"That Ye May Be Sincere."

by GEO. E. STOCKWELL | Category: General | Mar 1944

It is helpful to notice the prayer of the apostle Paul concerning the saints at Philippi, more so perhaps when we remember that his letter to them is sometimes spoken of as the tenderest of all his epistles. In the letter to the Philippians we find no words of correction concerning wrongs found within the assembly, such as we find in the Corinthian epistle, where the Apostle says - " there are contentions among you"; "there is among you jealousy and strife": there is fornication among you"; and so forth. To the Philippians he could say- " I thank my God upon ALL my remembrance of you ... making my supplication with joy" (Philippians 1. 3-4).

As he prayed for them, joy welled up in his heart, and here we would apply this in our own lives. It may be that each one of us has at some time had an experience like that, whilst praying for others. The thought of their love, their kindness, their sincerity, fills us with a special joy and we are cheered. How sad is the reverse of this sometimes, when we bow our knees in prayer for one to whom, perhaps, we once looked for help and encouragement, but who has now left the pathway of obedience to follow his own way.! Our hearts yearn as we pray for the restoration of such.

The apostle could speak of the wondrous fellowship the Philippians had with him,-" fellowship in furtherance of the gospel," or as we might say-going shares, in furtherance of the gospel. They had not only followed him in prayer, but also sent their gifts to help in the furtherance of the work in which he was engaged. He could say " No church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but YE ONLY; for even in Thessalonica YE SENT ONCE AND AGAIN unto my need."

No wonder then that he could think of those beloved saints with such joy! But we might enquire, was he altogether satisfied with them ?- We would perhaps have thought he was, seeing he could speak so highly of what they had done, and that there was no need for words of exhortation. Let us think, however, of his prayer for them as in chapter 1. 9, 10,-" And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent (or, prove the things that differ, R.V.M.); THAT YE MAY BE SINCERE and void of offence unto the day of Christ."

The thought in the word abound here may be better understood if we think of a tumbler full of water, and when a few drops more are added there is an overflow. This same word is used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3.12 when he prays for them that they might" increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men," the power for the manifestation of such overflowing love as for all service being found in the overflowing grace o God, as we read in 2 Corinthians 9.8,-" God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all-sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work." Here, in Philippians this abounding love appears to be connected with "things" rather than, as in - Thessalonians, with "persons." So that they might "be sincere and void of offence the apostle desired that their love might abound more and more in such a knowledge of" things "and such discernment as would enable them not only to prove the things that differed, but to approve those that were excellent.

The Greek word which is rendered sincere in the passage under consideration is a composite one, derived from eile, sunshine, and krino, to judge, so that its meaning evidently is; judged in the sunshine. Of this judging of ourselves in the sunshine it has - well been written by another," This is a most wholesome exercise. The more light we have, the clearer will be the judgement. -If there were. more of this there would be less darkness in us: less hiding our faults in our bosom."

What the apostle prayed for the Philippians is most surely God's desire for ourselves. May it be ours then to examine ourselves before Him and see whether there be anything in our lives of which we may be ashamed in the presence of the Lord, for that was the thought before the apostle, that the Philippians might be "sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ," not giving any occasion of stumbling, but being always helpful to others.May I suggest that in order to get most good out of this prayer of the apostle we should each - one- make opportunity to come alone into the presence of the Lord, and ask ourselves, as before Him, AM I SINCERE ?

Let us deal with anything that may be in our hearts contrary to His will. Let nothing be kept hidden, or covered, for there is the sad possibility of our being ashamed before Him at His coming (1 John 2.28).

GEO. E. STOCKWELL | Mar 1944
General