Transcript

Andrew Murray wrote this, “Reading a book about prayer, listening to lectures and talking about it is very good, but it won’t teach you to pray. You get nothing without exercise, without practice. I might listen for a year to a professor of music playing the most beautiful music, but that won’t teach me to play an instrument.”

It is God’s will for our lives that prayer be our passion, our priority, and our practice. Under grace, we are called to pray, to pray all the time, and to pray about everything.

As we strive to be conformed to Christ’s image, and to have a Christ-like walk, we should pray. I Corinthians 11:1 teaches the Body of Christ to follow Paul as he followed Christ. As Paul followed Christ, he was a man of prayer, because our Savior was a Man of prayer.

We see this in the Gospel records: Matthew 14:23 says, “And when [Christ] had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.”

On a separate occasion, Luke 6:12 reads: “And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

In Luke 11:1 it says, “And it came to pass, that, as [Christ] was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (cf. Luke 9:18).

The entire chapter of John 17 is a moving, priestly prayer of Christ for His disciples. And as we know in the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord intensely prayed in the shadow of the Cross.

Paul’s letters of grace for today are filled with prayer. His letters contain his prayers for the saints, and they have instruction about prayer for the church under grace.

We are taught and we learn by example, and by the example of Paul’s prayers as he followed Christ, we are taught how to pray under grace. Just the amount the subject comes up and how much Paul prays in his letters teaches us how prayer needs to be a priority in our lives.

And a major theme to Paul’s prayers that we find in his letters is spiritual growth and prayer for others to come to the full knowledge of the truth for today.

In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul writes: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Paul prays for the Philippian church, and he has 4 prayer requests for them and they all build on one another: (1) That your love many abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. (2) That ye may approve things that are excellent. (3) That ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. (4) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ.

Paul’s prayer for them is not for wealth, comfort, or freedom from trouble. It is much deeper and more meaningful than that.

Paul had written in verse 6, that he was confident that God who had begun a good work in the Philippians would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul knew God was at work in each of them and prays for their continued growth and spiritual progress. He prayed that their love to abound more and more.

This is really a call to become more and more like Christ, because Christ is love, He is the picture of God’s perfect love; He defines what love really is, does, and means.

The love Paul desired for the Philippians is a fruit of the Spirit, it is the result of His working in our loves and He produces it in us through spiritual growth and our relationship with the Lord. Thus as Paul prays that love would abound more and more in them it is a prayer for them to grow closer and closer to the Lord.

The word “abound” in the original Greek is in the present active and means “to superabound and to keep on overflowing in a perpetual flood of love.”

God desires for His love to superabound and overflow in our lives, for it to overflow in great abundance toward others, toward our families, our friends, co-workers, the church, to all.

But this is not just emotion, feeling or sentimentality, it’s God’s agape love, it’s love in action, to willingly, sacrificially give ourselves to others, to serve others.

Paul did not want a limit to the quantity or quality of their love. He wanted their love to abound and overflow and to grow more and more.

But Paul also prayed that this abounding love be based in “knowledge.”

Paul wanted intelligent love, not just blind affection. He wanted tangible, biblical love, based in knowledge, founded on doctrinal and practical truth in God’s Word.

Frank Gaebelein wrote: “Spiritual knowledge, gained from an understanding of divine revelation, enables the believer to love what God commands and in the way He reveals.”

In God’s Word we see and learn of the depth, height, breadth, and length of God’s love. Our love is to be as the love of God revealed to us in the Word. We’re to live out the Word which reveals what God’s love is and which shows us what true love is.

Paul wanted the church to grow in love according to the Word, to love with God’s love. Thus, for our love to abound yet more and more, we need to know God and know His Word more and more. So this prayer is really a call to abound in love by growing in God’s Word.

Paul also says we’re to abound in love “in all judgment,” which speaks of spiritual discernment and perception.

We’re to abound in love based on spiritual knowledge and with spiritual perceptiveness, perceiving what it means to our lives. It’s been said about this verse that “knowledge” is knowing; “judgment,” is knowing what to do about knowing.

Having spiritual knowledge combined with spiritual discernment, perception, and insight, we’ll live out the Word and properly apply it to our lives and our love will abound, and our lives will be transformed by God’s grace.

Philippians 1:10: “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.”

Having spiritual knowledge and spiritual discernment, Paul prays to for the church to “approve things that are excellent.” Paul’s prayer is like a building block.

For love to abound, it must be in knowledge, or knowing the Word. Knowing the Word, we must be spiritually discerning of its truths to apply it to our lives. Knowing and applying the Word our love will abound.

Then with spiritual knowledge and discernment we must “approve things that are excellent.”

In our last episode, we saw how Paul taught the Church to pray for the unbelieving, because as 1 Timothy 2:4 says, God desires “all men to be saved.” The rest of that verse say that God also desires all people, “to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This is something you find Paul praying for throughout his letters, and this is what his prayer is here for the Philippians and the entire Church, the Body of Christ.

