Title:
Love Abounding
Text:
Philippians 1: 9-11
Date:
September 16, 2012
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
The
gardener labors with hope of seeing the plants in his garden bear fruit. The coach labors to teach his players with
the hope that come game-time those players bear fruit by exercising what they
have been taught. The parent labors to
see their child bear fruit by exercising what they have been taught. The
preacher’s desire is the same.
The
Apostle John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in
truth.” (3 Jo 1:4) Peter, the apostle, said, “Beware lest ye also, being led
away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in
grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 3:
17-18) This was the apostle Paul’s desire for those Christ entrusted him to
teach, “I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” (Php 4: 7)
Our
text is Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi.
Philippians 1: 9: And this I pray, that your
love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10:
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and
without offence till the day of Christ; 11: Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Divisions: 1St
we see Paul asked God for this--v9:
this I pray; 2nd This is
what Paul asked for, V9: that your love
may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment 3rdly.
His reason in wanting this for them was judgment for good purposes—v10: That ye may approve things that are
excellent; That ye may be sincere
and without offence till the day of Christ; 11: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Title: Love
Abounding
I. NOTICE FIRST WE DEPEND UPON GOD FOR THIS
GROWTH—V9: THIS I PRAY
We want
to see God call his elect. We want to see sinners repent from vanity, believe
on Christ and then grow in grace. But we
are completely dependent upon God for these things.
So Paul
begins where he ends, “This I pray.” Because we grow in
grace the same way we begin in grace.
Verse 11: Being filled with the
fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise
of God. Abounding love, knowledge and
true judgment, sincerity of heart—these
are "fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the
praise and glory of God."
Illustration: A grape is a fruit—how is a grape produced? A grape seed is planted. From that seed the grape vine grows. As the
vine grows branches grow out of the vine.
As the branch gets its nourishment from the vine the branch produces
fruit—a cluster of grapes form.
Paul is
writing here to the “saints”—God’s saints are made saints by being born of the
incorruptible Seed, the Holy Spirit of God, Christ the Seed is formed in us,
the Seed of Truth is implanted and spiritual life begins.
John 15: 3: Now ye are CLEAN through THE WORD which I
have SPOKEN unto you. 4: Abide in me, and I in you. As THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR
FRUIT OF ITSELF, EXCEPT IT ABIDE IN THE VINE; no more can ye, EXCEPT YE ABIDE
IN ME. 5: I am THE VINE, ye are THE BRANCHES: He that abideth IN ME, and I IN
HIM, the same bringeth forth much FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME ye can do nothing.
Believers
bring forth fruit the same way we begin in grace--v11: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1 Corinthians 3: 6: I have planted, Apollos watered; but
God gave the increase. 7: So then neither is he that planteth any thing,
neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
So Paul
asks God for this increase—this I pray.
II. THIS IS WHAT PAUL PRAYED FOR--V9: that
your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
While
the world is asking for temporal riches, God’s saints are asking for the true
riches—favor of God, spiritual blessings, heart blessings.
The
believer born of God loves. We do so
because we are made partakers of God’s divine nature and God is love. God gives
us his Spirit so those born again, love God and love others born of his
Spirit.
1 John 3:14: We know that we have passed from death unto
life, because we love the brethren…4: 7: Beloved, let us love one another: for
love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8:
He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love…5: 1: Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that
begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
This
love is not the sentimental, sensual, lusts which the world sings about. This love is in Christ, in spirit and in truth. What was Paul’s assurance of their love?
Philippians 1: 5: For your fellowship IN THE GOSPEL from
the first day until now…Verse 7: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you
all, because I have YOU in MY HEART [every one that loveth him that begat
loveth him also that is begotten of him.]; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in
the defence and confirmation of the gospel, [some withdrew from Paul when men
stood against him for the gospel’s sake but the Philippians remained stedfast.
How so?] ye all are partakers of my GRACE.
True,
spiritual love is LOVE OF THE TRUTH—our fellowship is in the gospel of Christ.
2 John 1: 1: The elder unto the elect lady and her
children, whom I love IN THE TRUTH; and not I only, but also all they that have
KNOWN THE TRUTH; 2: For THE TRUTH’S SAKE, which dwelleth in us, and shall be
with us for ever….9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine
of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath
both the Father and the Son.
This
love for Christ defends and confirms the gospel of Christ in the face of
opposition. And defends and confirms
brethren because “as much as you have done it unto one of these, the least of
my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Illustration: Does it make you envious when someone does something
good for one of your children? No—You rejoice because your child is extension
of you. Does it offend you when someone does something bad toward one of your
children? Yes, they are your flesh and
blood. So it is with Christ and so it is
with our brethren—we are one in Christ.
