Gleanings from Philippians 1:9

Here are my notes from verse 9 of Philippians 1

9: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment..

Love -> agape: brotherly love, good will

“Brotherly love is not a matter of mere sentimentality; it is love in the truth. This calls for study of the Word of God in order that one may know just how to manifest that love according to each particular occasion.” Ironside

The Philippians had a lot of love, and they showed it to Paul. Yet Paul didn’t hesitate to pray that their love would abound still more and more. It doesn’t matter how much love for others we have; we can still have more! (Guzik)

“That it (love) may be like a river, perpetually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase until it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains.” (Clarke) – Visual – like the farms we see here.. overflowing

Abound -> exceed a fixed number of measure, in abundance

Still -> even greater, further

More -> to a greater degree, sooner, more readily, more willingly

Knowledge -> precise and correct knowledge, full discernment (used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine)

Advanced spiritual knowledge – In the NT this word is applied only to spiritual things – to the knowledge of God, religious knowledge, spiritual knowledge, and doctrinal knowledge.  It is a knowledge that comes to the Christian through a study of God’s Word. (Boice)

Discernment -> moral discernment, the understanding in ethical matters
     - Don’t be passive in your knowledge and discernment
     - That in having this precise and correct knowledge and moral discernment, we would grow above and beyond the world’s expectation and measurement of love
     - “Understanding given by the Holy Spirit” (Boice) – The Holy Spirit enables us to discern how love should operate
     - In classical Greek, discern refers to testing someone or something.  It is the technical word for testing money to determine whether or not it is counterfeit.  It occurs in a political context for the testing of a candidate for office.

Prayer: This is as it should be – that we pray for one another.
Philippians 1:4 "always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy..."
Colossians 4:2 "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving"
Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication (entreaty-petition, asking) for all the saints..."
Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer..."

This will change us if we do it.  It will change our relationship to other Christians.  God increases the fellowship by changing you.  Prayer will draw you to other Christians so you will pray jointly for mutual concerns.

Acts 2:42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Pray specifically and constantly for one another.

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More to come....

Dawn