Philippians 1:9-11 A great prayer on love to focus on this New Year
9 – The only right way to love and certainly “to abound still more and more in love” is to gain God’s knowledge and discernment. God is love, so gaining insight about Him as communicated in the Bible is imperative. His actions and words as recorded in the whole Bible, not just the New Testament, reveal the magnitude of love.
Discernment – The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend the best thing to do or say for another person requires spiritual insight.
James 1:3 – God promises to give wisdom to those who ask.
Ephesians 1:15-17 Knowledge and discernment are available to them who ask, seek, and knock.
Colossians 1:9 – Asking for knowledge and wisdom are common in prayer (Psalm 119:33-40).
10– The prayer has two aims: 1) approve things that are excellent, and 2) to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. The God-given ability to discern the best among the good, which is far harder than detecting good from evil, is necessary for godly love.
The word “sincere” has an interesting Greek background − strictly tested by sunlight so that you can see right through and thereby determine if it is pure, genuine, real. All Christians are tempted with insincerity, hypocrisy, or falseness.
Hypocrites are not blameless, and we want to be blameless until Christ returns.
Psalm 101:5-7 The blameless minister to God.
Psalm 37:18 The inheritance of the blameless will be forever.
Proverbs 11:5 and 20 The blameless are God’s delight.
Proverbs 28:10 The blameless inherit good.
Philippians 2:12-16; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:21-23; 2Peter 3:14; and Jude 1:24 and 25
11 – The fruit of righteousness is a complete new life (Ephesians 4:22-24).
1Thessalonians 3:11-13; 4:9 and 10
2Thessalonians 1:1-5
1Peter 1:22; 4:8
1Timothy 1:5
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
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