!" This is mere sentimentality -- not discerning love.
In Our Daily Bread (Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) we read the following devotional:
It is said that one day Michelangelo entered his studio to examine the work of his students. As he came to the painting of one of his favorite pupils, he stood and looked at it for a long time. Then, to the utter surprise of the class, he suddenly took a brush and wrote one word across the canvas.That one word he splashed on the picture was “amplius,” meaning "larger." Michelangelo was not rejecting the work, for it exhibited great skill and was good as far as it went. But the small size of the canvas had made its design appear cramped. It needed to be expanded.The Lord may have to write the word “amplius” across many of our lives. Our spiritual outlook becomes confined, and our vision of what God wants to do in and through us gets restricted by our small faith and limited spiritual growth. He wants to increase the dimensions of our spiritual lives, widen our outreach, and strengthen our witness. —P.R.V.
OUR LIMITED VISION NEEDS CONTINUAL REVISION
THREE. The next thing Paul prayed for the Philippians was that they might be discerning people.
This would be the effect of their knowledge and judgment: That you may approve the things which are excellent, or, Try the things which differ, that we may approve the things which are excellent upon the trial of them, and discern their difference from other things. Observe, the truths and laws of Christ are excellent things; and it is necessary that we every one approve them, and esteem them such. We only need to try them, to approve them; and they will easily recommend themselves to any searching and discerning mind.
“Approve” was used in ancient times for the testing of gold to determine its purity, of testing money to be sure it wasn't counterfeit and for trying oxen to assess their usefulness for the task at hand (Luke 14:19). The purpose of increasing in love, controlled by knowledge and discernment, is to be able to evaluate people and situations correctly. Paul desires that they may continually test things for the purpose of approving and ultimately practicing what is morally and ethically superior. He prays for them to have the ability to sift or test a certain thing and recognize its worth and put their stamp of approval on it.
Two good tests for us to follow as we exercise spiritual discernment:
(1). Will it make others stumble?
(2) Will I be ashamed if Jesus should return?
“Things...excellent” means literally to carry or take something through an area or structure. To differ in context speaks of those things that are superior, vital, that surpass, that excel.
Paul was not referring merely to the ability to distinguish between good and evil. Most everyone is able to do that. Paul was concerned about distinguishing between better and best--a capability only a few seem to have. That kind of discernment enables a person to focus his or her time and energy on what really counts. It's what separates the simple from the profound, the weak from the powerful, and the common from the exceptional.
"Things…excellent” applies to those moral and spiritual concepts and actions, which involve delicate and keen distinctions and a deep and keen discernment to recognize. These are not the ordinary, everyday, easily understood spiritual obligations, but the finer points of Christian conduct.
This part of Paul's prayer is a prayer for the mind, just as the first part was a prayer for the heart. Very few people are able to pursue excellence because they don't use their minds. Instead they do whatever impulse, emotion, mood, or their environment suggests that they do. They don't think; they just react. They don't control themselves; their selves control them. They can't pursue what is excellent because they can't discern what is excellent. They are like a ball bouncing off every wall it hits in a new direction.
An educational study was done in which a group of people were presented a new concept. 50% percent of the people believed the new concept immediately without thinking and 30% didn't; 15% wanted to wait a little while before they made up their minds but didn't ask for any clarification or information. Only 5% analyzed all the details before coming to a conclusion. Apparently 5%t of the population thinks, 15% thinks they think, and 80% would rather die than think!
Someone has said that most of society is on a caboose looking backward: they see only what has already gone by. There's a story about a pilot who came on the loudspeaker during a flight and said,
"I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is we've lost all our instrumentation and don't know where we are. The good news is we have a strong tail wind and are making great time."
This may seem funny but sadly it's a fairly accurate picture of how most people live. They have no directional instrumentation and a strong tail wind, so they fly through life with no idea of where they're going. The pursuit of excellence that Paul prays for is realized as we exercise our minds according to the Scriptural pattern laid out in the following Scriptures (among many others): Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8; Ephesians 5:8-10, 15; I Thessalonians 5:21
Take a look at your life: is it filled with the pursuit of the abiding fruit of spiritual excellence or the lusts of the world, which are passing away?
