Essentials for Spiritual Health (Philippians 1:9-11)
This sermon unpacks Paul's prayer for the Philippian believers, revealing fundamental principles for a vibrant spiritual life. It gently guides listeners through the interconnected virtues that lead to a life honoring God.
Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 reveals five sequential essentials for robust Christian living: love, excellence, integrity, good works, and ultimately, God's glory, all produced through Christ.
Overview
This sermon unpacks Paul’s prayer for the Philippian believers in Philippians 1:9-11, identifying five essential features for sound spiritual health: love, excellence, integrity, good works, and glory. These elements are presented as a sequential progression, with love serving as the foundational virtue from which all others flow, leading ultimately to God’s praise.
The sermon first delves into love, highlighting it as the most distinguishing virtue of Christianity, a stark contrast to other religions where deities are feared, not loved. This love (agapē) is defined as divine, decisive, dynamic, deep, and discerning. It's not a mere emotion, but an act of selfless sacrifice, rooted in a deep knowledge of God's Word.
Next, the focus shifts to excellence, which is the ability to "approve the things that are excellent." This requires a renewed mind that can distinguish between what is good and what is best, rather than just good and bad. The sermon emphasizes the need for Christians to control their thought patterns and pursue noble goals, moving beyond reactive, mood-driven living.
Finally, the sermon explores integrity, encompassing both personal sincerity (being genuine, "without wax," free from hypocrisy) and relational blamelessness (not causing others to stumble). This integrity demands a firm resistance against worldly compromise, which can subtly lead to accommodation, legitimation, assimilation, participation, amalgamation, and identification. These virtues culminate in being filled with the "fruit of righteousness"—good works and attitudes produced through Jesus Christ—all for the glory and praise of God until the Day of Christ.
Key points
- Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 outlines five sequential essentials for sound spiritual health: love, excellence, integrity, good works, and glory.
- Love (agapē) is the foundational and distinguishing virtue of Christianity, defined as a selfless, discerning act of will rooted in knowledge, not mere emotion.
- Excellence involves the mind’s ability to "approve the things that are excellent," discerning between good and best rather than just good and bad, requiring mind over mood.
- Integrity means being "sincere" (without hypocrisy, like pottery without wax) and "blameless" (not causing others to stumble), requiring a no-compromise attitude.
- Compromise with the world happens subtly through stages: accommodation, legitimation, assimilation, participation, amalgamation, and identification.
- Good works, referred to as "the fruit of righteousness," are righteous deeds and attitudes that come through Jesus Christ working in believers, not by human effort.
- The ultimate purpose of a life lived with these essentials is "to the glory and praise of God," recognizing Him as the source and recipient of all honor.
In John MacArthur's words
“It is not the ability to distinguish between good and bad. Everybody can do that. It is the ability to distinguish between good and best, and only a few seem to be able to do that.”
“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the delight for spiritual things; whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin.”
“You must realize that the fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ. He produces it in you.”
Outline
- I. Introduction: Paul's Prayer for Essentials of Spiritual Health (Philippians 1:9-11)
- II. Love (Verse 9)
- A. The Foundation of Christian Living
- B. The Distinction of Christianity: God's Love
- C. Qualities of Divine Love
- D. Love as Selfless Sacrifice, Not Emotion
- III. Excellence (Verse 10)
- A. A Sense of Priority: Approving What is Excellent
- B. Dokimazō: Testing to Verify or Prove
- C. Diapherō: Discerning What is Most Important
- D. Distinguishing Between Good and Best
- E. A Prayer for the Mind: Mind Over Mood
- IV. Integrity (Verse 10)
- A. Purpose: To Be Sincere and Blameless
- B. Sincere (eilikrins / sine cera): Personal Integrity Without Hypocrisy
- C. Blameless: Relational Integrity Not Causing Stumbling
- D. The Necessity of a No-Compromise Attitude
- E. The Subtle Process of Worldly Compromise
- F. Duration: "Until the Day of Christ"
- V. Good Works (Verse 11)
- A. The Fruit of Righteousness Produced by Earlier Virtues
- B. Karpos: Good Works, Product, Results
- C. Righteous Deeds and Attitudes
- D. Source: "Which Comes Through Jesus Christ"
- VI. Glory (Verse 11)
- A. The Ultimate Purpose: "To the Glory and Praise of God"
- B. Doxa: The Sum Total of God's Perfection
- C. Praise: Homage Given for God's Perfection
Scripture references
- Philippians 1:9-11
- 1 Corinthians 13
- Luke 14:19
- Luke 12:56
- Romans 12:2
- Philippians 4:8
- Ephesians 5:8
- Ephesians 5:15-17
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
- Romans 12:9
- 2 Corinthians 1:12
- 2 Corinthians 2:17
- James 4:4
- 1 John 2:15
- 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
- 1 Corinthians 3
- 1 Corinthians 4
- Proverbs 11:30
- Amos 6:12
- James 3:18
- Romans 1:13
- Romans 15:28
- 2 Corinthians 9:10
- Ephesians 5:9
- Galatians 5
- John 15
- John 15:4
- John 15:8
- Ephesians 2:10
- Ephesians 1:12
- Ephesians 1:14
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Insights
True love, rooted in knowledge, is the foundation for all Christian living.
Spiritual excellence means discerning the best, not just avoiding the bad.
Genuine integrity means living openly, without hidden flaws or hypocrisy.
Questions & answers
What are the five essentials for sound spiritual health discussed in this sermon?
The sermon outlines five sequential essentials from Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11: love, excellence, integrity, good works, and ultimately, God's glory.
How does the sermon define "love" in the context of Christian living?
Christian love is described as a decisive, dynamic, deep, and discerning love of the will (agapē), rooted in knowledge and expressed as selfless sacrifice, not just an emotion.
What does it mean to "approve the things that are excellent"?
This means having the ability to evaluate and determine what is most important, distinguishing between good and best, and focusing one's life on noble goals rather than just reacting to circumstances.
How does the sermon illustrate "integrity" with the idea of "without wax"?
“Without wax” (sine cera) refers to ancient pottery being held to sunlight to reveal cracks hidden by wax. Spiritually, it means having a sincere life without hidden flaws or hypocrisy that would melt under scrutiny.
How does the sermon connect "good works" to Jesus Christ?
“Good works” are called “the fruit of righteousness” that “comes through Jesus Christ.” The sermon emphasizes that these are God's work produced in the believer's life, not human effort, so Christ receives the glory.
What is the sermon's ultimate goal for these spiritual essentials?
The ultimate goal is "to the glory and praise of God." A life characterized by love, excellence, integrity, and good works brings honor and affirmation to God for His transforming power.
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