“So that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Assess Excellence
Paul prays for them to have an abounding and academic agape love so that they can assess what is excellent. This isn’t figuring out what is good from evil. This is distinguishing what is best from what is 2nd best. It is the ability to determine the higher things from the common things. It is assessing excellence from ordinary. We don’t look for ‘what we can get away with’ or ‘what we can get by with’ here. Here is not mindless Christianity but mindful. We judge situations and circumstances and actions by the excellence of God’s Word, and then, determine in our own hearts and minds to carry out that which we have approved as excellent.
Paul often prays that his churches would be able to discern what is excellent, and later in chapter 4 he describes for the Philippians what is excellent:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Paul is saying ‘know what is excellent’ and think about it. Evaluate all of life by what is excellent; desire excellence and live excellence.
Inner-Authenticity
Paul wants the Philippians to be able to assess what is excellent. He says “so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” He mentions next their inner-authenticity, or, their inner-excellence. “Purity” is the greek word “eilikrineis”. It is only used twice in the N.T. and it literally means, “that which is judged by the sunlight.”
"In ancient times the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it brought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And this pottery would often crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest pottery salesmen would fill in the cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable on the shelf, especially when the piece was painted or glazed. This wax ruse however was immediately uncovered if the pottery was held up to bright light, especially sunlight, for the cracks would show up as darker lines. It was said that the artificial element was detected by “sun-testing.” Such a vase was known as "sun-judged". It is notable that the honest pottery dealers would mark their product with the words "sine cera" which means “without wax”. Our English "sincere" comes from the Latin words "sine cera"! In sum, God wants His people to have sun-judged minds, not those in which their sin spots have been covered over.
We are to be without wax. If we were sun-judged – if we were held up to the Light of God’s Word - would there be cracks of sin in our lives? Is there insincerity in your inner-life as a believer that compromises your inner-excellence? The heart of Paul’s prayer is their heart – the authentic, pure, unmixed, unsullied, heart-devotion to the God they claimed." (1)
Aware of Others
So far, regarding excellence, Paul prays that the Philippians are able to assess what is excellent and that they have an inner-authenticity, or, inner-excellence. Then he mentions the word blameless, which indicates the Philippians are to live their lives aware of each other. The Greek word for “blameless” is used here and also in 1 Corinthians 10:32, where it says, “Give no offence (NAS)”, or as the NIV says, “Do not cause anyone to stumble.”
This is the life that looks out for others. It is the life that says, “I will consider what is best for someone else” when considering actions and conduct. It is a life that is no longer about “Me.” I no longer live strictly for my “self.” If you want to square off with the world’s way of living, seek to be Biblically blameless. Seek to live your life aware of others and exercising agape love towards them. You will be swimming upstream and running into the wind.
-“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Mathew 20:18
-“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” -1 Corinthians 8:9
-“Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
-“Do not cause anyone to stumble … For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” – 1 Corinthians 10:32a, 33b
How to test and decide and apply what is excellent:
-Does the Bible speak against it?
-Will it harm me physically or spiritually?
-Will it glorify God?
-Will it cause someone else to stumble or sin?
-Would I do this if Jesus were standing right here next to me?
(1), http://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_19-17.htm#1:10
Assess Excellence
Paul prays for them to have an abounding and academic agape love so that they can assess what is excellent. This isn’t figuring out what is good from evil. This is distinguishing what is best from what is 2nd best. It is the ability to determine the higher things from the common things. It is assessing excellence from ordinary. We don’t look for ‘what we can get away with’ or ‘what we can get by with’ here. Here is not mindless Christianity but mindful. We judge situations and circumstances and actions by the excellence of God’s Word, and then, determine in our own hearts and minds to carry out that which we have approved as excellent.
Paul often prays that his churches would be able to discern what is excellent, and later in chapter 4 he describes for the Philippians what is excellent:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Paul is saying ‘know what is excellent’ and think about it. Evaluate all of life by what is excellent; desire excellence and live excellence.
Inner-Authenticity
Paul wants the Philippians to be able to assess what is excellent. He says “so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” He mentions next their inner-authenticity, or, their inner-excellence. “Purity” is the greek word “eilikrineis”. It is only used twice in the N.T. and it literally means, “that which is judged by the sunlight.”
"In ancient times the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it brought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And this pottery would often crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest pottery salesmen would fill in the cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable on the shelf, especially when the piece was painted or glazed. This wax ruse however was immediately uncovered if the pottery was held up to bright light, especially sunlight, for the cracks would show up as darker lines. It was said that the artificial element was detected by “sun-testing.” Such a vase was known as "sun-judged". It is notable that the honest pottery dealers would mark their product with the words "sine cera" which means “without wax”. Our English "sincere" comes from the Latin words "sine cera"! In sum, God wants His people to have sun-judged minds, not those in which their sin spots have been covered over.
We are to be without wax. If we were sun-judged – if we were held up to the Light of God’s Word - would there be cracks of sin in our lives? Is there insincerity in your inner-life as a believer that compromises your inner-excellence? The heart of Paul’s prayer is their heart – the authentic, pure, unmixed, unsullied, heart-devotion to the God they claimed." (1)
Aware of Others
So far, regarding excellence, Paul prays that the Philippians are able to assess what is excellent and that they have an inner-authenticity, or, inner-excellence. Then he mentions the word blameless, which indicates the Philippians are to live their lives aware of each other. The Greek word for “blameless” is used here and also in 1 Corinthians 10:32, where it says, “Give no offence (NAS)”, or as the NIV says, “Do not cause anyone to stumble.”
This is the life that looks out for others. It is the life that says, “I will consider what is best for someone else” when considering actions and conduct. It is a life that is no longer about “Me.” I no longer live strictly for my “self.” If you want to square off with the world’s way of living, seek to be Biblically blameless. Seek to live your life aware of others and exercising agape love towards them. You will be swimming upstream and running into the wind.
-“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Mathew 20:18
-“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” -1 Corinthians 8:9
-“Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
-“Do not cause anyone to stumble … For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” – 1 Corinthians 10:32a, 33b
How to test and decide and apply what is excellent:
-Does the Bible speak against it?
-Will it harm me physically or spiritually?
-Will it glorify God?
-Will it cause someone else to stumble or sin?
-Would I do this if Jesus were standing right here next to me?
(1), http://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_19-17.htm#1:10
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