FINALLY
BRETHREN WHATEVER IS TRUE :To loipon, adelphoi, hosa estin (3SPAI)
alethe: (Mt
22:16; Jn 7:18; Ro 12:9; 2Cor 6:8; Ep 4:25; 5:9; 6:14; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jn
3:18)) (Ro 12:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21; 1Co
13:4, 5, 6, 7; Gal 5:22; Jas 3:17; 2 Pe 1:5, 6, 7) (Macarthur exposition on
Php 4:6-8)
Finally (3062)
(loipon) means literally “for the rest” or “for what remains”
and in the present context means “as to what remains to be said.” This
is Paul's second use of loipon in this letter (Php 3:1-see note
Philippians 3:1). Therefore, obviously loipon
does not always imply one is drawing to a close but that there is a
transition in subject matter.
Loipon -
55x in the NT - Matt. 22:6; 25:11; 26:45; 27:49; Mk. 4:19; 14:41;
16:13; Lk. 8:10; 12:26; 18:9, 11; 24:9f; Acts 2:37; 5:13; 17:9; 27:20,
44; 28:9; Rom. 1:13; 11:7; 1 Co. 1:16; 4:2; 7:12, 29; 9:5; 11:34;
15:37; 2 Co. 12:13; 13:2, 11; Gal. 2:13; 6:17; Eph. 2:3; 6:10; Phil.
1:13; 3:1; 4:3, 8; 1 Thess. 4:1, 13; 5:6; 2 Thess. 3:1; 1 Tim. 5:20; 2
Tim. 4:8; Heb. 10:13; 2 Pet. 3:16; Rev. 2:24; 3:2; 8:13; 9:20; 11:13;
12:17; 19:21; 20:5
The NAS
renders loipon as beyond that(1), else(2), finally(6), from now
on(2), from then on(1), in the future(1),moreover(1), other(1), other
matters(1), other people(1), other things(1), other women(1),
others(4), remaining(2), rest(26),still(2), that time onward(1),
things that remain(1).
As Paul draws to
the conclusion of his letter, in this verse he deals with the greatest
conflict that every believer encounters - the battle for the control
our minds.
Solomon
recognized this age long conflict when he wrote...
Watch over your heart with all
diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
In Proverbs
23:7 Solomon wrote that...
As a man thinks in his heart so he
is
Do you want to
know what a man actually is? Solomon has just given us the "test". It
is not what he says but what he thinks about! What do you think about
most of the time? (compare Paul's command to set your mind on and seek
"the things above" in Col 3:1- note,
Col 3:1 - note)
Believers are in
a war for their minds, the world system continually bombarding them
using every "weapon" at its disposal - books, magazines, billboards,
television, movies, internet, etc. The goal of the anti-god world
system is to control our actions by first controlling our minds. We've
all heard the axiom "The medium is the message" but the real message
is that the medium seeks to seduce our minds into its anti-god way of
thinking, introducing distorted euphemisms like "values clarification" in which
the individual determines the "values" by which he or she
assesses what is "true and honorable", etc, neglecting of
course the truth that God absolutely sets the absolute, eternal
values. If you think this is "brainwashing" is not
an ongoing struggle, then try this little experiment. Using a web search
engine like "Google", enter the phrase "Values Clarification" in the
query box (be sure to include the quotes). You may be surprised
at some of the almost 200,000 hits you retrieve!
The ancient
Greco-Roman anti-Christ, anti-god world was not any different from
world system of today. And so Paul presents to us and to the saints at
Philippi the antidote to counter the fiery missiles constantly coming
at the believer's mind.
The key word in this passage is Paul's command for us to "dwell" on the list
of godly qualities in Philippians
4:8. (see more discussion on the critical verb dwell below)
William
Barclay rightly observes that...
The human mind will always set
itself on something and Paul wished to be quite sure that the
Philippians would set their minds on the right things. This is
something of the utmost importance, because it is a law of life that,
if a man thinks of something often enough, he will come to the stage
when he cannot stop thinking about it. His thoughts will be quite
literally in a groove out of which he cannot jerk them. It is,
therefore, of the first importance that a man should set his thoughts
upon the fine things and here Paul makes a list of them. (Barclay,
W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The
Westminster Press)
In this list
there are 8 "standards" by which every child of God can
test whether their mind is dwelling on that which is worthy of
consideration. This verse is worth committing to memory, so that it is
available for immediate access whenever and wherever you find your
mind!
Dwight Pentecost offers a practical thought regarding this verse
noting that...
The greatest area of sin in the
believer’s life is not the area of actions but the area of thought.
There is a whole classification of sins that we would have to call
sins of the mind. What was the first sin of Lucifer? It was pride.
What is that? A sin of the mind. What is lust? A sin of the mind. What
is covetousness? A sin of the mind. Greed? A sin of the mind.