FOURTH: 4. That they might be an honest upright-hearted people: “that you may be sincere
“In order that” marks the purpose of approving the things that are excellent for it is only as the saint approves what is good (as God esteems "goodness") that he or she is able to order their steps in a manner worthy of the Lord. The idea is that believers love (Phil 1:9) so they can pursue excellence (Phil 1:10), which would in turn produce integrity (sincere and blameless).
In essence Paul is praying that the Philippians ''pass the test", ready for the Judgment seat Tests are to be applied in order that the counterfeit and the false may be distinguished from the real and the true, and that when they are distinguished the former may be refused, the latter accepted and followed.
R J Morgan (Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook) writes that...
“Paul understood the struggles we face in our choices. He wanted believers to evaluate the things of life correctly. Many things in life have no ultimate value, and the Bible reminds us that to find the real worth of things, we must weigh them in the light of eternity and approve the things that are excellent. There must be an ultimate standard to follow, one not to be found in the varied philosophies of mankind, but arrived at only through a knowledge of God’s Word” (Heb. 4:12). Genuine love, when making a decision, asks:
• Does the Bible speak against it? (Ps. 119:9-11)
Will it glorify God? (1 Cor 10:31)
• Will it harm me physically or spiritually? (1 Cor 6:12)
• Could it cause another to stumble? • Would I make that choice if Jesus were standing right here?
“SINCERE”, literally means that which is judged by sunlight' (compare the "Son's light" as when we all ''appear before the bema of Christ'' in II Corinthians 5:10. Being tested by sunlight something is shown to genuine, pure, sincere, uncontaminated, unmixed by seductive influences of the world, the flesh, and the devil. “Eilikrines” describes that which is free from spot or blemish such a degree as to bear examination in full splendor of sun.
Alternatively, some say that “eilikrines” may be derived from “eilein” which means to whirl round and round as in a sieve and so to sift until every impurity is extracted. On that basis the Christian character is cleansed of all evil until it is altogether pure. The picture is like a winnowing process that removes chaff "expresses that moral quality by which all that is said and done is consistent with convictions." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
The only other NT use of “eilikrines” is by Peter who writes...
This is now, beloved, the second letter am writing to you in which am stirring up your sincere (eilikrines) mind by way of reminder (see note 2 Peter 3:1) (Comment: Barclay writes that "Plato uses this same phrase—eilikrines dianoia—in the sense of pure reason (dianoia = mind as the faculty of understanding), reason which is unaffected by the seductive influence of the senses. By using this phrase Peter appeals to his people as having minds uncontaminated by heresy. - Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)
“Eilikrines” is found only in the Greek translation of the apocryphal book The Wisdom of Solomon 7:25 where “eilikrines” is used to describe Wisdom as a “pure influence” or as the Revised Version renders it “clear effluence.”
Paul and Peter's point is that the sincere Christian is not afraid to ''stand in the light'' for they know that their character can stand any light turned upon it. There is no hypocrisy about such a saint. His or her life is like an open book waiting to be read by the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
In ancient times the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it brought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And this pottery would often crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest pottery salesmen would fill in the cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable on the shelf, especially when the piece was painted or glazed. This wax ruse however was immediately uncovered if the pottery was held up to bright light, especially sunlight, for the cracks would show up as darker lines. It was said that the artificial element was detected by “sun-testing.” Such a vase was known as "sun-judged". It is notable that the honest pottery dealers would mark their product with the words "sine cera" which means “without wax”. Our English "sincere" comes from the Latin word "sine cera"! In sum, God wants His people to have sun-judged minds, not those in which their sin spots have been covered over.
Even as it was wise for customers in the ancient marketplaces to give all pieces of pottery the “sunlight test” by holding it up to the sun, our lives need to be tested for the "wax of hypocrisy". In the church are those who appear as fine pottery but are not. There are cracks of sin in their lives filled with the wax of religious ceremony and activity. When held up to the light of God’s Word, the presence or absence of sinful cracks will be apparent. That’s why it is so important for us to feed daily on Scripture (Ps 119:9-11) and to allow our lives to be shaped by its power (Heb 5:14).
