“Even as it is meet for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my
bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers
of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the
bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and
more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are
excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto
the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:7-11).
Introduction
Paul prays that the Philippian
believers would be blessed in every possible way. Here is a man, an aged man,
who is undergoing privation and suffering, but instead of focusing upon his
problems, we find him in prayer for others. This reveals Paul’s selfless
shepherd’s heart.
Affection
The Philippians had been ministering
to the apostle while he was in prison, and they would continue to do so when he
was released and able to preach again. His burden was theirs. “Bear ye one
another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2) … “Remember
them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as
being yourselves also in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). We see his affection
for them as he writes that they are always in his heart. The margin of the King
James Bible has the alternative rendering “Ye have me in your hearts”, which
if accepted would only emphasis the mutual affection that existed between both
parties. This is proof that his spirit was full of Christian love for them, that
was unbroken by the torment of his confinement. “That their hearts might be
comforted, being knit together in love” (Colossians 2:2). They who shared
his afflictions were blessed to share his affection. The words “bonds”,
“defence” and “confirmation” are courtroom terms and reveal that Paul
considered that the Philippian church shared with him in his courageous witness
before the judges of Rome. “In my heart” also means that Paul
cherished them like a treasured love letter. “Ye are our epistle written in
our hearts, known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). Such love is
the true expression of Christ’s love in us.
Apology
The word “defence” is derived
from a legal term in Greek, ‘apologia’ does not mean to be sorry about
something, a word that expresses the need for sound doctrine – a defence
speech. The word of God can only be confirmed by them who stand firm in it.
False doctrines are the lies of the devil to destroy the church, but we must be
strong in our faith and resist them all. Like Paul, it does not matter if we
have difficulties, sufferings, or problems, the most important duty of a good
soldier of Christ is to stand firm in His word. “Thou therefore endure
hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). The gospel
that strengthens its friends also overthrows its foes.
Abound
Christians should have a deep love
for their fellow believers. “By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The love of the
Philippian church abounded, that is, overflowed, in every direction. This kind
of love is not based upon emotions, feelings or circumstances, but instead it is
grows from a life fixed on Biblical truth. This is why it has to be in
“knowledge and in all judgement.” “Knowledge” [Gk. ‘epignosis’]
means ‘spiritual knowledge in the heart’ rather than head knowledge gained
through education, therefore it is both doctrinal and practical in nature. It
refers to experimental understanding of revealed truth, or simply put, truth
that is acted upon. “That he would grant you, according to the riches of
his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in
love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).
This means that it had to be according to God’s word and good spiritual sense.
We could term this as ‘spiritual perception’ (“judgement”). Any
believer who has this will discern what is good and bad and act accordingly. The
kind of love Paul is discussing reaches out sacrificially to others in need, but
it has to be more than humanitarianism, for it is just as possible to have love
without knowledge, just as it is to have knowledge without love (1 Corinthians
13:2). This love needs to be cultivated in our churches. It is a love that
builds up rather than destroys the weak (Romans 14), because it is the love
given to us by the Spirit of God. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22).
Approve
To “approve things that are
excellent” includes the preaching of the gospel and the love of believers. The
word “approve” means ‘to make a distinction between’ or ‘to
differentiate’. Paul is saying that believers must test everything to make
sure they do not deviate even slightly from the revealed word. Therefore we
ought to accept only that which is of and promotes godliness. “Abstain from
all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). This sometimes means that
we must personal reprimand false teachers. “Wherefore rebuke them sharply,
that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13). Above all we must have
the discernment that only God can give us. “But strong meat belongeth to
them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). As followers of
Christ we must aim for the excellent rather than the ordinary. We are not here
simply to be good people, but to be excellent Christians, for the good is often
the enemy of the best. We should be enrolled in the School of Advanced
Excellence.
Aboveboard
“Sincere” means ‘to be without
mixture’ and ‘completely pure’, the Greek root means to ‘examine in the
sunlight to make sure it is sound’. This sincerity is not the same as the
world’s definition of the word. In the natural it infers that a person can
sincerely believe something is right when it is in fact completely wrong. There
is no such liberty with the Bible use of the word. We are not to be of those who
are sincerely wrong, but we should always be sincerely right. This calls for
purity in every area of our lives. The word “sincere” also means to be
‘without wax’. Often those selling sculptures would hide blemishes and chips
with wax to deceive the buyer. “That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). Let us always be
aboveboard in everything and aim to live holy lives before God and man. We can
be “without offence” [blameless] in all aspects of life and never give
anyone just cause for pointing their finger at us and calling us hypocrites. “Give
none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of
God” (1 Corinthians 10:32).
Activity
Our lives ought to be filled to
overflowing with the righteousness of God. If we are, we will bring glory,
honour and praise to Him. Those who are saved by grace should have the
corresponding fruits of godliness in their lives. “But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
This fruit is the product of true righteousness and proves that the person is
abiding in Christ. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in
me” (John 15:4). It is remarkably easy for nominal Christians
[churchgoers] to counterfeit the fruit of the Spirit, but in the end religious
activity will stand barren at the Judgement Seat of Christ. They might make a
song and dance about how ‘christian’ they have been, but remember a tree
produces fruit without noise. Our activity is obeying the will of God as
revealed in Scripture. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians
2:10).
Conclusion
It is not what the world or the
church thinks a good Christian is; what matters is what God says about it. The
Holy Spirit makes it abundantly clear how we are to live in this fallen world,
that is, how we are to interact with both fellow-believers and the lost. Sadly
despite the clarity of the Bible many believe that they can live any way they
please and still be called saints. We must defend the gospel of salvation and
confirm it by word and by the way we live it out.