Suspicion? A sin of the mind. Discouragement? A sin of the mind. We
could go on and on. Those sins are more real to the child of God than
such sins as adultery and murder and theft. That is a testimony to the
fact that there is a warfare going on. Satan is attacking the mind.
Therefore this word of the Apostle Paul concerning the use we make of
our minds is so relevant to us today: meditate, ruminate, dwell on
these things. (Pentecost,
J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)
Pastor Steven Cole
(his messages are highly recommended) introduces Philippians 4:8
with the following comments...
Mark Twain wrote,
What a wee little part of a
person’s life are his acts and his words! His real life is led
in his head, and is known to none but himself. All day long, the
mill of his brain is grinding, and his thoughts, not those other
things, are his history. (Reader’s Digest [1/93], p. 155).
I would modify Twain by
saying that our thought life forms the basis for and is largely
revealed in our actions and words. But Twain’s comments
correctly affirm that our thought life composes a major part of
who we really are.
Jonathan Edwards put
it this way:
The ideas and images in men’s
minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them
(source unknown).
Thus it is crucial for each
of us to bring our thought life into submission to Jesus Christ
by learning to think biblically about every aspect of life. One
of the most helpful things I have learned about the Christian
life is that all sin begins in our thoughts, which the Bible
often calls “the heart.” Jesus said,
“That which proceeds out of
the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of
the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications,
thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness,
as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and
foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and
defile the man” (Mark 7:20, 21, 22, 23).
No one commits these outward
sins without first having committed them in his mind. If we want
to grow in godliness, we must win the battle over sin on the
thought level. In Philippians 4:8 Paul exhorts us to develop a
Christian thought life.
His words should not be
divorced from the context. Practicing verse 8 is essential if we
want to develop and maintain healthy relationships (Phil 4:2, 3,
5). A Christian thought life is also integral to a life of joy
(Phil 4:4) and peace (Phil 4:6, 7) in every situation. Since our
thoughts form the basis for our behavior, a godly thought life
is also essential for the obedience to which Paul exhorts us in
Phil 4:9. Clearly, Paul’s thought life was at the heart of the
contentment he had learned in every situation (4:10-12). So Paul
is telling us the way to be whole people in our relationships
with God, with one another, and within ourselves. But before we
look specifically at what Paul is teaching and how to obey it,
we need to think about:
WHAT PAUL IS NOT TEACHING:
THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING.
I need to focus on this for a
moment because the Christian world has been infiltrated with the
false teaching of “positive thinking,” popularized by Norman
Vincent Peale and, with only slight variations, by Peale’s
protege, Robert Schuller. If you are at all familiar with the
teachings of these men, you know that they are not Christian in
any orthodox sense of the term, even though they both have been
welcomed into evangelical circles. Through their influence, the
idea has crept into the American church that it is wrong ever to
be negative or critical. This has resulted in the loss of
discernment...
WHAT PAUL IS TEACHING: THE
CHRISTIAN’S THOUGHT LIFE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE GREAT TRUTHS
OF SCRIPTURE.
Even though Scripture is not
specifically mentioned, it is assumed, because it is the only
source for knowing what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely,
and of good repute. (Read his excellent message
Philippians 4:8 The
Christian's Thought Life)
Whatever is
true - true as to fact. What is true denotes the actuality of
something.
True ( 227)
(alethes)
is that which conforms to reality. In the final analysis whatever God says on any given subject is
true! The unchanging God and His unchanging holy Word is the
final test for truth. You do not have to look
very closely to find the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 8 for Jesus said
He was "the Truth" and each of these traits is true of Him.
Alethes -
26x in the NT - Matt. 22:16; Mk. 12:14; Jn. 3:33; 4:18; 5:31f; 6:55;
7:18; 8:13f, 17, 26; 10:41; 19:35; 21:24; Acts 12:9; Rom. 3:4; 2 Co.
6:8; Phil. 4:8; Tit. 1:13; 1 Pet. 5:12; 2 Pet. 2:22; 1 Jn. 2:8, 27; 3
Jn. 1:12
The NAS
renders alethes as real(1), true(21), truly(1), truth(1),
truthful(2).
In John 3:33 the
Scripture attests that God is true to which Paul adds Who
cannot lie. (see note
Titus 1:2 ). So
everything God says is true!
John
records Jesus' words...
I have many things to speak and to
judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the
things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.
And so God
Who is true and cannot lie stands in dramatic contrast to Satan
who Jesus described to the Jews who would soon try to stone Him...
You (Jews who refused to receive
Jesus as their Messiah and Redeemer) are of your father the devil, and
you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is
no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from
his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of
lies. (John 8:44)
Paul
described Satan as a deceiver writing to the Corinthians...
