Philippians 1:11

This verse modifies the last half of Philippians 1:10. The only way we will be able to stand before God sincere and blameless is if we allow the Holy Spirit to control us. If we do, He will fill our lives with the fruit that is the product of His righteousness (Galatians 5:22-23). This righteousness and its fruit come to us through Jesus Christ, not as a result of our own good deeds. Therefore all the glory and praise for our righteousness, our fruit, and hopefully our flawless and blameless condition at the judgment seat of Christ, goes to God. He is the ultimate source of it all (cf. Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14).

"The growing-point for the Christian, as Paul discerns it, is love, a seed from which he anticipates vigorous growth as it abounds more and more. Its upthrusting shoots are received and held by two stakes, knowledge and all discernment, and under their control begin to put forth leaves and blossoms: first the distinctive life-style of the Christian as we approve what is excellent and then, at the very heart of this life-style, the fair blossom of holiness in both the inner person (pure) and the outer behaviour (blameless). Finally there is the perfected fruit, a righteousness adequate even for the great Day itself." [Note: Motyer, p. 53.]

What an excellent prayer this is! In our day, when we tend to voice prayer requests for physical needs primarily, we need to follow Paul’s example of putting the spiritual needs of others high on our prayer lists. Christians still need God’s supernatural enablement to value highly the things of greatest importance as revealed in Scripture. Only then will we make choices that will prepare us to give a good account of ourselves at the judgment seat of Christ.

"Paul uses three thoughts in Philippians 1:1-11 that describe true Christian fellowship: I have you in my mind (Philippians 1:3-6), I have you in my heart (Philippians 1:7-8), I have you in my prayers (Philippians 1:9-11)." [Note: Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 2:64.]