For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 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. PHI 1:8-11 Every soldier ought to have a desire to do damage to the enemy. How will you as a Christian go on the attack? If you want to frustrate and damage your enemy, take in and be positive to the Word of God. That is the foundation of everything involved in the attack. Paul begins to speak of the assault in verses 8-11. He first recognizes a fundamental principle of conflict: You will have very little time to spend with those you care about. Under combat situations you develop the greatest, most lasting friendships you will ever have because you are welded together in the fires of adversity. Paul had this kind of friends in Philippi and he longed for them “with the affection of Christ.” “Affection” here means “the capacity to appreciate.” Paul is saying, “Jesus Christ appreciates you, Philippians, and I appreciate you as much as He does. I long for you and have a desire to be with you, but I can’t because you must stand on your battlefront and I on mine.” In verses 9-11, he makes three requests that will indicate how they will carry out the assault: 1. “That your love may abound still more and more.” What would be the foremost love Paul is talking about? Love for Jesus Christ. How are you going to manifest love for Jesus? In knowledge and discernment. The word epignosis means “full knowledge, applied knowledge.” “Discernment” is “understanding, the result of having learned and applied.” Paul says you need to learn and apply more. Don’t give up. Keep studying. Keep advancing. 2. “That you may approve the things that are excellent.” “Approve” means “to test and prove.” The word translated “excellent” refers to “that which carries through.” Paul is saying that when you study the Word of God you will come to the point where you are able to test and prove what works. You want to advance; you want to carry the assault forward. How able are you to find out what works, what will carry you through the obstacles to the goal? 3. “In order to be sincere and blameless.” “Sincere” means “to be judged by the light.” If you can, through your life, prove and test what works, you will stand in the light of the glory and be judged with honor. What will the light display? That you are “blameless until the day of Christ.” The word “blameless” carries the idea that no obstacle held you back, no sin could make you give up. You kept on pressing forward. You were unstoppable! This is the goal. Paul wants these people to press the attack, something they can do only as they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:51:56 +0000
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