"And
this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real
knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that
are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of
Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes
through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Paul prays that we would be constantly growing in truth and love.
It is essential that our love be bound in truth and that our truth be
saturated with love. Discerning love is a characteristic of a committed
follower of Christ. And the disciple is never satisfied with the depth
of his understanding of God's truth nor with the extravagance of his
love for others. "More and more" is his daily prayer--experientially.
Why is such a continuous balanced growth essential--growth in love and
truth? First, such growth gives one the insight to distinguish what
things in this world are excellent, as God defines excellent. And being
able to differentiate between what is excellent and what is not allows
the growing disciple to pray for the right things with a thankful heart
and to make the right choices with a heart permeated by God's peace. And
then, secondly, being able to pray with confident thanksgiving and
being able to choose the excellent enables the growing saint--holy
one--to live a life of sincerity--devoid of hypocrisy--and a life that
is blameless in the eyes of God and men--both saved and unsaved. Yes,
right choices are the foundation for right living. (Imagine that!) And,
thirdly, what are the supernatural consequences of right living--a
transformed life. No, more than that--a life that is constantly being
transformed. New creations in Christ are changed human beings and
constantly changing human beings. All things are new, and life consists
of the continual struggle of putting off the old and putting on the new
by the regenerative, transformational power of the indwelling Holy
Spirit. Right choices leads to the disciple being "filled with the fruit
of righteousness" which is only possible through a relationship with
Jesus Christ. What is righteousness? What does it look like? "The fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." That's God definition of the
"fruit of righteousness." And even as I demonstrate those things today,
God's purpose is that I become "more and more" transformed--more loving
to all people, more joyous in the depths of my sorrows, more at peace in
all circumstances, more patient with those in my life that remind me of
myself, more kind--forgiving, more full of goodness, more unwaveringly
faithful, more willing to stoop over gently and lift up the fallen, more
dead to my selfish wants. That only happens as I obediently grow in
love and truth through submission to the life of Christ that lives
within me. And finally, what is the outcome of my "more and more"
growth--of my right choices, righteous living, and transformed life?
God's praise and glory. I will be empowered to live a life that leaves
the perfume of His presence in all that I do and say. What astounding
love that God can use a human being to glorify Himself every moment of
their daily walk!
May we begin by joining Paul and interceding for
those that we love that they may desire a "more and more" growth. And
may we daily submit to the Spirit's control of our lives so that we may
grow "more and more" and daily develop a deeper understanding of His
truth and daily display a fuller demonstration of His love.
Daily.
More and more.
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