1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my {r} spirit in the {s} gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
(r) Very willingly and with all my heart.
(s) In preaching his Son.
1:9 For. This introduces a reason for his thankfulness. He feels so deep an interest in the cause of Christ in that great center that he prays for them daily.
Serve with my spirit. Not an outward service, but of the whole heart, soul and life,
in the gospel to which he is consecrated. The spirit is the highest part of a man's nature, and service with the spirit is the highest service.
Make mention of you always. So, too, of the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. See Eph 1:15,16 Php 1:3 Col 1:3 1Th 1:2. Such statements show the deep solicitude of the apostle for the saints.
1:9 God, whom I serve - As an apostle. In my spirit - Not only with my body, but with my inmost soul. In the gospel - By preaching it.
1:8-15 We must show love for our friends, not only by praying for them, but by praising God for them. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we must remember to say, If the Lord will, Jas 4:15. Our journeys are made prosperous or otherwise, according to the will of God. We should readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those who believe the same things with us. If redeemed by the blood, and converted by the grace of the Lord Jesus, we are altogether his; and for his sake we are debtors to all men, to do all the good we can. Such services are our duty.
