Philippians 1:9-11
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. New Living Translation
We all have had relationships that were more than just friendships. I am not refer ring to those relationships that are or were romantic in nature, but relationships that are or were personally edifying, with purpose and enjoyable. These are the relationships that were and or still have that deep connection with that other person no matter how long it has been since you last seen them. Some of these relationships will last a life time and others will last or lasted just for an important period in our and or the other person’s life. Those of us who have lived in many locations will know what it is to have this type of connection with someone then to have it interrupted because you or the other person moved to live in another area. With these types of relationships, distance or a limited means of communication, or even a busy schedule will not deter you from reaching out to them to keep in touch.
The apostle Paul and the Philippian congregation had this type of relationship with each other. Acts 16:11-40, tells us of the founding of the church at the city of Phillippi. If you are familiar with this chapter of Acts you will remember these three important events of what happened to Paul and his ministry companions. The conversion and baptism of Lydia and her family, Acts 16:11-15. Paul and Silas arrested and imprisoned and the earthquake, Acts 16:16-28. The Philippian jailer and his household saved and baptized, Acts 16:29-40.
Philippians 1:1, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus…”. Paul’s inti mate relationship with this congregation is easily seen in the first verse in the introduc tion, he does not have to declare his apostleship as he does in his letters to the Roman, Corinthian, Galatian, Ephesian, and Colossian congregations. Romans 1:1, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…”.
Out of all the churches in the Roman world that Paul and his ministry team started, there was no other church like the Philippian congregation who had such a deep and close relationship with Paul. Ten years later after Paul left Phillipi he writes his letter to them while imprisoned in Rome. Philippians 1:12-14, 12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Paul did not mention what he did in these verses, to complain or gain their sympa thy. However, he briefly and indirectly mentions to them his imprisonment as an encour agement to them of how the gospel is spreading to others in spite of being in chains. Another point to notice that indicates the close relationship that Paul had with this
congregation is seen in, Philippians 4:14-17, 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your ac quaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. The Philippians had supported Paul financially time and time again, even when he was not in Philippi.
But how was this congregation able to get the financial help to Paul? Philippians 4:18, I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. This was done by sending a trusted mem
ber of the congregation Epaphroditus who was not only the courier of the offering they were sending Paul but much more as Paul states in Philippians 2:25, “25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.”
In the first verses of chapter one we can easily see the affection and the deep relationship that Paul had with this congregation (note what is underlined). Philippians 1:3-8, 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Now that we established that Paul had a close personal relationship with this con gregation, there are some questions that arise when we look at his brief prayer for his friends in verses 9-11 of chapter 1. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God. If Paul had such an obviously close relationship with the Philippian congregation why was his prayer for them so short? The answer is simple, it is not the length of a prayer that expresses its sincerity or importance, but it is the contents of the prayer that express its importance and the heart of the one who is praying.
Paul’s short prayer (Philippians 1:9-11) for his close friends was not a simple generic prayer that Paul used when he prayed for the churches. Yes, there were proba bly other needs of the congregation Paul could have prayed for such as, the needs of the widows, orphans and those who were in need financially and materially. There were probably persons in the church who were sick and needed healing, also those who were probably under attack from the enemy or even in prison like Paul.
What Paul is praying about was inspired by the Holy Spirit to specifically speak to the basic foundation of the relationship with God of every individual of that congrega tion. Also, for us today Paul’s prayer can serve a basis or a blueprint of the content of our prayer for other believers in Christ and even for ourselves.
Philippians 1:9-11 NIV, 9a “And this is my prayer: 9b that your love…”. What was Paul referring to when he said “your love”? It was what he knew they already had because of his close relationship with them. The word Paul uses in his payer is the word agape love. Agape denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of the other person, no matter what he does. It is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its object. From the definition we see that agape is primar ily expressed to others or what others experience by how we treat them. Three good ex amples of how agape love are. Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in broth
erly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 13:8, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…” Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
However, Paul in his prayer, as important as it is, he did not mention how the deeds of agape love should be expressed to others by his friends in Phillipi, this was already happening. The third part of verse 9 tells us what characteristic of agape love should be present in the lives of the Philippians, 9c, “may abound more and more”. Agape love is not to be stagnant in the life of a believer in Christ, it should be ever increasing. We should never be complacent or satisfied about the agape love we have. As our relation ship with Christ grows so does the agape love grows in our lives.
Paul continues in verse 9d to tell us specifically in what two ways agape love is to “abound more and more” in our lives, “in knowledge and depth of insight”. It is cen tral in every believer in Christ that agape love is expressed to others. However, Paul is praying for something very important that every believer in Christ must realize. Agape love expressed in actions without “knowledge and depth of insight” can be misguided and misapplied.
Looking at this verse in other translations will help us to see the heart of Paul’s prayer of the importance of agape love in the life of the believer in Christ. New American Standard Bible Updated, verse 9d, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment” New Living Translation, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” Are we applying agape love with “discernment” and understanding” to others as we talk with them, help them and or encourage them with our words and actions?
Philippians 2:3-4 gives us a good example of the result of agape love in a believer in Christ which is the driving force of how we view and treat others. What does this look like in the life of a believer? 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Finally, Paul concludes his prayer for the Philippians stating the 3 desired results of agape love in the lives of the Philippian believers in verses 10 and 11. 10 “so that 1) you may be able to discern what is best 2) and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 3) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus
