Philippians 1:3-11 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
This short passage answers at least two questions:
1. Why does Paul pray with confidence and joy for the saints at Philippi?
Because “HE who began a good work in [them] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
In other words, when God starts something, he finishes it.
2. For what does Paul pray?
That [their] love may abound more and more in
A. knowledge, and
B. depth of insight.
So that [they] may:
1. be able to discern what is best, and
2. be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, and
3. be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-
To the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s prayer for the saints at Philippi has one goal in mind: the glory and praise to God.
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