Believers are to be vessels of the Lord, sanctified, useful to the Master and prepared for every good work.
Beloved "vessel" of the Lord, how would your life stand up to the "sun judged" ("Son judged") test?
Barclay adds several piercing questions regarding “eilikrines”:
The question that this word asks is, could our inmost thoughts stand being brought out into the full light of day? Could our inmost motives stand being dragged out into the full glare of revealing light? To put the matter at its highest, could the inmost thoughts of our minds and motions of our heart stand the scrutiny of the light of God's eye? The Christian purity is a purity which is sifted until the last admixture of evil is gone, a purity which has nothing to conceal and whose inmost thoughts and desires will bear the full glare of the light of day. (Barclay, William: New Testament Words: Westminster John Know Press, 1964)
FIVE. That they might be an inoffensive people; that you may be “without offense until the day of Christ.” This is the fifth thing Paul has prayed for the Philippians.
“BLAMELESS,” literally means without stumbling, not stumbling or not tripping.
“Aproskopos” describes "relational integrity" meaning that Christians are to live lives of true integrity that do not cause others to stumble. It is blameless in the sense of not offending or not causing someone else to stumble. It describes one who does not lead others into sin. Such a one is inoffensive and clear in their conscience.
Thayer has the following entry for “aproskopos”:
1) Actively: having nothing for one to strike against; not causing to stumble;
a. properly: a smooth road
b. metaphorically, not leading others into sin by one's mode of life (1Co 10:32)
2). Passively:
a. not striking against or stumbling; metaphorically, not led into sin; blameless: (Phi 1:10)
b. without offence: not troubled and distressed by a consciousness of sin, Acts 24:16 (Not found in secular authors except Sextus Empiricus)
There are only two other NT uses of “aproskopos”:
(1) Certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked"), I also do my best to maintain always a blameless (aproskopos) conscience both before God and before men. (Acts 24:15) (Comment: “Aproskopos” is here applied to the conscience, as not stumbling over or impinging upon anything for which our heart condemns us.
(2) Paul commands the saints at Corinth to give (present imperative) no offense (aproskopos) either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God (1Cor 10:32) (Comment: Paul is commanding them literally to "become offenseless". The idea is to continuously live in such a way so as not to cause moral or spiritual damage to anyone. Don't trip others up by being a stumbling block.)
Barclay adds that...
“There are people who are themselves faultless, but who are so austere that they drive people away from Christianity. The Christian is himself pure, but his love and gentleness are such that he attracts others to the Christian way and never repels them from it.”
Christians are to live lives of such integrity so that they do not cause others to sin. This kind of integrity requires a no-compromise attitude in accord with God's Word. We are to live deeply planted in the rich soil of biblical truth so that our roots tap deep into divine revelation and we flourish. That means many times you will find yourself standing against the world. (Romans 12:22; James 1:12, James 4:4; I John 2:15)
The eighteenth-century reformer John Wesley was blessed with a godly mother. When he went away to school she reminded him that:
"whatever weakens one's reason, impairs the tenderness of one's conscience, obscures one's sense of God or takes off the delight for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of one's body over one's mind, that thing is sin"
The "Day of Christ" alludes in part to the future day when believers will stand:
"before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2Co 5:10).
Then:
"each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1Cor 3:11-15)
On the day when the Lord comes He will:
"both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God." (1Co 4:5).
And we shall and we will be rewarded according to our deeds so let us heed our Lord's loving reminder
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done (Rev 22:12)
“Day” (hemera) has various meanings in Scripture in addition to that of the period of natural light. It frequently signifies a period of undefined length marked by certain characteristics. This is the significance in the present of undefined length marked by certain characteristics. This is the significance in the present phrase. It denotes the period of the Parousia (coming) of Christ with His saints, a period with a beginning, a course and an issue (a final conclusion).
The word Parousia has no English equivalent; it needs transliterating: it combines the thought of the coming of a person to a place with that of his presence there subsequently till a certain event transpires.
The Parousia of Jesus Christ begins with the Rapture, when He comes for His saints, as mentioned in (1Th 4:16). That is to be followed by the period of His presence with them when, having come to the air for them, and received them to Himself, He will take them to the place prepared for them, the Father’s “House,” (Jn 14:2), At the close of that period He will come with them in manifested glory for the overthrow of His foes and the establishment of His kingdom.
