In his letter to Christians at Philippi, Paul encouraged. . .
“(9) And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, (10) so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (11) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11 ESV)
Love is not just a surface thing. Nor is it merely sentimental or a feeling. Love is much deeper and to be understood more fully than that. The godly selfless love Paul urged his readers toward was that which is connected to knowledge and discernment. The Greek word translated “knowledge” here is from “epignosis” which refers to “full knowledge”. As Paul noted it also as being associated with “discernment” (Gk. “eisthesei”, referring to having the capacity to understand or have insight), love is to be properly centered and expressed. Therefore, knowing love as God would have us is not to understand it as the cover and acceptance of everything, but relates to the approval of what is excellent and leads to purity and blameless living before Him.
The love we are to abound in is that which is seeking the full-knowledge of God’s Sovereign Will and so be trained to exercise discernment between that which is acceptable and that which is not. (i.e. Hebrews 5:14) May we seek to learn and know more fully the love that knows the how and what to truly love as we are then moved to abound more and more in it!
Have a great day DISTINGUISHED BY LOVING GOD’S WAY!
Carl
