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Philippians 1:7,8;
7For it is only right for
me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since
both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,
you all are partakers of grace with me. 8For God is my witness, how
I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul’s heart of love and
gratitude is clearly visible in these two verses.
A. The Joy
of Affection
is Right of Him.
Philippians
1:7a For it is only right for me
to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart,
Although it may be appropriate for Paul to sense affection
for the Philippian saints, the word “right” is moral and spiritual
correctness, if you’ll pardon the expression.
His feelings were pure and flowed from deep, mutual connections to Jesus Christ.
The word for “feeling” expresses mindset or attitude.
See Philippians
3:15;
15Let us therefore, as many
as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a
different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
Paul goes a step further than a right attitude — it’s
a heart matter!
John McArthur makes these observations regarding the
heart:
&
A Clean Heart; Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean
heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast
spirit within me.
& A Guarded
Heart; Proverbs 4:23 Watch over your heart with
all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
& A
Believing Heart; Acts 8:36, 37 “Look! Water! What
prevents me from being baptized?” 37And
Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he
answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
& A
Receptive Heart; Psalm 119:11
Your word I have treasured
in my heart -That I may not sin against You.
& A Pure
Heart; Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God.
& An
Obedient Heart; Psalm 119:36
Incline my heart to Your
testimonies And not to dishonest gain.
& A
Worshipping Heart; Psalm 57:7 My heart is steadfast, O
God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
& A
Forgiving Heart; Ephesians
4:32 Be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has
forgiven you.
& A Loving
Heart; 2nd Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your
hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
1st
Peter 1:22,23; Since you have in
obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the
brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born
again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and
enduring word of God.
In the fourth chapter of the same epistle Peter writes:
8Above all, keep fervent in
your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
1st Peter
4:8
B. The Joy
of Affection
is Meaningful for Him.
Philippians
1:7b .
. . since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of
the gospel,
Paul names two vital areas
in which he is especially thankful.
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