This Parousia is described in similar phrases; “the day of Christ” (1:10, 2:16); “the day of the Lord Jesus,” (1Co5:5;II Cor 5:10); “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1Cor 1:8.) In (2Pet 1:19) it is called “the day.”
From these phrases, which all contain one or other or both of the titles Jesus and Christ, the phrase “the day of the Lord” is to be distinguished...In the Day of Jesus Christ the circumstances connected with “the Judgment Seat of Christ” will take place, as mentioned in (2Cor 5:10).
SIX: The sixth thing Paul included in his prayer for the Philippians is that they might be a fruitful useful people (Phil. 1:11): being filled with the fruit of righteousness,
Philippians 1:11 “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (NASB: Lockman)
HAVING BEEN FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: “pepleromenoi karpon dikaiosunes”: (Phil 4: 17; Ps 1:3; 92:12-14; Isa 5:2; Lu 13:6-9; Jn 15:2 15:8 15:16; Ro 6:22; 15:28; 2Cor 9:10; Gal 5:22 5:23; Eph 5:9; Col 1:6 1:10; Heb 12:11; Ja 3:17 Ja 3:18)
“Filled” (pleroo) means to be completely filled like a net or cup filled to the brim.
“Pleroo” is in the perfect tense which indicates these saints had been (passive voice = subject receives action from outside source) filled at some point in time in the past and they continue in that "filled" state. This verse and specifically the perfect tense speaks of their "human potential" to be supernatural fruit bearers.
When were we filled? When we believed we were "made complete (pleroo)" in Christ or as the NIV phrases it we were "given fullness in Christ
A thought to ponder: If we have already been filled with fruit what must we do to bear that fruit so that it becomes visible and brings glory (gives a proper opinion) of our great God? Let us not be like faithless Israel for although God:
"dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine...(and) expected it to produce good grapes...it produced only worthless ones." (Isa 5:2)
The writer to Hebrews teaches that God uses the rod of discipline to train us and in time to bring forth:
"the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Heb 12:11)
Solomon teaches that
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he who is wise wins souls" (Pr 11:30)
Paul is not interested in ''churchianity'' but spiritual fruit produced by abiding (Jn 15:5) for apart from Jesus the Vine "we can do nothing." Too many Christians try to ''produce'' fruit in their own efforts and then ask God to bless their efforts instead of abiding in Him and allowing His life in us to bear the fruit as we
"grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (2Peter 3:18)
GOD WANTS A BUMPER CROP OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR LIVES
This phrase is better translated “the fruit righteousness produces" or “the fruit that results from being justified”.
Fruit (karpos) is literally the fruit (as of trees, vines, etc) and then the "fruit" of ones loins, specifically his or her offspring. Most of the NT uses are figuratively describing an effect or a result = that which originates or comes from something. The context determines the exact nuance as can be discerned from noting the numerous ways karpos is translated in the NAS.
“Karpos” is used 66 times in the NASB and is translated: benefit, 2; crop, 5; crops, 2; descendants, 1; fruit, 43; fruitful, 1; fruits, 4; grain, 1; harvest, 1; proceeds, 1; produce, 4; profit, 1,
What fruit? Spiritual fruit in contrast to religious activity brings glory and praise to God. If we produce the fruit in our strength, our nature is to boast. When the Spirit of Christ produces fruit in a surrendered saint, the saint can only bow down in awe, adoration and thankfulness that he or she was allowed to witness such a miracle and to experience God!
The fruit tree does not make a great deal of noise when it produces its crop. It merely allows the life within to work in a natural way, and fruit is the result (cf Jn 15:5). In nature for the fruit tree to produce fruit it needs (among other things) light. By analogy believers who are to be "fruit bearers" are commanded by Paul to continually walk in the light that we might bring forth the fruit of light which is righteousness, Paul explaining that...
"the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Eph 5:8-9)
“WHICH COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST”: Literally this reads "that through Jesus Christ".
The Source and the "conduit" of these virtues is Jesus Christ, and their object is the glory and praise of God.