I am afraid, lest as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray
from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2Cor 11:3)
In Revelation
John records that...
the great dragon was thrown down,
the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives
the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were
thrown down with him.
One who
deceives seeks to cause others to accept as true or valid what is
false or invalid.
From this
introduction, it follows that a vital aspect of thinking on whatever is true means reading,
memorizing (see
Memorizing His Word) and meditating
(see
Biblical Meditation) on the Word
of God. The remaining seven categories of virtuous thought are all
based on the truth of God’s Word. All of them are ways to view the
truth of Scripture.
Thinking that is
true
is not false or unreliable, but genuine and real. When a thought comes
racing into (or slithers into) your mind, begin the test by asking is
it true? This means we must know the truth ourselves which is
why regular serious Bible study is vital to discern truth from error
or deception. Now something may be true but still is not worthy of
consideration. The last two statements serve as qualifiers "Is it
excellent?". "Is it worthy of praise?" If not, then even though it is
"true" it is not to be dwelt upon.
Barclay
adds that...
Many things in this world are
deceptive and illusory, promising what they can never perform,
offering a specious peace and happiness which they can never supply. A
man should always set his thoughts on the things which will not let
him down. (ibid)
Pastor Cole
reminds us...
Since as fallen creatures we are
prone to Satan’s lies and deception, the only way we can know the
truth and walk in it is to steep ourselves in God’s Word. We should
know the Word so well that we automatically run everything we
encounter through the grid of God’s Word. We live in a day that is
geared toward emotions and strongly influenced by the supposed
“virtue” of tolerance. Our culture assumes that love means being
tolerant and accepting of everyone and everything, even if God’s Word
plainly declares that something is an abomination. If you go with the
flow, you will be carried far from God’s absolute standard of moral
truth as revealed in His Word.
We also must resist the pragmatism
of our culture, which determines the true by whatever works. If
something works, which means, it brings you happiness (at least at the
moment) or it accomplishes what you want, then it must be true. But
God’s Word doesn’t always line up with what works. In fact, it’s clear
that sin often brings pleasure for a season; if it didn’t we wouldn’t
be so enticed by it. Many of the “positive mental attitude” methods
are effective in making you a successful sales person. But the
question is, Are they biblical? We must test everything by God’s Word,
not by feelings or pragmatism. (Read his excellent message
Philippians 4:8 The Christian's
Thought Life)
Dr.
Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8%
of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern
(true)!
The other 92% were either imaginary, never happened, or involved
matters over which the people had no control anyway. Satan is the
antithesis of truth for he is the father of lies
(Jn 8:44),
and he seeks to corrupt our minds with his lies and deception (2Cor 11:3).
His mantra remains unchanged after 5000 years - “Hath
God really said?” (Genesis
3:1ff).
The Holy Spirit sanctifies our mind through God's truth,
His Word...
"Sanctify them in the truth;
Thy word is truth. (Jn 17:17)
And do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and
acceptable and perfect. (See note
Romans 12:2)
On the other
hand, the devil tries to corrupt our mind through lies
and deception.
Whenever we believe a lie, we begin to walk in darkness, the kingdom
of Satan! And so we see the importance of Paul's command to
continually meditate upon the things that are true.
MacArthur has some insightful
comments on those things that are "true":
People no longer ask
“Is it true?”
but “Does it work?” and “How will it make me feel?”
Those latter two questions serve as a working definition of truth in
our society that rejects the concept of absolute divine truth. Truth
is whatever works and produces positive emotions. Sadly, such
pragmatism and emotionalism has crept even into theology. The church
is often more concerned about whether something will be divisive or
offensive than whether it is biblically true...Too
many people go to church not to think or reason about the truths of
Scripture, but to get their weekly spiritual high; to feel that God is
still with them. Such people are spiritually unstable because they
base their lives on feeling rather than on thinking...Salvation
involves the transformation of the mind. In
Romans 8:5
(note) Paul writes,
Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of
the flesh.”
Unsaved, fleshly people have an unsaved, fleshly mind-set.
They think as fallen, unredeemed people. On the other hand,
“those who
are according to the Spirit [set their minds on] the things of the
Spirit.”
Their renewed minds are focused on spiritual truth.
Consequently,
“the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is
life and peace” (Romans
8:6
note)....
Just as the believers’ initial act of saving faith leads to a life of
faith, so also the transforming of the mind at salvation initiates a
lifelong process of renewing the mind.
Wiersbe adds this practical note:
Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long the heart and
mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry. We must realize
that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen,
weighed, or measured. We must bring “every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ" (2Cor 10:5).
Sow a
thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny!
