Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Here we read of the preservation of the believer by the Lord; and what a glorious confidence it is! that where the Lord God hath begun the good work of faith and of sanctification, and of conformation into the image of the Lord Jesus, He will complete and finish it, will continue its performance as the faithful Saviour that He is, until the return of the glorified King and Christ.

Oh, how I do wish so very much that I had this confidence in the same measure that the apostle did! for then would there be truest joy, purest love, greatest zeal, and most sincere praise and thanks toward Him to Whom it is due: our God, our Rock, our Emmanuel.

Ah Lord, I believe that Thou hast begun this work in me, but my faith is yet so wanting, so small. Increase it I pray, dear Lord. I thank Thee for this promise of Thy continued working, Thy faithful care over them Whom Thou hast redeemed and called by Thine Own Name. Ah Lord, work in me to glorify you more and more as the day of Christ approaches, even if it is not to be in my lifetime.

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace;
8 For God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love many abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

This prayer is convicting and refreshing, profitable, and altogether rich in instruction as well. Pray God for the grace to fashion our lives according to these words. The last verse (11) is my favourite, for it is the foundation upon which the others take place. Indeed it would be impossible for our love to abound more and more, and with it knowledge and judgment, as well as impossible for us to approve excellence and to be sincere and without offense--unless we were filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ.
The fruits of our own righteousness would only be death, as "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10) although "most men will proclaim every one his own goodness" (Pr. 20:6) for all of our righteousness and good works are riddled with iniquity and deceit, are but filthy rags, and would by no means pass for a wedding garment (Matthew 22:11-13).

But as the passage says, we are filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, that is, the fruits of HIS righteousness, of the work He has already done and of the nature that is His Own; as it is written, "that by these [His exceeding great and precious promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature," (II Peter 1:4) It is not only seed from whence fruit would after time come, but fruit fully ripe! Oh! no wonder then that it is said our love should abound yet more and more, and that we should be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

It would not do to leave off the reason for this abundance and filling. It is not only so that we may abound in love, virtue, and sincerity, but its design is for the glory and praise of God. A life lived in humility and service is not an end in itself, but the end is the glory and praise of God, as it is written.

The Lord knows what great wickedness my heart is privy to, that somehow even though I know how wretchedly sinful I am, yet I manage despite it to let pride come in when it appears I am doing some better in my outward actions of conformity to His will. Why? How? and how long? I do not know, but I hate it. This is why I find it careful to remember the reason behind being sanctified and filled by the righteousness of the Lord. It is for His glory. He must increase, and I must decrease.

My final thought to be reflected here on this passage is concerning the prayer that we "approve things that are excellent". It seems so common today, even sadly among the truly saved, to desire great emphasis upon "liberty in Christ" and little or no emphasis upon approving things that are excellent.

1. In the area of dress, many would claim liberty in Christ to dress as they please, with little or no value or consideration for modesty and avoidance of worldly trends and fashion.
2. In the area of music many would claim liberty in Christ to listen to that which they please with no regard as to whether it agrees with godly principals of moderation, of melodious sound, or spiritual goodness.
3. In the area of speech, many would claim liberty in Christ to use minced oaths, to adopt the world's way of expressing surprise, disgust, and disappointment by employing words that are crude, base, filthy, without grace, corrupt, and shameful, or use "sound alike" words (or non-words) to convey the same meaning without the offense, but the offense is still there.

The point being, even if the Bible did not condemn each of these things individually, (which it does) "liberty in Christ" is not intended to be a license to be "as worldly as you can be without overtly sinning", but goes hand in hand with approving excellence. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ is a very liberating thing! and we approve things that are excellent because of it: excellent dress, excellent music, excellent speech, and excellent conversation in our daily walk on this narrow path.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel,
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places.
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of good will.
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 Bur the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice;
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 Accordng to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ would be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour, yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better;
24 Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith,
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God:
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to belive on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Colossians 1

[This is written from memory, as I attempt to further solidify the Word of the Lord in my mind and heart, and consequently my life, so any mistakes that are overlooked I apologize for.]

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

2 Unto the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

6 Which is come unto you as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, 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;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light,

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of dakness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.

20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself: by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven:

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight:

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister:

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

25 Wherof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints,

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Oh, what a blessed portion of Holy Writ! Oh, may the Lord God make me to live by every blessed word!



Two themes that stick out to me in this passage are

1.) The preeminence, Godhead, and power of the Lord Jesus Christ; and

2.) The fruitfulness expected of the one who has faith in Him



Of Christ:

Starting in verse 14, the Lord Jesus is credited with a very many things:

Our redemption (v. 14)

Our forgiveness (v.14)

Being the image of God (v. 15)

Being the firstborn of ever creature (v. 15)

Being Creator of all things in heaven and earth (v. 16)

Being before all things, and He by Whom all things consist (v. 17)

Being the head of the body, the church (v. 18)

The beginning (v. 18)

The firstborn from the dead (v. 18)

Preeminent over all things (v. 18)

He in Whom all fulness dwells (v. 19)

Making peace through the blood of His cross (v. 20)

Reconciling all things unto Himself (v. 20)

Reconciling sinners to be holy, unblameable and unreproveable in His sight (v. 21)

Working mightily in His servant (v.29)



He hath done all things well indeed. And the application the writer (Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) gives of what this means for the believer in Him is encouraging, and Oh! that I would take more heart in it. For I would that I should live by every precious truth contained herein. For this is what we read



Of the believer:

We have hope laid up in heaven (v. 5)

The word of the gospel brings forth fruit in us (v.6)

The grace of God is known in truth (v. 6)

We may be filled with the knowledge of His will (v.9)

We are given wisdom and spiritual understanding (v. 9)

We may walk in a way all pleasing to our God (v.10)

We may be fruitful in every good work (v.10)

We increase in the knowledge of God (v.10)

We are strengthened with all might by Him, to be patient, longsuffering, and joyful (v. 11)

We are partakers of the inheritance of the saints (v.12)

We are delivered from the power of darkness (v.13)

We are translated into the kingdom of Jesus Christ (v.13)

We are redeemed (v.14)

We are forgiven (v.14)

We are reconciled (v. 21)

We are made holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight (v.22)

Christ in us is the hope of glory (v.27)

We are perfect in Christ Jesus (v. 28)


To think that Christ, in Whom it pleased the Father for all fulness to dwell, and in Whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, resides in those who believe in Him! No wonder then that it is written that we might"walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."


May the Lord increase my faith, and in so doing, increase every fruit of His Holy Spirt in my life.