And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." - Philippians 1:9-11
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Paul so far has talked to the church at Philippi about loving God and others by knowing God intimately and by keeping your neighbor in high esteem in order to act honorably and wisely before them. Now he continues his thought by saying that they need to "approve the things that are excellent" (Phil. 1:10). A short look at commentaries let us know that people have slightly different ideas of what this means, but they all agree on what is excellent: truth.
I think that the commentators are making an accurate inference too. Since Paul has already talked about Christian wisdom, it fits that from there he moves to "approving" or using the wisdom we have obtained to know what is excellent. However, I think it is prudent to add that approving what is excellent falls into action as well. Paul was never one to leave it an contemplation - he always brought action into the scenario. So with this in mind, let us take a look closer at what is excellent.
What is excellent is what is true and holy. We, as Christians, are never concerned with merely ideas that are true. We are concerned with ideas that are true and the sacred stuff that makes up that idea. For instance, we must never speak out against homosexuality by merely citing the truth of sexual relationships. We must also touch the holiness of the issue - the sacredness of sex and, of equal importance, the sacredness of the individual. While these are truths within themselves, they are much more than a mere truth like ice is frozen water. There is a much heavier atmosphere within the truth that can only be explained as sacred or holy.
Therefore Paul is admonishing the church at Phillippi and the church today to seek out, find, and approve all things that are true and holy. It is a call to study; it is a call to Godly living (how else can you approve such things unless you try them?). Before we close though, I want to touch on truth for one more moment. Remember Jesus' words: "That you may know the truth and the truth shall set you free"? Let us never forget the words before this either: "If you hold to my teaching than you are really my disciples" (John 8:31-32). We approve the teaching and truth of God, the things that are excellent, for a much greater purpose: to be free. As my friend, Dale Fincher, points out: "Truth is a means to the end of freedom." We must never stop at truth in our lives. We must realize that the truth offers freedom to ourselves and others.
Today, let us seek and approve the things that are excellent in order to live in the freedom of Christ. This is the goal at which Paul is really pointing to in this passage.
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