#DailyDevotion We Bear The Fruit Of Righteousness Through Christ
Philippians 2:7-11
It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my wit#DailyDevotion We Bear The Fruit Of Righteousness Through Christness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Much like last Sunday’s epistle lesson Paul has a prayer for the Philippians that covers many of the same things: Love that abounds more and more, increase in knowledge and discernment, to then end being pure and blameless on the day of Christ and filled with the fruit of righteousness.
On the one hand it looks like Paul is praying Jesus would do something for us and on the other hand it seems as if he is praying that we would be doing something. Of course the answer is yes.
Paul is praying that God would increase in them love. The source of our love for one another is the love God has for us in Christ Jesus. But that love becomes manifest in our lives as we show that love for one another. That love is shown in self-sacrifice, service, honoring other more than ourselves and looking into how can we improve the lives of the people around us. It is showing mercy, kindness and forgiveness to the people that are put in our lives. This is what God has done for you in Christ Jesus.
God doesn’t want us to remain simple, ignorant Christians. He gives us pastors and teachers. He expects us to use them. Through them and the teaching of the Word of God, we are to gain knowledge about our God and our Lord Jesus Christ and through this knowledge gain discernment. Discernment into what is God’s will for us and what is not, who is a false teacher and who is not. With the knowledge and discernment he gives us we are to use that we might approve that which is excellent, good and noble and think about such things.
Through these things the Holy Spirit makes us pure and blameless for the day of Christ. This does not mean we will reach perfection in this life. But inwardly, the Lord is renewing us day by day. On the day of Christ we will shed off these mortal coils and be clothed with immortality. All that will remain is the good God worked in us. We are not automatons though. As the Spirit so moves us to live and act we trust and act accordingly. We will bear the fruit of righteousness for it comes through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only our connection with Christ through faith that the Lord Jesus works in, with and through us to accomplish his will. Or as Paul says, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” And “It is God who wills and works in you to do good.”
Heavenly Father so increase in us love, knowledge and discernment that we may lead lives pleasing to you and grant us your Spirit that we may be presented before you on the day of Christ pure and blameless. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.