Philippians 1:9-11: "And This is My Prayer"

I'm not much of a blogger, but I had two goals in mind for the summer. I wanted to be able to articulate myself a bit better, and I wanted to start writing out my QT's. So I figured a blog might help....

Philippians 1:9-11:

 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 for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Background


These little section of Philippians starts with: 

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,

 I see the heart behind the prayer in verses 3-5, but the contents in verse 9-11. Paul prays with joy for others, but in this passage, we also get to see what Paul exactly prays for.

Discerning Love 
 
Paul prays that the Philippians love would grow, but that is simply a means for them to discern what is best (v. 10). The ESV states to "approve what is excellent."

The first time I read this passage, I wondered why it isn't knowledge and insight in love that needs to abound more and more to be able to discern such things. Yet for whatever reason, what is excellent and best yields out of unbridled love. Love constrained by knowledge and insight, and not vice versa. Love as in just sentimentality and emotions could not accomplish the work of Christ on its own either though. I need to always convince myself that both of these are true.

What is Best:

Paul is telling us to discern through situations where there is no right or wrong by approving through love. Yet what are the things that are "best?" The only thing I can resolve from the rest of Philippians is that what is excellent  results in growing knowledge of Christ as Paul states that is his own goal in 3:10.


Application:

When I pray for others, I should pray that their love and knowledge grow through Christ. So that they can do what is best, fruiful, and pure.