1:9-11
Paul wants their love to increase, in knowledge and depth of insight. Love needs to increase, but we have such a shallow and limited view of what love is. See that Paul prays that their love will abound in “knowledge and depth of insight”. It is based on knowledge and discernment, it is not just an emotional feeling.
Then we are told why he prays for them to have this. It is so that they can make right decisions, and be pure and blameless on the day of Christ. This does not mean we are saved by any merit of our own, but that Christ’s work in us is brought to completion. We need to make right decisions, wrong decisions can lead to all sorts of problems and get us, and others, in enormous trouble.
If we do this we will be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ. Righteousness is a judicial matter, and “legal” verdict made by God because of the blood of Christ, but it is one which bears fruit on our lives. And all this is to the praise of His glory.
1:12
Paul now seeks to reassure the Philippians about his present state. He was in prison, probably in Rome. Presumably the Philippians had heard about this, and word may have gone to Paul that they were concerned about the situation. Paul is not that concerned at all! In fact he sees that what had happened has helped to advance the gospel. Remember that when Paul went to Jerusalem almost everyone else was warning him against going (eg Acts 21:10-14). In Acts 20:22-24 Paul declares the motivating force in his life. His going to Jerusalem resulted in his ending up in Rome.
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