WHATEVER IS
HONORABLE: hosa semna:
(Acts 6:3; Ro12:17; 13:13; 2Co
8:21; 13:7; 1Th 4:12; 1Ti 2:2; 3:4,8,11; Titus 2:2,7; Titus 3:14; Heb
13:18; 1Pe 2:12)
Honorable (4586) (semnos) means
worthy of respect or entitled to honor. It is that which inspires
reverence or awe. It describes those things which are worthy,
venerable, august, noble. The idea pertains to whatever evokes special
respect.
Semnos is used only 4 times
in the NT, here in Philippians 4:8 and in the following
passages all describing an attribute of a distinct group of people...
1 Timothy 3:8 Deacons
likewise must be men of dignity (semnos), not double-tongued,
or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
1 Timothy 3:11 Women must
likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate,
faithful in all things.
Titus 2:2 (note)
Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in
faith, in love, in perseverance.
There are many things that are
not respectable, and Christians should not think about these things.
This does not mean we hide our heads in the sand and avoid what is
unpleasant and displeasing, but it does mean we do not focus our
attention on dishonorable things and permit them to control our
thoughts. Believers are not to dwell on what is trivial, temporal,
mundane, common, and earthly, but rather let their minds dwell on what
is heavenly (cf our citizenship in heaven - see note
Philippians 3:20), and so worthy of awe, adoration, and praise.
Barclay observes that the
Greek word semnos...
...is difficult to translate. It is
the word which is characteristically used of the gods and of the
temples of the gods. When used to describe a man, it describes a
person who, as it has been said, moves throughout the world as if it
were the temple of God. Matthew Arnold suggested the translation
nobly serious. But the word really describes that which has the
dignity of holiness upon it. There are things in this world which
are flippant and cheap and attractive to the light-minded; but it is
on the things which are serious and dignified that the Christian will
set his mind. (ibid)
Ask:
Does that to which you are giving your attention have honest value?
Does it have the dignity of holiness upon it?
Wayne Barber describes
this as
a lifestyle that tells everyone that we are under the Lordship of
Christ. It is that which is decent. It is that lifestyle which is
attractive to others. Without one's drinking from the well of Christ
there will be no lifestyle that attracts others to Him.
Pastor Cole
write that honorable...
This means that Christians are to
take life seriously. We are not to be silly goof-offs, who treat life
as a perpetual joke. We live in light of eternity, keeping in mind the
uncertainty of this short life and the reality of heaven and hell.
This doesn’t mean that we can’t appreciate clean humor. But our
overall tenor should communicate to a lost world that they must stand
before a holy God someday soon. Think on these reverent themes. (Read
his excellent message
Philippians 4:8 The Christian's
Thought Life)
WHATEVER IS
RIGHT: hosa dikaia:
(Ge 18:19; Dt 16:20; 2Sa 23:3; Ps 82:2; Pr 11:1; 16:11; 20:7; Isa
26:7; Mk 6:20; Lk 2:25; 23:50; Acts 10:22; Titus 1:8)
Right
(1342)
(dikaios) refers to that which conforms to the perfect
standard of God's righteousness. We know from Romans that the "good
works" that God requires (they are "right") do not come from our
good intentions, but originate out of faith that obeys. Dikaios
describes
whatever is in perfect harmony with God’s eternal, unchanging
standards, as revealed in Scripture.
Dikaios -
79x in the NT - Matt. 1:19; 5:45; 9:13; 10:41; 13:17, 43, 49; 20:4;
23:28f, 35; 25:37, 46; 27:19; Mk. 2:17; 6:20; Lk. 1:6, 17; 2:25; 5:32;
12:57; 14:14; 15:7; 18:9; 20:20; 23:47, 50; Jn. 5:30; 7:24; 17:25;
Acts 3:14; 4:19; 7:52; 10:22; 22:14; 24:15; Rom. 1:17; 2:13; 3:10, 26;
5:7, 19; 7:12; Gal. 3:11; Eph. 6:1; Phil. 1:7; 4:8; Col. 4:1; 2 Thess.
1:5f; 1 Tim. 1:9; 2 Tim. 4:8; Tit. 1:8; Heb. 10:38; 11:4; 12:23; Jas.
5:6, 16; 1 Pet. 3:12, 18; 4:18; 2 Pet. 1:13; 2:7f; 1 Jn. 1:9; 2:1, 29;
3:7, 12; Rev. 15:3; 16:5, 7; 19:2; 22:11
The NAS
translates dikaios as innocent(1), just(6), justice(1),
right(6), righteous(45), righteous man(8), righteous Man(1),
righteous man's(1), righteous men(2), righteous one(1), Righteous
One(3), righteous persons(1), what is right(1), who is righteous(1).
Ask:
Does that to which you are giving your mind conform to the holiness of
God? Is it intrinsically righteous, or is it tainted, shady?