Paul explained to the Colossians that now it is...
"Christ Who is our Life." ''Who is'' is added by translators. More literally "Christ our life") Col 3:4
Lawrence of Arabia once brought a group of Bedouins to London and housed them in a beautiful hotel. The only kind of dwelling they had ever lived in was a tent in the desert. They quickly became fascinated with the faucets in the hotel. In the desert water was hard to come by, but in the hotel they merely had to turn a knob to get all the water they needed. When Lawrence helped them pack up to leave, he discovered they'd taken the faucets off all the sinks and put them in their bags. They believed that if they possessed the faucets they would also possess the water. Christians often forget that in the spiritual realm they are like faucets. Unless they are connected to the pipeline of spiritual water, they are just as useless as the faucets the Bedouins had in their bags. Spiritual fruit flows out of a Christian only when he or she is connected to the source of spiritual power..."which comes through Jesus Christ"
“TO THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD”: The idea parallels the words of our Lord Jesus:
"by this is My Father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples." (Jn 15:8)
Spiritual fruit brings glory to God the Father. And so Paul sets down the Christian aim which is to live such a life that the glory (a proper opinion of God is given to others by my life) and the praise are given to God. Christian fruit is not meant to win credit for a man himself but is meant to win glory and praise for God. The Christian knows, and witnesses, that he is what he is, not by his own unaided efforts, but only by the grace of God. The ultimate end of all Paul’s prayers was that God be glorified. As the fruit that is in us comes out of us it is so humanly inexplicable, so unnatural (so supernatural) that those who see the FRUIT can ONLY give God the glory
Jesus taught a similar truth in Mt 5:16
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and GLORIFY (form a proper opinion of) your Father who is in heaven" (see notes Matthew 5:14-16)
Compare parallel Scripture in Isa 61:3b:
"So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The final result of growing in love and of living a wise and pure life that overflows with righteousness is that God will be honored and pleased. All the glory and praise belongs not to believers but to God, for he has redeemed them by the work of his Son and has implanted within them his Spirit to produce the fruit of righteousness
Compare parallel Scripture in Isa 61:3b:
"So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The final result of growing in love and of living a wise and pure life that overflows with righteousness is that God will be honored and pleased. All the glory and praise belongs not to believers but to God, for he has redeemed them by the work of his Son and has implanted within them his Spirit to produce the fruit of righteousness. In Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century, J. C. Ryle describes the ministries of great British Christian leaders--George Whitefield, John Wesley, and others observing that...
“In our own time many have come to view spiritual fruit to be an optional characteristic in the Christian life--not a natural product of salvation.”
Paul said,
"my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." (Ro 7:4).
Are you living a holy life that produces fruit "to the glory and praise of God"?
This ends our four part teaching on Powerful Prayers. We have looked at Ephesians 1: 16-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Colossians 1:9-11 and Philippians 1:9-11. In each of these four passages of Scripture, Paul has prayed some very specific and powerful prayers, prayers that we can pray for others and for ourselves.
Paul prayed 2 things for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 1:16-23:
ONE: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
TWO: “That the eyes of your heart may be (being) enlightened to know 3 things:
a. “What is the hope of His calling”
b. “What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
c. “What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
How can we summarize Ephesians 3:14-19?
a. Pray for inner strength from the Holy Spirit, both for you and others
b. Pray to experience the abiding presence of Christ in your heart and the hearts of others.
c. Pray that you and others would be rooted and grounded in love.
Envision two significant developments, or outcomes, from this:
a. A deeper understanding and appreciation of the extent of God’s love.
b. The ultimate goal, being “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
How many people in your life could be touched if you prayed Colossians 1:9-11?
a. Be thankful for their faith and changed lives.
b. Ask God to help them know what He wants them to do.
c. Ask God to give them deep spiritual understanding.
d. Ask God to help them live for Him.
e. Ask God to give them more knowledge of Him.
f. Ask God to give them strength for endurance.
g. Ask God to fill them with joy, strength, and thankfulness.
Who do you know that you could pray Philippians 1:9-11 for?
a. That their love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.
b. That they may approve the things that are excellent
c. That they would be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.
d. That they would continue to be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