The word “approve” means to try, analyze, examine, to prove, to test something for the purpose of approving it. The word “excellent,” comes from a word that means “to differ, to carry two ways, to carry different ways.”

The verse has been and can be translated, to try or test the things that differ. This is why we have a book at Berean Bible Society with this title, Things That Differ, by C. R. Stam.

With spiritual knowledge and spiritual insight we are to try the things that differ. We are to try the things that differ in the Word in relation to the dispensational distinctions and the two programs and hopes found in God’s Word,

In the Word we do find things that differ, we find things that are meant for another dispensation, things meant for another program, things meant for the nation Israel and things meant for us, the Church, the Body of Christ.

For example, James says a man is justified by works and not faith only, Paul says we’re justified by faith. Mark says he that believes and is baptized is saved, Paul says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, that salvation is “not of works.”

Matthew says to forgive others in order to be forgiven, Paul says to forgive because we already are forgiven. God’s Word teaches about an earthly, eternal kingdom hope of heaven on the earth; and Paul teaches about a heavenly kingdom in heaven hope.

Matthew says whatever we ask in prayer believing we will receive, Paul says we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, and that the Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God. The Word speaks of the 2nd coming of Christ after the Tribulation, Paul speaks of a secret coming of Christ before the Tribulation.

So which is true? All of it is true. But 2 Timothy 2:15 teaches us to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We need to rightly divide the Word of truth. The Bible is all truth, but it is not all truth written directly to us or for us to directly live by today under grace.

With spiritual knowledge and discernment we are called to “approve,” to study, analyze and examine the Word, to find what is written directly to us, and to approve the instruction and promises that are true for us, that we might properly live by the Word.

So we try the things that differ that we might, as it says, “approve the things that are excellent.” That’s not a bad way to translate it or to think about it. We need to test and approve the excellent things that WE should live by today, the excellent things that are in accordance with God’s will and what He is doing today under grace.

The reason we try the things that differ and rightly divide the Word is so that we rightly apply it and live lives of spiritual excellence at the highest level of devotion and obedience, so we might be strong in faith, and full of fruit and good works and service for His glory.

And as we grow deeper in His Word, rightly divided, with knowledge and discernment, we grow deeper in our knowledge of God and His love, and thus our love will abound yet more and more as our knowledge and insights of Him travel from our heads to our hearts.

Paul’s building block prayer continues in verse 10. Paul prayed that our love abound, based on knowledge and discernment of God’s Word, and our loves abounds more and more when with knowledge and discernment we approve and live by the excellent things of God’s will for the church under grace.

Paul’s prayer is that as we do all this, that we may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.

The word “sincere” means “to be judged by sunlight and found pure.” It’s said that dealers in pottery in Paul’s day would fill the cracks in a defective piece of pottery with wax which would be concealed by paint or a glaze.

Wise buyers of pottery would then hold the vessel up to the sunlight to see if there were any flaws, and to see if it was true and without defects.

Paul’s prayer was that in their love and conduct from then until the day of Christ at the Judgment Seat, that they would be people of the Word who were spiritually discerning, and abounding in love, sincere believers who lived in harmony with God’s program for today.

And his prayer was that at that day when they stood before the Lord at the Judgment Seat, that as they were judged by Christ and held up to the light of His Word, that their conduct and service would be found to be sincere, pure, true, and blameless.

And Paul also prayed that they would be “without offense” or not a stumbling block. If we wrongly apply the Word and live by promises meant for another program, meant for Israel, we can stumble in the Christian life, and we can make others stumble as well.

But God doesn’t want us to be stumbling blocks. He wants us to be stepping-stones to others trusting Christ, to believers seeing the truth of His Word, and to encourage other believers to grow in Him and abound in love.

And as we live closely by the Word, living by the excellent things for today, in abounding love, with sincerity, we’ll be without offense, and Paul’s prayer was that this be true until the day of Christ, or the Rapture, and we’re with the Lord in glory.

Philippians 1:11: “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

The fourth part of Paul’s building block prayer is that our knowledge, discernment, and approval and application of the excellent things for us to live by today within God’s Word lead us to being filled with the fruits of righteousness.

The Word of God gives instruction in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16 says. As we know the Word and apply it and allow the truths of grace for today to transform our lives, it yields the fruits of righteousness in our lives, and living a life filled with this.

The knowledge and application of God’s righteous Word leads believers toward a righteous, godly life, and it can lead believers to get to work for the Lord, to live a life of fruitful righteous service out of gratitude for His grace, being motivated by His love.

In a similar prayer in Colossians 1:9-10, Paul wrote the church there and said,

“For this cause we…do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work…”

Paul prayed for a fruitful Christian life for the Body of Christ, a life of righteous service and righteous character. The fruits of righteousness are not produced by man-power, by our own self-will, strength and effort, but as it says, they “are by Jesus Christ.”

Christ produces His fruit in our lives, and He does so as we submit our wills to His, as we grow nearer in our relationship with Him, and as we trust and obey His Word.