WHATEVER IS
PURE: hosa hagna:
(1Ti 4:12; 5:2; Titus 2:14;
Jas 1:27; 3:17; 2Pe 3:1; 1Jn 3:3)
Pure
(53)
(hagnos) is that which is free from defilement, stainless, that
which will not contaminate, that which is "morally and inwardly" pure.
The word refers to ceremonial purity, but also to the moral purity
that is pictured by the ceremonial. It especially means keeping our
bodies undefiled by abstaining from sexual sins (see 2Cor 11:2; 1Ti
5:22; Titus 2:5-note;
James 3:17; 1Pe 3:2-note;
1 John 3:3). The saints then, as now, were constantly attacked by temptations to
sexual impurity (Ep 4:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24-see notes
Ep 4:17-19;
20-22;
23-24). Paul gives a
strong warning to every saint...
do not let immorality or any
impurity or greed even be
named (present
imperative
commanding this to be their
habitual practice = to not to even pronounce the name! Or to stop a
practice already in existence.)
among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no
filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting,
but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that
no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has
an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive
you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God
comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers
with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in
the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light
consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to
learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ep 5:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10-See notes
Ep 5:3,
4;
5-6;
7-8;
9-10)
Hagnos - 8x in NT - 2 Co.
7:11; 11:2; Phil. 4:8; 1 Tim. 5:22; Tit. 2:5; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 3:2; 1
Jn. 3:3.
The NAS renders hagnos
as chaste(1), free from sin(1), innocent(1), pure(5).
Barclay
adds that when hagnos was...
...used ceremonially, it describes
that which has been so cleansed that it is fit to be brought into the
presence of God and used in his service. This world is full of things
which are sordid and shabby and soiled and smutty. Many a man gets his
mind into such a state that it soils everything of which it thinks.
The Christian’s mind is set on the things which are pure; his thoughts
are so clean that they can stand even the scrutiny of God. (ibid)
Ask:
Will it defile or is it intrinsically pure? Will it corrupt your
thinking if you
give attention to it? Will it stand the scrutiny of God?
WHATEVER IS
LOVELY: hosa prosphile: (2Sa
1:23; Song 5:16; 1Co 13:1-13; 1Pe 4:8)
Lovely
(4375)
(prosphile is a relationship word derived from pros = towards + philes = friend) refers to that
conduct which is dear to someone. It is that conduct which is pleasing
in it's motive and actions towards others.
Lovely
has the idea of that which is admirable or agreeable to behold or
consider. Who is the most lovely One ever to live? Jesus of course and
it follows that we should think often of what He has done for us, is
doing now at the right hand of the Father and will do in the future.
Maranatha.
Barclay
adds that...
Winsome is the best translation of
all. The Greek is prosphile, and it might be paraphrased as that which
calls forth love. There are those whose minds are so set on vengeance
and punishment that they call forth bitterness and fear in others.
There are those whose minds are so set on criticism and rebuke that
they call forth resentment in others. The mind of the Christian is set
on the lovely things—kindness, sympathy, forbearance—so he is a
winsome person, whom to see is to love. (ibid)
Ask:
Will this thing produce concord and rest and peace: Or will
giving attention to this thing produce strife either within you or
between you and another brother? If the former, then as the saying
goes "hold that thought"! If the latter, than cast it aside.
WHATEVER IS
OF GOOD REPUTE: hosa euphema: (Acts
6:3; 10:22; 22:12; Col 4:5; 1Th 5:22; 1Ti 3:7; 5:10; Heb 11:2)
Good
repute
(2163) (euphemos is
from eu = well, good + pheme = rumor,
fame; English = euphemism) and refers to that which is well–spoken of, praiseworthy,
laudable,
highly regarded or well thought of. It is something or someone that
deservedly enjoys a good reputation.
Ask:
Are we concentrating on the good things we see in others or are we
dwelling on their faults and shortcomings?
No Christian can
afford to waste “mind power” on thoughts that tear him down or that would tear others down if these
thoughts were shared. The believer
must major on the high and noble thoughts especially as revealed in
the pure milk of God's word and not dwell upon the base thoughts of
this corrupt world.
IF THERE IS
ANY EXCELLENCE: ei tis arete:
(Ru
3:11; Pr 12:4; 31:10,29; 2Pe 1:3,4)
Note the change in sentence
structure introduced by "if". These last two qualities
are more generic qualities
and serve to sum up the preceding qualities.
Excellence
(703)
(arete)
(Click
in depth study)
refers to any preeminence (moral, intellectual, military). Arete
is a term denoting consummate ‘excellence’ or ‘merit’ within a social
context. To the Greek philosophers, it meant “the fulfillment of a
thing.” Arete came to mean quality of life which made someone
or something stand out as excellent. Arete never means
cloistered virtue or virtue of attitude, but virtue which is
demonstrated in life. When anything in nature properly fulfills its
purpose, that fulfillment was referred to as “virtue' or moral
excellence. Land that produces crops is “excellent” because it is
fulfilling its purpose. The tool that works correctly is “excellent”
because it is doing what a tool is supposed to do. A believer
demonstrates moral excellence or virtue by living the way He now has
the potential to live (possessing everything necessary for life and
godliness, His precious and magnificent promises, partaker of His
divine nature).
