Paul=s Prayer For The Philippians Phil. 1:8-11
1:8 For God is my record – martuV gar mou estin o qeoV - Pres Act Ind - witness
how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ – wV epipoqw - Pres Act Ind – to desire greatly as one would lust after a treasure.
1:9 AAnd this I pray@ / proseucomai - Pres Ind - Paul was greatly motivated to pray for the important areas in the life of the believers. Paul knew that they would encounter things in their lives that would test their love for Christ and for one another. Paul lists four critical areas of concern for their lives.
THAT THEIR LOVE WOULD ABOUND (1:9) Athat your love my abound yet more and more - ina h agaph umwn eti mallow kai mallow perisseuh - Pres Act Ind – to super abound beyond some fixed number or human estimation. To abound in the perfected love of God, not the carnal love of the world. It is the love, which is known for the actions that it prompts and its sacrificial character. Not a love of complacency or mere physical affection, but a perfect expression of the love of Christ. This love is mature, and not based upon natural affections, but supernatural love, that may only be found in Christ.
When we do not love beyond our normal human capability, we fail to understand or communicate the love of Christ. This love is not only sacrificial, but real, without hypocrisy, seeks the welfare of all, works no ill, demonstrates no hatred and forgives quickly.
This love is to abound more and more in Aknowledge.@ We must recognize and understand completely, not by some intellectual pursuit, but by the operation of the Holy Spirit. We are to abound in this love (exceed, to go above a measure). We are to abound in this love in all judgment (perception, discernment, awareness, wisdom, and conscience.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Phil 3:15
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Job 17:9
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Prov. 4:18
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. 1 Thess. 3:12-13
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 1 Thess. 4:1
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 1 Peter 1:22
THAT THEY WOULD APPROVE THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT (1:10) - To document the truth that is in us, to esteem and validate the excellent things that are in our lives, to live out in real conscious awareness those things that God sees as excellent, to recognize as genuine, to certify, and authenticate the things that are excellent. The word Aexcellent@ means that which is beyond the norm, something that makes a difference.
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. Isaiah 7:15
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Amos 5:14-15
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.ADVANCE \u3 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:20-21
And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Rom. 2:18-20
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:9
THAT THEY WOULD BE SINCERE AND WITHOUT OFFENCE - 1:10 – eilikrineiV - How long? Until the day of Christ! Sincere is a compound word: helioV meaning the sun=s rays or light, and krinoV meaning to judge.
Lit. It is to
examine something in the light of the sun. EXAMPLE: Dust in the air with the
sunlight shining in through the window, unsullied, pure, open hearted,
undisguised.
2 Cor. 1:12; 2:17
THAT THEY WOULD BE FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (1:11) Consciously filled / Gal. 5:22 / This filling is the work of the Holy Spirit after our love abounds more and more in knowledge and judgment, after we approve that things that are excellent, and after we are sincere and without offence.
Preparation: Abeing filled@ - peplhrwmenoi - Pf Pass Ptc - Eph. 3:19; Rom. 15:13
Product: Awith the fruits of righteousness@ Col. 1:5-6; John 15:8; James 3:18
Person: Aby Jesus Christ@
Purpose: Aunto the glory and praise of God@