Paul wrote that he always prayed for the Philippian church. Praying that they would grow in love as well as knowledge and understanding. Stating he did so because he wanted them to be able to approve what is excellent, or it could be said to test everything and be able to determine what is right. Or as the NLT says so they could understand what really matters. Doing so in order to be ready for the return of the Lord.
Philippians 1:9–10 (ESV)
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Philippians 1:9–10 (NLT)
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
From this, we must wonder what really does matter? What is important in this life and what are the things we should be focusing on as Christians? Paul wanted those he prayed for often to understand something, what was it? What was it that was going to lead them to live the pure and blameless lives he describes?
The first thing that comes to mind is of course love. Possibly because Paul expresses his desire for them to grow in love in the very same passage. But also because in 1 Corinthians 13 Paul gives his dissertation on love. In which he explains that our faith is almost entirely built upon love. As he also states in his letter to the Romans love fulfills the law. All sin is a trespass against God’s love and almost every sin we commit is in fact against someone else. Hate, greed, envy, murder, etc. So when we truly begin to love others we will see our desires to sin as we do not want to hurt those we love.
Romans 13:8–10 (ESV)
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love is also the starting point and the overarching theme of the Christian life. Paul shows the characteristics of love in the same chapter. The same characteristics that Jesus displayed as He walked in our world and the same ones we are called to live out in so many other places in scripture. Love also will outlast everything else we see both in our worldly lives and our spiritual lives. As Paul said everything else will fade away while faith, hope, and love will last forever the most important of the three being love.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
This leads into the other things that may make up the list of what I believe the Bible teaches really matters in life. Those being faith and hope. Two driving forces in our lives. Without these, it seems as though nothing else matters. You may be able to gain the world but without hope for tomorrow or for things to continue to be good what joy do you have. Hope moves us forward and gives us a reason to keep going.
As Christians, our hope is one of our greatest assets. As we know the promises the Lord has made to us for better days on the horizon. Allowing us to walk through any situation without worry and fear because we know things are going to get better. Hope is one of the things that really matter in this life because it has the ability to block out everything that at the time may not seem good.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 15:13 (ESV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Faith is defined in the Bible as a belief in what you cannot see. So without faith, all you are left with is what you can see which can be gone in an instant. Leaving you with nothing to trust in or find peace in. Which will always result in a sad and empty life. Causing you to search for something to fill that emptiness that can only be filled by God.
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Like our hope faith matters because it allows us to see past all the bad in this world. Trusting that God has something better. Christians aren’t happy because everything in their life is always going great. They are happy because despite what may be going on in their life they have faith in God. Trusting that through Him things will get better because as His own words says He works all things to the good of those who believe.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Paul also wrote to be content with what you have because God has said I will never leave you or forsake you. In this simple statement, you find a reason to feel loved and to extend love. As well as to have faith and hope. Because God is with us we know we are loved by Him and that no matter how rough the storm seems He will see us safely through.
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So maybe what really matters isn’t what possessions you are able to acquire in this life, the things you do, who you know, or even who knows you. Maybe the things that really matter are if you have love, faith, and hope. And if you have those very things in the right place with God. Because when you have all those nothing else matters. Better to have a life with God filled with faith, hope, and love alone. Then to have everything this world can offer but lack any of those things.
The only question that remains is what have you decided really matters in your life? Do you place a value on faith, hope, and love? Or does your life show that what really matters to you is what you are able to gain in this life? Possessions, friends, and fame will never make you happy. Just ask those currently struggling all across Hollywood if those things have made their life any better. Sadness exists when we miss what really matters in this life and that can be simply summed up in faith, hope, love, and a relationship with the Lord. Beyond those everything else is a nice luxury but in the grand scheme of this life and eternity, they don’t really matter.
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