Arete - 5x in
the NT - Phil. 4:8; 1 Pet. 2:9; 2 Pet. 1:3, 5. The NAS renders arete
as excellence(2), excellencies(1), moral excellence(2).
In short, arete was
a term denoting consummate ‘excellence’ or ‘merit’ within a social
context. Exhibition of arete invites recognition,
resulting in renown or glory. In Homer arete was used
primarily of military valor or exploits, but also of distinction for
other personal qualities and associated performance that enhance the
common interest. The term is a favorite subject in Stoic thought
relating to morality.
Peter uses arete in his
description of Jesus Who is the supreme manifestation of glory and
excellence (arete). (2Pe 1:4-note).
And then Peter calls saints to supply excellence writing...
Now for this very reason also
(having everything necessary for life and godliness, having His
precious and magnificent promises, so that we might become partakers
of the divine nature, for this reason and with His divine supplies and
promises), applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral
excellence (arete), and in your moral excellence, knowledge
(2Pe 1:5-note)
(Comment: Cole comments that "Peter uses it as a quality of
God and thus as the first quality that we are to add to our faith
(2 Pe 1:3, 5). This means that as a new Christian, one of the
first things you must do is to stop any behavior that is not in line
with God’s moral virtues as revealed in Scripture, such as the Ten
Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and Paul’s list of the deeds of
the flesh (Gal 5:19, 20, 21-see notes
Gal 5:19;
20;
21).
To continue doing such things will hinder your growth in godliness.
We must focus our minds on moral virtue. [Ibid]).
IF ANYTHING
WORTHY OF PRAISE: kai ei tis epainos:
(Pr 31:31; Ro 2:29; 13:3; 1Co 4:5; 2Cor 8:18)
Worthy of praise
(1868)
(epainos from epí =
upon + aínos = praise) is literally "praise upon" and
denotes commendation, praise, or approbation (an act of formally or
officially approving). It means something which is worthy of being
commended. The
word can describe the act of expressing admiration or approval,
praise, approval, recognition. In the present context epainos
describes a thing that is praiseworthy or something that deserves to
be praised. So when that thought comes into your mind ask "Is it praiseworthy?" Then reflect upon it.
Detzler writes that
epainos is...
Used sparingly in the
Scriptures, the basic meaning of this word is "applause." It speaks of
expressed approval or public recognition. Usually this praise was
addressed to an individual or to an entire community. (Detzler,
Wayne E: New Testament Words in Today's Language. Victor. 1986)
Richards in his note on the
related verb epaineo writes that it...
means "to commend," and thus
"to praise." In the spirit of the OT, this word for praise involves
commending God for himself, his qualities, and his works. This word is
also used in commending people. Excitingly, we learn that God will
commend believers for faithful service. (Richards,
L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency)
In the NT epainos is used to
describe praise from God to men, praise to God from men (1 Cor 4:5,
fame in 2 Cor 8:18, etc) and praise from men to men (Romans
2:29;
Romans 13:3)
Epainos is used 11 times in
the NT...
Romans 2:29 (note)
But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is
of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise
is not from men, but from God. (Comment: There is almost a play
on words here because Jew [Ioudaios ~ "the praised one"!]
is related to the word Judah [Ioudas; cp Gen 49:8] which means
praise. Here the praise from God is on those Jews who have received
the Messiah as Savior. Vincent remarks that in this context
epainos "means the holy satisfaction of God as opposed to Jewish
vain-glory." Denny has an interesting remark that "the love of
praise from each other, and religious vanity, are Jewish
characteristics strongly commented on by our Lord.”)
Romans 13:3 (note)
For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do
you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will
have praise from the same
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait
until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in
the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each
man's praise will come to him from God. (Comment: This
refers to the Judgment of believers [see bema]
where the motives of deeds done in this present life will be assayed
and rewarded or not rewarded. It is of note that the clear implication
is that each believer will receive praise from God. This is amazing
grace indeed!)
2 Corinthians 8:18 And
we have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the
things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;
Ephesians 1:6 (note)
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved....1:12
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to
the praise of His glory....1:14
who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the
redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
(Comment: Vincent writes that the ultimate aim of
foreordination is that "Praise is called forth from the children of
God by this divine glory which thus appears in grace.")
Philippians 1:11 (note)
having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through
Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is
true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any
excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on
these things.
