Affections

"For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:8

A meditation upon Philippians 1:8

My affections are so very much absorbed with self. I seemingly love because of the love I must shower on myself. Where are my affections at? Upon the examination of myself I desire to honor and gain honor for myself. Life seems to only be worth living if self is glorified. This affection for self if characterizes ones and more importantly my life it is damning. I must find my affection in Christ alone and thus live a life of constant affirmation of that truth. These affections of Christ are that of and more importantly rooted in humility. Humility has to be expressed in so many areas of my life. I desire and want to have all my affections clothed in that of the humility of Christ.

The word affection has great meaning, catapulting us into thought of our internal organs which should have us understand that affection is something that is deeply rooted in us and is vital to everything that is apart of our daily living. It had an understanding of compassion, kindness but more than anything it pointed directly back to the heart. Paul was encouraging the Church of Philippi that his heart was motivated and led by Christ. He desired to that they would take this letter to heart because he himself had a compassion for them that was solely planted in that of Christ. This word should cause us to think upon why we are kind to others or display compassion to those that surround us. Is the cause of our loving those around us is for the sake of self-exaltation and self-glorification, which is neither love nor proper affection? Our hearts must be hearts that seek after God’s Will and mimicking Christ. Our hearts must enjoy Christ so much more than anything that this world has to offer or that of what our flesh try insists is better. Rather we must examine ourselves internal and pray for soft hearts that groan to be that of Christ. Affection is living a life in accordance with a heart is captivated by something and thus desiring to put on display that something in a manner of exaltation. Our affection has to be that of Christ or we will me self-absorbed man pleasers. Everyone has affections so the examination is on us to see if those affections find their source in Christ.

Paul’s affection for the Church of Philippi was in the likeness of Christ, which Paul throughout his letter constantly illustrated this focus upon Christ by mention him in all areas of his life. Christ was the anchor to Paul’s life and as we read scripture our lives should be in fervent pursuance of being an imitator of Christ which Paul so strived to also be an imitator of. Paul’s affection can be practically boiled down to the understanding that he was making much of Christ because Christ was the center of his attention. Christ did not escape the thoughts of Paul and therefore his actions had to be that of Christ-likeness. The thoughts of Paul were tied directly to the actions of Paul so that his affections were that of an internal motivation that worked its way out in all aspects of Paul’s ministry. We, like Paul must dwell on Christ at all times and pray for thoughts that reflect the One who redeemed us. Paul had affection for the Philippians because his life first and foremost exhibited the exaltation of the person of Christ. He made Christ his life-long pursuit. Paul lived in the knowledge of the work of Christ on the cross and how he died for Paul and that the righteousness of Christ covered his sin. The acceptance of Christ as Lord of his life enabled him to do the work of God here on earth even though he considers himself the chief of sinners. Paul constantly wanted to point others to Christ because Paul knew he was nothing without Christ. Paul longed with the affection of Christ because he had been changed by the gospel of Christ and lived a life with the whole premise of Christ-likeness. We too need to be made low and take our affections off of self and point them to Christ so that we can have the affections of Christ towards others. Oh I how desiring to have my insides burn for the sake of others because of the work of Christ in there lives. Christ needs to be pursued in all aspects of life in order for our affections to be that of Christ. I desire that all believers myself include would have the affections of Christ, which exemplify a life that has be transformed by the gospel of Christ.