And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…” Philippians 1:9-10
Fallen human nature continually produces counterfeit notions of love. Paul prays that our love may abound, not just more and more (quantity) but with knowledge and discernment (quality). Love does not mean indulging our appetites, nor is it empty sentiment. We depend on God’s revelation in the Word to know, in fact, what love is. The purpose of increasing in love, controlled by knowledge, is to be able to evaluate people and situations correctly.
“Discern what is best” indicates knowledge and discernment is what allows us to test and recognize the things that have value because they endure, such as truth and mercy. The word discern, found only here in the New Testament, is a Greek word meaning moral or ethical understanding based on both the intellect and the senses. The word implies perception or insight into social situations.
“Pure and blameless” means that the Gospel is the most excellent of all things because it declares God’s grace in Christ and produces faith in that grace. You will be found pure and blameless because it is God’s own work.
“Day of Christ” is when Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. This joyous yet sobering prospect should motivate us to purify our own lives daily.
God’s blessings on your day…