1 Peter 1:7 (note)
that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is
perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in
praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 2:14 (note)
or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the
praise of those who do right.
There are 5 uses of epainos
in the
Septuagint (LXX)
(1 Chr 16:27; 2 Chr. 21:20; Ps. 22:3, 25; 35:28)
Psalm 35:28
And my tongue shall declare
Thy righteousness And Thy praise (Hebrew = tehillah = hymn or
song of praise, praise in general; Lxx = epainos) all day long. (Spurgeon's
Note:
Unceasing praise is here vowed to the just and gracious God. From
morning till evening the grateful tongue would talk and sing, and
glorify the Lord. O for such a resolve carried out by us all!)
TDNT notes that...
Praise and approval were much
sought after in antiquity, though the Stoic tried to achieve freedom
from human judgment. In the OT, epainos is the recognition that the
community gives the righteous, but especially God's approval. In Philo
it is the approval of Moses or God, but sometimes public applause in
the Greek sense. epainos may also be used in the LXX for the
community's attitude of praise and worship toward God. God's throne is
surrounded by doxa and epainos (1 Chr 16:27)
(Kittel,
G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament. Eerdmans)
Vincent writes that
epainos is
Commendation corresponding to
the moral value of the virtue.
LET YOUR
MIND
DWELL
(meditate,
ponder, continually take an inventory)
ON THESE THINGS:
tauta logizesthe (2PPMM):
(Lk 16:15; 1Th 5:21; 1Jn 4:1)
(Macarthur on
Php 4:8 Godly Thinking)
These
things
are the eight words used for the values that should fill the
Christian’s thought-life or as someone has referred to it as Paul's
paragraph on good "mental health". As they are ‘taken into account’,
they will shape attitudes and direct words and actions. Just the
"sheer weight" of these the positive traits Paul notes demands a
zealous rejection of the continual bombardment of our minds by
godless, negative thoughts (and pictures) of this world.
Take viewing
habits as just one example -- the disturbing truth as demonstrated
in a recent nation wide survey is that there is no discernible
difference between born again and non-born again individuals regarding
the likelihood that they would view adult-only content on the Internet
or that they would read magazines or watch videos with explicit sexual
content! This negative mindset is exactly what the positive points of
Philippians 4:8 are intended to counter and correct. But God's Spirit
will not make us puppets. He will give us the desire and the power but
we still have to make the personal choice to work out our salvation in
fear and trembling! (Php 2:12, 13-see notes
Ph 2:12;
13)
What does this mean for you? Perhaps you need to stop watching
television (not under law but under grace, enabled by the Spirit Who
leads you with His holy desires that still call for you to make a
choice to follow or not follow His lead! - Gal 5:18-note).
Or perhaps you need to ask another believer to become your
accountability partner regarding your Internet usage. Jesus made it
very clear that we should do whatever it takes, declaring that...
if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from
you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body
perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your
right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for
it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than
for your whole body to go into hell. (See notes
Matthew 5:29;
30)
Let your mind dwell - You
are not responsible for the way others think, but you are responsible
as a believer the way you think. Each of the preceding categories are
a matter of personal choice. Our choices do matter. We can choose a
"thought program" that will yield a Christian mind like Paul (Php
4:9-note)
or we can accept the input of the godless world which will yield a
mind like Lot who "felt his righteous soul tormented day after day"
(2Pe 3:8-note).
You cannot serve both "masters", God and mammon (Mt 6:24-note)
The Psalmist gives sage advice
I will set no worthless thing
before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not
fasten its grip on me. (Psalm 101:3)
Spurgeon
comments...
I will neither delight in it, aim
at it or endure it. If I have wickedness brought before me by others I
will turn away from it, I will not gaze upon it with pleasure. The
psalmist is very sweeping in his resolve, he declines the least, the
most reputable, the most customary form of evil -- no wicked thing;
not only shall it not dwell in his heart, but not even before his
eyes, for what fascinates the eye is very apt to gain admission into
the heart, even as Eve's apple first pleased her sight and then
prevailed over her mind and hand.
He was warmly against it; he did
not view it with indifference, but with utter scorn and abhorrence.
Hatred of sin is a good sentinel for the door of virtue...
I will disown their ways, I will
not imitate their policy: like dirt it may fall upon me, but I will
wash it off, and never rest till I am rid of it. Sin, like pitch, is
very apt to stick.
In the course of our family history
crooked things will turn up, for we are all imperfect, and some of
those around us are far from being what they should be; it must,
therefore, be one great object of our care to disentangle ourselves,
to keep clear of transgression, and of all that comes of it: this
cannot be done unless the Lord both comes to us, and abides with us
evermore.
In short,
believers need to allow Christ to be Lord of their time, whether on
the Web or the Tube.
