Phil 1: 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment, (10) So that you may approve by testing the things which differ and are more excellent, that you may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ. (15) Some preach Christ even because of envy and strife, and some also because of good will, (16) These out of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. (17) But the others announce Christ out of selfish ambition, not purely, thinking to raise up affliction in my bonds.
According to the context of 1:9, Paul's meaning was that the Philippians needed knowledge and discernment to distinguish between Paul's preaching and that of the Judaistic believers. We today also need to discern between the many different kinds of preaching. Among Christians today, there are many different ways of preaching Christ. With all these ways, there are certain good points. If there were no good points at all in a particular way of preaching, no one would pay attention to it. But although the different ways of preaching Christ have certain positive features, we must ask whether or not such preaching is for God's economy [plan] , for His move on the earth today. Deep within, Paul realized that some of the Philippians had been distracted by the preaching of the Judaistic believers. In these verses Paul seemed to be saying, "Philippians, certain of you have been distracted from God's economy by the preaching of the Judaistic believers. I agree that you need to love these people. However, your love should abound in full knowledge and all discernment. Don't love others foolishly--love them soberly, with knowledge and sensitive perception." Certain famous preachers may be knowledgeable and eloquent. But if we have discernment, we shall realize that the goal of their preaching is the furtherance of their own work, not the advancement of God's economy. In order to discern the preaching of others in this way, we need more experience of Christ. Only the experience of Christ can cause love to abound in us in full knowledge and all discernment. Supplied with such a love, we shall love others, but not foolishly. He encouraged the Philippians to love, but to love in knowledge and discernment, not in foolishness and in blindness. (c) Living Stream Ministry.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Philippians, pp. 18-19. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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