by Dr. Grant C. Richison
“That you may approve the things that are excellent”
In this passage we have two more items for which Paul prays. Today we will study the second petition–”that you may approve the things that are excellent.”
“That you may approve”
The word “approve” means to test for approval. This is spiritual discernment. Discernment is the ability […]
“… that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”
Verse ten presents the second and third petitions of Paul for the Philippians. Today we will study the third petition: “that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”
“that you may be sincere”
“Sincere” literally means “unmixed, […]
“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness. . .”
Verse eleven sets forth the characteristics of those who produce the three requests for which Paul prays:
1. “. . . that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,”
2. “that you may approve the things that are excellent,”
3. “that you […]
“…which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”
“which are by Jesus Christ”
“By” means “through” = instrumentality. It is through the instrumentality of Christ that fruit is produced in our lives. The Greek has a definite article before the word “through”–”the through” = “by that I mean the kind which is […]
“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me…”
We now turn from Paul’s prayer for the Philippians to Paul’s attitude about being jailed. Philippians 1:12-24. His attitude is connected closely with how he viewed God’s sovereign hand on his situation. The Philippian church was deeply concerned about Paul. They […]
“…have actually turned out…”
In our study of the first phrase we saw that there are no accidents in the life of the child of God. Now Paul demonstrates what this means in his own life.
“…have actually turned out…”
The phrase “turned out” is in a tense which means the action was completed in the past with […]
“…for the furtherance of the Gospel,”
Today we come to the last phrase of verse twelve. This is the reason for the sovereign hand of God upon Paul.
for the furtherance
The word “furtherance” was used to refer to a group of people who cut brush and trees down in an impenetrable forest before an advancing army. […]
“So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;”
Now we come to the results of God’s sovereignly placing Paul in prison. There are two results, two ways his adversity advanced the cause of Christ.
The impact his imprisonment had on non-Christians, v13.
The effect […]
“And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear.”
We come to the second result of Paul’s imprisonment. The first result spread the gospel all over the Roman Empire–a number of the Praetorian guard came to Christ. The second result impacted […]
“Some indeed preach christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill.”
In Prison Paul had two sorts of opposition, both from without and from within. Antagonism from without came from Roman authorities. Animosity from within came from the church! And this from a church that Paul said their “faith was spoken of throughout […]
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