The “love” in Philippians 1:9 refers to agape love. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit indwells in him, and he receives God’s agape love. God’s agape love (an unconditional love) is not the common phileo love (a conditional love) that is given to humanity.

This agape love is in the infant stage when we first believe. It will grow over time as we experience more and more of the love of Christ in our lives. We must love God with this love, then we can love others in the same manner (Luke 10:27).

Philippians 1:9 teaches that this love must “abound yet more and more,” i.e. grow without limits. And it must abound “in knowledge and in all judgment,” i.e. grow in the precise and correct knowledge of God’s Word and in discernment.

1.  Scope of love abounding (Phil 1:9)

Jesus must be the only reason that we come to church (not just to experience a warm church). When we know our Lord better, we will know and love others more and more. But we cannot love God without loving His Word. When we grow in our knowledge of God’s Word, we will love God more. And we will also grow in our ability to make right judgment/decisions. This love for God and His Word is not just a warm feeling which is difficult to measure, but we can measure our knowledge of God’s Word and our ability to make right judgment/decisions.

2.  Impact of love abounding (Phil 1:10)

When we study God’s Word, we will have the mind of Christ. The devil will not be able to deceive us. And when approached, we can give godly/“excellent” (Phil 1:10) advice. (Note: The Holy Spirit helps us to remember God’s Word, but He cannot do it if we do not have the knowledge of God’s Word in us.)

Another impact of this abounding agape love is that we will be “sincere” (Phil 1:10), i.e. we will have a pure heart, without any ulterior motive, as we help others with excellent guidance. We will help because of the agape love of Christ.

3.  Evidence of love abounding (Phil 1:11)

The evidence of love abounding is a life “filled with the fruits of righteousness” (Phil 1:11). And when man praises us, we must point them to Jesus, giving God all “glory and praise,” so that our love for God can remain pure.

Every believer has God’s agape love, and must want this love to abound in his life.