My wife, Judy, and I first met during Middle School, which was then called Junior High. We became serious about one another a year or so later, after which we went to different high schools. But we were soon both saved by God’s grace, and we attended the same little Baptist church. After a few more years we graduated from high school, and I went off to university followed by Bible school. At Colorado State University, I wasn’t too far away, so we got to see each other once in a while. But Bible school was nearly 800 miles. We missed each other terribly. I think I could say with Paul, “God is my record, how greatly I longed after my girl, Judy.”
“How greatly I long” is a phrase made up of two Greek words with emphasis on the “greatly” part. It suggests an aching of the heart. The word is even translated “to lust.” Paul uses that word in II Corinthians 5 – “We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a build of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, EARNESTLY DESIRING to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” In that passage, Paul “greatly desired” – he “longed” for – his future heavenly body. And here, he “earnestly desired” his friends in Philippi. And by the way, it was not just generous, wealthy Lydia, or that special friend in the jailor… It was not about the energetic young people or the young man whom the Lord called into the ministry… He loved and longed for “all” of them equally. “God is my witness.”
And to make sure that no one misunderstood the “lust” he had for those people, he added… “I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ – in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” I have some brethren with whom we share texts from time to time. Early on in those relationships, I would conclude by saying something like, “love in Christ.” After several years, with some of them I now conclude simply with “love,” because “in Christ” is assumed. I read a comment the other day about this verse: “God is my record, how I love you, yet not I, but Christ loveth you in me.” That doesn’t in any way lessen Paul’s genuine affection for them, but it does put it into the proper context.
Because of his love, and the 1,300 miles between them, Paul spent much time in prayer for them. And in this letter to them, he refers to several specific things about which he prays. Almost as significant as the things he mentions are those he doesn’t mention, but I’ll ignore those tonight.
He says, I pray that your LOVE may ABOUND more and more.
I think it was Bro. Kjeldgaard who made reference to this recently. This is “agape” love – divine love, which may sometimes be the source of great brotherly love. But it belongs to God, who dispenses it willingly to those who know how to use it. It is the first of the fruit of God – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” This love is a key part of our Christian testimony, but it is a gift from God. Christ Jesus said, “By this shall all know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
This is where “the bowels of Jesus Christ” becomes important. Some people are more naturally loveable than other people, but in Christ that shouldn’t be important. Sometimes we love people because they first loved us, but we are supposed to love others as the Saviour loves us – His precedes ours. And this is where a prayer for love becomes so critical. Like faith, and even like hope, we may not have the ability – the strength – even the WILL to love others. But we have God’s command to love, AND we have God’s enabling.
But, is this verse speaking about love for the brethren, love for God or love for the unsaved? Paul doesn’t specify, but he does refer to abounding love in “knowledge” and “judgment” – discernment. Have you ever known a professing Christian who wasn’t interested in learning the truth about something? Not all Christians have an equal love for truth and wisdom. They don’t want to know what God really says, so they inflate their own knowledge and judgment. Let’s take an extreme example: the idea of a flat earth. Since the Bible speaks of the “four corners of the earth” then obviously our globe must not be a globe. The Bible also speaks of God setting the earth on four pillars, so some people picture it like a table. That’s almost like the Hindus who say that the earth is carried on the back of a turtle. The people in Paul’s day didn’t ever fly from Rome to Phillipi or Jerusalem. They couldn’t see with their own eyes the curvature of the earth. They certainly didn’t have access to satellite images. But they did see the moon. Did they think that was flat. Did they ever speak about the four corners of the moon? I wouldn’t be surprised.
Paul prayed for the people of Philippi and Asia and Rome – and he would have prayed scientific North America. He prayed that they might be brought out of their superstitions and pseudo-sciences. He prayed that they might be filled with the revelation of God and have a touch of common sense as well. Common logic demands a Creator, for example. And it demands justice and judgment for sin. We need to pray for a love for knowledge and judgment.
Paul also prayed that his friends would be able to APPROVE of those things which are EXCELLENT.
The word “approve” speaks of further discernment. How often are we confronted with a choice between two good options? Let’s say your family is stepping out the door to go to church, and you find your widowed neighbor in tears. Her daughter is sick and she needs to go to the ER, but her car is broken down. Should you wish her well while you go on to church, or should you skip church to help her? And her car doesn’t run because it needs a part, but she doesn’t have the money to buy it. Should you give her the cash you have in your wallet which you planned to put in the church offering? Maybe you should stop and rebuke her for rejecting the gospel, or should you supply the more pressing need? Sometimes we need God’s wisdom to choose between 2 good things and one is more excellent than other.
Paul also prayed that his friends would continue to grow more godly – both positively and negatively. “hat ye may be sincere.” I was surprised when I saw how rare this word is in the Bible. It is used only twice, although the same Greek word here is used in one other verse. In that other verse it is translated as “pure.” II Peter 3:1-2 – “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both with I stir up your PURE minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour…” He said that they had “sincere” minds – “pure” minds.