Application:
Brethren, I rejoice over you. For your fellowship IN THE GOSPEL from the first
day until now…in your defense and confirmation of the gospel. And I pray for you that your love may abound
more and more.
Notice
he prays this love grow in knowledge--v9:…that
your love may abound yet more and more IN KNOWLEDGE.
True
spiritual love for Christ and our brethren abounds in proportion as we are
taught the knowledge of God’s love for us in Christ Jesus his Son.
Just as
faith and hope are given and grown by the knowledge of Christ Jesus through the
gospel so does love.
Colossians 3: 10: the new man is renewed IN KNOWLEDGE
after the image OF HIM that created him.
The
promise of the everlasting covenant of grace is in the knowledge of God in
Christ.
Jeremiah 31: 34: They shall all KNOW ME, from the least
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.
Eternal
life is wrapped up in knowledge of God in Christ.
John 17: 3: This is life eternal, that they might KNOW
THEE the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent?
So it
is that growth in grace is in the knowledge of God in Christ.
Philippians 3: 10: That I may KNOW HIM, and the power of
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable
unto his death.
Knowing
him is supernatural—it is a union, an unction from the Holy One. Knowing him is to know that God’s love is
particularly set upon his elect—“his GREAT LOVE wherewith he loved us.” The more we know of our
ruined condition and the evils of our heart the more we see how sovereign and
everlasting Christ’s love for us really is
There is no cause of God’s love outside of
God, nothing in God’s elect for God to love us.
All men by nature are more worthy to be loathed than loved and so are
God’s elect. God’s love is free and
sovereign love, unchangeable and everlasting love, matchless and unparalleled
love. The knowledge of God’s love is manifest in that he gave his Son to make
satisfaction for the sins of us who did not love him—but only hated him.
1 John 4: 9: In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we
might live through him. 10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11: Beloved, if
God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
God’s
love entrusted us to Christ and Christ’s love is why he became our Surety. His love is why Christ assumed our nature; his
love is why Christ was willing to be made sin for us who knew no sin; his love
is why Christ laid down his life in place of his elect, even when we were
enemies; his love is why Christ bore the wrath of God’s justice for us making us
the righteousness of God in him.
John 15: 12: This is my commandment, That ye love one
another, as I have loved you. 13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends.
Even
now, Christ love for us is why our Risen High Priest and Advocate everlives to
make intercession for us. The love of Christ is why God constantly supplies all
our need. His love for his children is
why God keeps us from turning from him and shall keep us—this was Paul’s
confidence in verse 6:…he which hath
begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
This
knowledge of his love for us exceeds all other knowledge—it is called love that passes knowledge—it fills the
born again child with the fullness of
God.
·
Fullness of our completeness in Christ
·
Fullness of our righteousness in Christ
·
Fullness of our adoption in Christ
·
Fullness of his gifts and graces: spiritual
peace, joy, comfort and so on--Being FILLED with the fruits of righteousness
which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
Ephesians 3: 14: For this cause I bow my knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15: Of whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, 16: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17: That
CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH; that ye, being ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN
LOVE, 18: May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; 19: And to KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, which
passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
It is
possible for men to acquire a natural knowledge of Christ, even to acquire what
appear as true spiritual gifts, (but it is mere carnal knowledge, natural
gifts, natural faith.) This love in true knowledge is being born of his Spirit,
rooted, grounded, created in the love of God.
But carnal knowledge and imitation gifts only puff a man up.
1 Corinthians 13: 1: Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a
tinkling cymbal. 2: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3: And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have
not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
You can be sure of this: a man will exalt the one wherein his knowledge
lies. If a man is merely self-taught, he
will exalt-self.
When
knowledge is only carnal, self-taught knowledge the sinner does not relish the
necessity of assembling with saints to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Carnal knowledge—opposite to
this love and knowledge which is the very root of the new man—can easily walk
away from the gospel of Christ, abandon true believers like the child cast out
into the field, because the root is the flesh, rather than the root of love and
knowledge of Christ. Carnal knowledge
sides with natural fleshly relations whose doctrine is contrary to Christ,
because natural fleshly love is the root and ground of natural men
Hebrews
speaks of “the root of bitterness springing up” like Esau who traded the
birthright for a bowl of beans. That
comes from Deuteronomy 29: 18-19 which
speaks of those “whose heart turneth away…from the LORD our God, to go and
serve the gods of the nations;…a root that beareth gall and wormwood; [instead
of fruits of righteousness]
Gall is
opium, wormwood is absinthe--both cause drunken delirium—this drunken delirium
is that carnal, self-taught knowledge which is not the root of Christ, not the
root of love and true knowledge, not the unction—but it is this—when he hears
God’s curse pronounced those who turn to
the gods of men’s imagination: works, free-will, god’s of men’s hands, instead
of begging God for mercy, Deut 29: 19:…he blesses himself in his heart, saying,
I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart; to add
drunkenness to thirst.
