Love that Abounds with Knowledge
Scripture Reading:
“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 defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 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.”
— Philippians 1:7–11 (KJV)
The apostle Paul, writing from prison, reveals the deep affection he carried for the believers in Philippi. Though confined by chains, his heart was free and full of love. What sustained him was not only his confidence in God’s work among them but also the reality that they shared in his sufferings and in the defense of the gospel. Their fellowship in Christ bound them together with cords that even prison walls could not sever.
Exposition
Paul’s words in this passage move from personal affection to intercessory prayer. He longed for them “in the bowels of Jesus Christ,” meaning that his love for them was not merely human affection but the very compassion of Christ flowing through him. This love, however, was not sentimental. It had a goal: that the Philippians’ love would grow deeper, wiser, and more discerning.
He prays that their love would “abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.” True Christian love is not blind passion or vague kindness. It is informed by the truth of God’s Word and exercised with spiritual discernment. Love must learn to distinguish what is excellent, so that believers might live sincerely and without offense, bearing the fruits of righteousness until the day Christ returns.
Supporting Scripture
This prayer echoes the call of Romans 12:9: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Love is never divorced from holiness. Likewise, Colossians 1:9–10 records Paul’s similar prayer—that believers would 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.” True love is not lawless; it flourishes in righteousness.
Application
For us today, Paul’s prayer serves as both comfort and challenge. Comfort, because it reminds us that the Christian life is not about shallow affection but about Christ-shaped love that anchors us in truth. Challenge, because it confronts our tendency to let love drift into mere sentimentality or to separate it from discernment.
We are called to pray for a love that abounds—not just in quantity, but in quality. This means asking God to deepen our love for one another in ways that are wise, discerning, and holy. Such love protects the church from compromise, builds up the body in unity, and glorifies Christ by bearing the fruits of righteousness.
In a world that often equates love with tolerance of all things, Christians are called to embody a better way: love that rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6), that seeks holiness, and that ultimately reflects the heart of Christ Himself.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with Your love, not shallow or fleeting, but rich in truth and discernment. Teach me to love what is excellent, to pursue sincerity, and to bear the fruits of righteousness that bring glory to Your name. May my love for others be shaped by Your compassion and grounded in Your Word, until the day You return. Amen.
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