Why does PAUL PRAY that the Philippians “may be sincere?” For the same reason Peter stirs up the sincere minds of his readers with words of the prophets and apostles. No matter how sincere and pure we might be, we still lack perfection as long as we remain in the flesh.
I know that I’ve told you before, but I tell you again, because it is so much fun, and some of you haven’t heard. The English word “sincere” comes from a combination of two Latin words – “sine” and “cere” which together literally mean “without wax.” Wax was sometimes used to cover flaws in pieces of pottery or sculptures. Merchants often declared – perhaps attempting to deceive – “This product is without wax; it is sincere.”
My wife Judy has been working on an art project for the past few days. She had a pair of cute little clay birds which s he set outside all summer. But the sun, rain, and perhaps the changing temperatures, injured the little creatures. So Judy has been using glue to reattach parts, and to smooth out and fill in a few missing areas. Yesterday I saw she was using some paint to further cover up the repairs. Those little birds are still cute, but technically, they aren’t “sincere” any more. They’ve been daubed with Elmer’s “wax.” Paul is praying that we not have insincere waxiness, filling in our areas of weakness or failure.
The other side of being more godly, is not giving offence. This is another rare Biblical word. But Paul used it in his defense before King Herod. He said in Acts 24 – “This I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets… And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience VOID OF OFFENCE toward God and toward men.” Why do you suppose he said “herein do I EXERCISE myself?” Because it takes work, and it takes God’s help – to be sincere and without offense before men and God. When we get in the flesh – when we start looking at our problems and our circumstances – we become prone to cast stumbling blocks down for our neighbors to trip over. Just like Paul, these are things about which we should pray daily – constantly.
“Being filled with the FRUITS of RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
When we plant both tomatoes and squash in our gardens, we expect to have tomatoes on one kind of vine and squash on the other. Is Paul’s reference to the fruits of righteousness the same as the fruit of Spirit? Aren’t there two different seeds and two different vines involved? When a Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, onlookers should see: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance?” When a Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit and together they plant the deeds of righteousness in that life there will be a different kind of fruit – the fruits of righteousness. I’m not saying they aren’t related; they are both spiritual vegetables – so to speak. They both please the gardener and the cook. But they are used in different dishes and different ways.
Paul was praying that the lives of his Philippian friends would be filled with the effects of righteous deeds. Not only that they would be filled with JOY, but that their neighbors, both saved and lost, might have joy. Not only that they would be filled with PEACE, but that others might be won by their godly conversation, might be brought into peace with God. As we heard in a message a few weeks ago, Christ is the light of the world, but at the same time, so are we. But if the lens of our lamp is covered in sinful scum, it will not be as bright as Christ intended it to be. The fruit of righteousness is similar to the ministry of the window-washer – “let your light so shine that others might see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven” – Matthew 5:16. Similarly, what good is the salt of the earth when the salt have lost its savor? Paul was praying that his friends be filled with Holy Spirit so they might be filled both with the fruit of the Spirit and with the fruits of righteousness.
And ultimately, without actually saying so, Paul was praying for the GLORY and PRAISE of God.
He wanted his friends to be useful in the God-glorifying business. “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” How often do we do good things but in the power of the flesh? Let’s say you are stepping out of your house on a Sunday morning to go to church, and you see your neighbor in tears because she needs to take her daughter to the ER, but her car won’t start. You tell the woman to get her daughter into your car and you rush her to the hospital. You have performed a righteous deed – a good thing. You even give her a big chunk of cash to help get her car in running order. But the next time you are in church, how quick are you to tell your brethren what you did last Sunday? Did you do it in the name of Christ, if you are suggesting that people pat you on the back?
Or you are asked to preach or teach. What is your motivation? Is it just to fill a time slot and get the pastor off your back? Or is it to make you feel good about yourself? How much faith have you put into it? What are your expectations? Is this going to contribute to the current revival going on in your church? I know for a fact that I can serve by Christ Jesus and by the Holy Spirit, or I can serve without the Lord.
Paul was praying that his friends were glorifying God by serving him through Christ. And this ultimately should be our goal. Brother Ken Carter forwarded a comment which is appropriate here. Paraphrasing the Canadian theologian, D.A. Carson – God is going to ask each one of us: “What have you done with the salvation I gave you?”
What have you done with the grace of God? What have you done with the potential blessings of the Holy Spirit? Do you display the fruit of the spirit? How much of your life is filled with the fruits of righteousness?
These were the things about which Paul was praying. He wasn’t praying that his friends escape disease, persecution and poverty. He was praying for more love, and specifically love in knowledge and judgment. He was praying that they would perceive and apply the best gifts. That they would be pure and without offense until the day of Christ. And that being filled with the fruits of righteousness, they would bring glory to God through their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.