But the
root of love in knowledge is the unction of the Spirit whereby Christ is made
All unto us. By rooting us and grounding us in love through the knowledge of
Christ’s love for us, God draws us to cling to Christ and to love our brethren. And knowing these fruits are by Jesus Christ
to the praise and glory of God, we must abide in Christ.
III. WITH THIS GROWTH IN LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE
COMES A GROWTH IN JUDGMENT FOR GOOD PURPOSES--v9: And this I pray, that your love may
abound yet more…in all judgment 10:
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and
without offence till the day of Christ;
Spiritual
senses. The Holy Spirit of God gives us
spiritual senses, brings us into various trials to exercise those senses and
grows those senses. So we try things that differ and approve things that are
excellent—approved of God.
Hebrews 5: 14: But strong meat belongeth to them that are
of full age, even those who by reason of use have their SENSES exercised
to DISERN both good and evil.
·
Between moral good and evil
·
Between law and Gospel
·
Between the doctrines of Christ and the
doctrines of men
Application: One reason being in a church family is so necessary is
that as we hear the gospel we also suffer various trials together. Christ our Head strengthens and teaches a
weaker member of his body through the love and patience of a stronger
member. Perhaps you think one brother is
too taken up with this world. It causes
you a great trial. But by that trail you
see what is in yourself before God the Father.
And you learn by experience how God is patient and longsuffering toward
you. So the love of God is shed abroad
in your heart and you learn to be more patient and longsuffering with your
brother. Trust God to make him stand and
try to be an encouragement, remind him of the precious blood: more precious
than gold and silver that perishes. Perhaps
you admire how one sister always has a kind word, a Christ-honoring word and
she always cheers your heart when you are cast down. Christ uses her to teach you to be a helper
of one another’s joy. We learn how to love by being loved.
We
learn to try things that differ. Try our
own faith, hope, and love; try our own motives;
try our own words; try
our own thoughts; try our own spirit;
try our own ways. To walk in the fear of the Lord is to
walk circumspectly—to be continually approving things that are really of value
and letting go of things that are not. This trying of things is not by carnal
reason, not carnal affection. We try all
things: by the word of God led of the Spirit of God.
We
learn to approve things that are excellent. The love of God in Christ is most excellent. Psalm 36: 7: How
excellent is thy loving kindness, O God.
Salvation by grace is
excellent. Hebrews speaks Christ the Mediator of a “more excellent
ministry, a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” Paul said, “I show unto you a more excellent
way”—faith which works by love. The grace of love in the heart is excellent.
Our
hearts are made sincere. This
sincerity means: one’s heart is pure, truly converted because he has not
assumed Christianity as a mask; one’s motives are not for selfish gain; one’s
conduct is free from double-dealing, trick, and cunning; one’s words express
the real sentiments of the heart; one is true to his word, and faithful to his
promises; one is always what he professes to be. The
meaning is “it will stand the test of the light of the sun” The literal meaning
is “without wax.”
Illustration: Jim’s Honey in the Sunlight—no wax—pure honey.
John 3: 19: And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their
deeds were evil. 20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21: But he that doeth
truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are
wrought in God.
Believers
come to the Light of the scriptures, to the Light of Divine Revelation, to the
Light of Christ the Sun of Righteousness that our deeds may be open in the
Light of Christ, they are wrought in God.
That
you may be without offense means inoffensive to others; not injuring their
property, or feelings, or reputation. And not causing others to stumble.
Romans 14: 19: Let us therefore follow after the things
which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20: For meat
destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is
evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21: It is good neither to eat
flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended, or is made weak.
Illustration: The brother who waited to offer the wine
Romans 15: 2: Let every one of us please his
neighbour for his good to edification. 3: For even Christ pleased not
himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee
fell on me.
1 Corinthians 10:32: Give none offence, neither to the
Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
2 Corinthians 6:3: Giving no offence in any thing, that
the ministry be not blamed:
The
gospel is offensive to the flesh but it should never be made offensive because
of our flesh. The Lord warned us that we
should be hated of all men for his name's sake but let’s not cause any man to
further hate our Lord because of our name’s sake.
We do
this “till the day of Christ” return.
1 Corinthians 1:8:
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
All
these fruits are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God.
Amen!