God desires for our life to bear fruit unto Him and for His glory. This is His will for us. The fruits of righteousness are produced by Christ and are for the glory and praise to God.

This is the purpose of every endeavor in the Christian life, it is the very purpose of our lives.

“For this cause we…do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work…”

Paul prayed for a fruitful Christian life for the Body of Christ, a life of righteous service and righteous character. The fruits of righteousness are not produced by man-power, by our own self-will, strength and effort, but as it says, they “are by Jesus Christ.”

Christ produces His fruit in our lives, and He does so as we submit our wills to His, as we grow nearer in our relationship with Him, and as we trust and obey His Word.

God desires for our life to bear fruit unto Him and for His glory. This is His will for us. The fruits of righteousness are produced by Christ and are for the glory and praise to God.

This is the purpose of every endeavor in the Christian life, it is the very purpose of our lives.

And Paul’s prayer was for any obstacles and barriers to be removed and a door opened for the Word that he might “speak the mystery of Christ.”

Now the reason Paul calls it the “mystery” of Christ is because he’s referring to the preaching of Christ as He was never preached before. That word “mystery” means “to shut the mouth” and refers to something God never revealed before.

The Mystery of Christ is as Paul says in Rom. 16:25, “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”

The mystery of Christ Paul is referring to is the body of truth given to him which reveals the heavenly ministry of Christ according to what He is doing today in this present dispensation of Grace, as the glorified, exalted Head of the Church, the Body of Christ.

It is the “mystery of Christ” because at its center, the focal point of the body of truth for today is Christ, and the preaching of the Cross and all Christ accomplished for us there.

In God’s Word, Christ has two ministries: (1) an earthly ministry according to prophecy and Israel’s covenants, and (2) a heavenly ministry according to the mystery and grace.

God has two programs in His Word and plans for mankind, a program for Israel and a program for the Church, Body of Christ. Christ is the foundation of both.

God’s program for Israel proclaimed throughout the Old Testament, the Gospels, and early Acts all revealed an earthly kingdom hope, with Christ ruling over Israel and all the earth as King, reigning in righteousness and peace from Jerusalem.

But with the temporary setting aside of Israel because of her unbelief, God ushered in a program never before revealed in God’s Word, which is why it’s called the “mystery.”

Christ revealed this program to Paul directly. Under this program we find that we have our own apostle, church, gospel, hope, baptism, position, commission, walk, last days, return of Christ, resurrection, and judgment before Christ.

God’s program for the Body of Christ proclaimed in Paul’s epistles speaks of salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone, and of a heavenly hope for believers, where we are exalted and blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ.

The catching away of the Body of Christ at the Rapture prior to Israel’s prophesied Tribulation period closes this program of grace.

Following it, the program for Israel will once again pick up and be carried out just as God’s Word says it will, and all the promises for Israel will be completely and literally fulfilled.

It was for proclaiming the “mystery of Christ” that Paul says he was now “in bonds.” But he wasn’t going to stop. His love for people was deep and abiding. And in his burden and love for people they needed to know God’s message about Christ and His grace for today.

And Paul’s desire was for a door of opportunity to be opened that he might continue to proclaim this message and the good news of Christ crucified and risen again.

Paul’s request for the Colossians as they prayed for him was that he also might “make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

“Manifest” means plainly, clearly, with absolute clarity. Paul wanted to make Christ and the gospel of grace known and to make it known clearly.

Paul adds that this is how “I ought to speak.” This can speak of a couple things, and probably both are included in Paul’s statement.

First, the word “ought” means that it was his responsibility, his duty before God to make the mystery of Christ known. This is what he was called to as an apostle of Jesus Christ. As Paul stated back in 1:25,26 of this book:

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the Word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.”

Second, “as I ought to speak,” means that making Christ and the gospel known plainly and with clarity is how Paul believed Christ should always be preached.

This is what Paul did as he preached to the Galatians: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently [vividly, clearly] set forth, crucified among you?” (3:1).

It’s important to make the Scriptures personal, and as we should with verse 4. Make the “I” speak of you. That “I” may make Christ known clearly, as “I” ought to speak. We have a duty to tell others the truth as Christ’s ambassadors and to do so with clarity.

And understanding the Mystery allows us to tell others about Christ clearly and His earthly ministry to Israel and His heavenly ministry to the Body of Christ, and it also allows us to tell others what the gospel of salvation is for today with absolute clarity.

It’s not keeping the commandments, it’s not selling all you have and giving to the poor, it’s not repentance and water baptism, it’s not by any works, it’s by grace through faith alone in the truth that Christ died for you, for your sins, was buried and rose again the third day. Just trusting this alone, we have the free gift of salvation.

As we consider how to pray under grace, like Paul, we should pray for others to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and to apply it; we should pray for people to come to the knowledge of the truth of what God is doing today under grace; and we should pray for opportunities to share the truth and to make it known with clarity.