Phil 1: 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment, (10) So that you may approve by testing the things which differ and are more excellent, that you may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ, (11) Being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
In verses 9 and 10 Paul prayed three things on behalf of the Philippians: that their love would abound in full knowledge and all discernment; that they would prove by testing the things which differ; and that they would be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ. The secret to these three matters is found in verse 11, where Paul speaks of being "filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." According to grammar, verse 11 is a modifier related to the three items for which Paul prayed. Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness, the Philippians could abound in love, prove by testing all things, and be pure and without offense. This indicates that being filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ is a necessary condition for these three matters. Verse 11 actually refers to the experience of Christ. Once again we see that the key is the experience of Christ. We know that verse 11 refers to the experience of Christ because of the phrase "through Jesus Christ." The fruit of righteousness is through Christ. It comes to us through our experience of Christ. From the Christ we enjoy and experience, we have the fruit of righteousness. The more we experience Christ, the more this experience will issue in the fruit of righteousness. The fruit of righteousness is the living product of a proper life with a righteous standing before God and man. This could not come about by the believers' natural man for their boast, but through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Our love, therefore, should abound in a way that is according to God's economy. If we experience Christ, our love will abound, we shall prove things by testing, and we shall be pure and without offense.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Philippians, pp. 19-20. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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