A Sign That You’re Growing Spiritually

On verses 1-2:  Here Paul addresses all the believers at his church in Philippi as “saints” or “holy ones”.   Contrary to popular belief, the word “saint” or “holy one” in the Bible is not a term reserved for especially good people.  As long as you have placed your faith in Jesus, in God’s eyes you are a “saint”, a “holy one”.  That’s not because you are a good person in and of yourself, but because Jesus’ blood covers your sins and makes you holy and blameless in God’s sight.  

So if you trusted Jesus as your Saviour, stop seeing yourself as “just a sinner”.  Because of Jesus you are far more than that.  You are a saint, a holy one, qualified to enter into God’s presence and to have an intimate relationship with God.  Praise God for the incredible grace and mercy God has on ordinary people like us, that we can be called holy, children of God.

Philippians 1:3-5 (NIV)
³ I thank my God every time I remember you.
⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 

On verses 3-5:  Paul is in prison and yet he begins his letter not with complaining, but with thanksgiving and joy, a theme that will run throughout this letter.  While in prison his thoughts often turn toward his church in Philippi, his spiritual family.

What can we learn from this?  No matter what your situation, like Paul, choose an attitude of gratitude.  Thanksgiving is not a feeling but a choice.  In every situation, no matter how difficult, there are great blessings to thank God for.  What can you thank God for today?

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

On verse 6:  If ever you are discouraged by the progress you are making, remember this: God is not finished with you yet!  All of us are a work in progress.  Praise God that He who started a good work in you will be faithful to finish what He started.

Philippians 1:7-8 (NIV)
⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
⁸ God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

On verses 7-8:  Paul had a tremendous affection and love for his church in Philippi.  He attributes that tremendous affection not just to his own love, but to Christ’s love in him for the church.  What does that tell you about God?  God is not some passionless, emotionless force.  God is full of passion and affection for us.  He loves you.  You are the object of God’s affection!

Philippians 1:9-10 (NIV)
⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ

On verses 9-10:  In some ways you can tell the depth of a person’s relationship with God by the prayers they pray for others.  In Paul’s case, Paul prays for his brothers and sisters in Philippi, that their love for God and for one another would grow (“abound”) in a particular way: “in knowledge and in depth of insight”.

Why grow in knowledge and depth of insight?  Here’s why: only when you grow in knowledge and in depth of insight will you be able to discern what is the best (v10) and be pure and blameless, living a life that honours God in all the practical ways (v10). 

How do you know if you’re maturing as a Christian?  You can tell by the decisions you make and by your character.  If you’re maturing as a Christian, over time you’ll find yourself making wiser decisions, loving people in more effective ways, and becoming more like Christ in your attitude and values.  Mature love doesn’t just show up in the form of feelings, but in the form of wise, God-honouring, people-blessing decisions and Christ-like character.

Are you having a tough time choosing from a number of options?  Just as Paul prayed for his church, I pray the same for you, that your love for God and for others would grow in knowledge and in depth of insight, so that you would be able to make the best decisions and love people in the best way. 

Philippians 1:11 (NIV)
¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God. 

On verse 11:  What is the “fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ”?  According to Isaiah 32:17, the fruit (or effect) of righteousness is peace and confidence.  When you receive Christ into your life and you draw near to Him, you experience peace and confidence.  So when Paul prays that the people in his church would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, in other words Paul is praying that they would be filled with peace and confidence because of their relationship with Jesus.  I pray the same for you: may you be filled with peace and confidence because of your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Holy Spirit, thank You that I am holy and blameless in Your sight because of Jesus.  Thank You that I am a work in progress and the object of Your affections.  Thank You for the peace and confidence I can know because I belong to You.  Today may I grow in knowledge and depth of insight so that I can discern what is best in every situation and give You glory.  In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!