And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment… 

                                                                                                     Philippians 1:9 

In today’s passage Paul is praying for the church at Philippi. His prayer is a simple yet powerful one. Knowing that love is at the core of the Christian life, he is praying that the love of those Christians would “abound more and more.” This word “abound” can be defined as “exceeding” or “abundantly overflowing.” Love is not to just exist in the life of a believer it is to overflow from within that life. This prayer echoes the same sentiment as the prayer found in Ephesians 3, namely that those Christians would “be rooted and grounded in love.”

It should come as no surprise that Paul zeroes in on love as the topic and focus of his prayer. This word “love” (agape in the Greek) is the same word used to describe God (1 John 4:8). It is the single descriptor for the fulfillment of the Law of God (Romans 13:10). Jesus says that it is the currency by which the rest of the world will know that we are His followers (John 13:34-35). But perhaps most importantly, it is at the top of the list of characteristics of Spirit-filled people (Galatians 5:22-23).

I believe that any opportunity we have to teach and disciple others should be centered on two things: (1) our faith in the Person of Jesus Christ and our identity in Him, and (2) how we are to love others. This opinion is derived from John’s simplification of the commandments of God. Consider the following:

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

                                                                                                     1 John 3:23-24 

As believers, we are to believe (trust) and love. If we could ever fully grasp the importance and simplicity of this message, I believe that the church would see a resurgence in its effectiveness in reaching a lost and dying world with the gospel of Jesus. To believe and to love, to love and to believe…these are the instructions that we have for living out our lives. John declares that we will know we are abiding in Him (Christ) when we do these two things. In addition, the consistency of this lifestyle will be the evidence that we have received the Spirit of God. When we walk by the Spirit of God (as opposed to just trying to do things for God), we will see several evidences of His presence.

At the top of the list in knowing that we are acting in the strength and power of God’s Spirit is the ability to love. Loving God and loving others is the foundation for enjoying the Christian life. The biblical definition of love is threefold. It requires (1) having affection for someone (this is not romantic affection), (2) desiring to see good things come into their lives, and (3) being willing to do whatever is necessary to see those things become reality. God demonstrated this kind of love by giving us His Son. God cares for us, desires good things for us, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to redeem us back to Himself. This is the same type of love that we are to pour into the lives of others.

As important as it is to accurately define love, it is equally important for us to know what it is not. Love is not affirming destructive behavior. If we do not address people where they are living then we cannot say that we really care for them. Ignoring attitudes and behaviors that are devastating and destructive to the individual is not a way to show them love. The “go along to get along” philosophy is the opposite of loving someone. We must always strive to see the best in the lives of others and sometimes that requires speaking the truth to them.

In addition, we are reminded that Christian love is dependent on the Spirit of God primarily because we cannot accomplish such a feat without Him. Jesus put it this way:

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

                                                                                                Matthew 5:46-48 

To only love those who love us is not a demonstration of Christian love. It is normal behavior for all of us to love our families and those who affirm us. Of course we should love our family and friends, but Christian love demands a loving attitude towards everyone, even those who would oppose us. In our flesh, we cannot succeed in this type of love. To love our enemies seems to run against the grain of our own wants and desires. To extend a hand of friendship to those who would spit in our face seems nonsensical, yet that is what God did as came to earth and took on flesh.

So why does Paul insist on praying for those Christians to exhibit a love that is abounding more and more? I believe that Paul understood the enormous necessity that love plays in the presentation of the gospel as well as the spiritual growth of believers. What about us? Are we making faith in Christ and love for others the priority of our lives? Remember, when looking for the evidence that the Spirit of God is alive and well in your life, love is at the top of the list!