Let...mind dwell
(3049) (logizomai
from
lógos
= reason, word, account) (English ~ logarithm) means to reckon,
compute, calculate, to take into account, to deliberate, and to
weigh. Logizomai refers to a process of careful study or
reasoning which results in the arriving at a conclusion.
Logizomai
conveys the idea of calculating or estimating. The idea is to
think about something in a detailed and logical manner.
Robertson
says it means a “deliberate and prolonged contemplation as if one is
weighing a mathematical problem.”
Ralph P. Martin says think
about these things with a view to doing them, allowing them "to shape
your conduct".
Logizomai - 40x in the NT -
Lk. 22:37; Jn. 11:50; Acts 19:27; Rom. 2:3, 26; 3:28; 4:3ff, 8ff,
22ff; 6:11; 8:18, 36; 9:8; 14:14; 1 Co. 4:1; 13:5, 11; 2 Co. 3:5;
5:19; 10:2, 7, 11; 11:5; 12:6; Gal. 3:6; Phil. 3:13; 4:8; 2 Tim. 4:16;
Heb. 11:19; Jas. 2:23; 1 Pet. 5:12.
The NAS renders logizomai
as consider(6), considered(2), counted(1), counting(1), credit
with(1), maintain(1), mind dwell(1), numbered(2), propose(1),
reason(1), reckoned(11), reckons(1), regard(4), regarded(3),
suppose(1), take into account(3), thinks(1).
Paul commands on
believers to reflect carefully (and continually =
present imperative)
upon this list of virtues and not just giving it a fleeting glance or
thought. This is not an "elective" but a "required" course! The idea
is for the believer to continually fill his or her mind with the
things listed rather than the trash of this present evil age.
Mull these things over. Let your mind be constantly occupied with
these things.
Paul is saying
take these qualities into account and reflect carefully upon them in
order that they may shape your conduct, because how and what you
believe affects how you behave. These good qualities are not merely
things that are good for the head, but things that need to be
transformed into action.
Logizomai was
an accounting term and so one gets the picture of taking all of the
truths Paul has listed regarding your thought life and putting them in
the "calculator" of your human brain, thinking about them and coming
to a conclusion and most importantly then letting that conclusion
affect the way you live.
The thought Paul
is conveying is rendered several ways...
"meditate on these things" (NKJV)
"make
the subject of careful reflection," (Wuest),
"think
on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]
(Amplified)
The
present tense
and
imperative mood commands a continuous action, a call to a
spiritual discipline for the purpose of godliness for as a man or
woman thinks in their heart so they are (Pr 23:7, cf Mt 15:18, 19).
Meditate on them
with careful reflection, not casually and superficially, but
constantly and logically. You can mark it down...
Noble thinking produces noble living.
High
thinking produces high living.
Holy thinking produces holy living.
And so Paul says
let this mindset be your lifestyle. Continually think about these
things in a detailed and logical manner!
I am resolved
no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.
I will hasten to Him, hasten so
glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.
I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee
(Palmer Hartsough) (Play
hymn)
The
middle voice is reflexive which means that you
yourself are to continually initiate this action and participate in
the effects or results thereof.
It is also worth noting that in the preceding verse (Php 4:7)
Paul had assured the saints that God would guard their hearts and mind
in Christ Jesus. In this verse Paul is emphasizing that the saints
themselves have a responsibility in the matter. God does not garrison
the thought-life of a man who does not want it to be kept pure.
As
Robertson says
We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy
ideals.
Spiritual stability is a product of how we
think
Proper thinking is not optional for saints.
Paul's command
points out that we are each responsible for what we think
about. And don't forget that thinking is as much a choice as doing. Our environment doesn’t
push our buttons and make us think a certain way. We choose to think
certain ways and about certain things.
Dwelling on these things is
very close in meaning to meditating upon them. J. I. Packer says that
meditation is the practice of turning each truth we learn about
God into matter for reflection before God, leading to prayer and
praise to God.
Meditation is the activity of
calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to
oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways
and purposes and promises of God...It is an activity of holy thought,
consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by
the help of God, as a means of communion with God.” (Packer,
J I: Knowing God) (See
related resource
Primer on Biblical Meditation)
Such saturation with the Scriptures
is the secret to satisfaction in the soul.
If it is not
true Paul writes, do not let it enter your mind. And the way
that you know something is not true is by first knowing what is
"true", the pure milk of God's holy Word! How you chose to think
(either using the guidelines of Philippians 4:8 or the grid of
fleshly, worldly wisdom) will affect your will and your emotions
(feelings). There are benefits for right thinking and consequences for
wrong thinking. Don't be sluggish. Don't be dull of hearing. Don't be
deceived. Do be zealous for God and His Holy Word, living out what you
take in. In this He will be glorified.
Harry Blamires has said that
while Christians may worship and pray as Christians, they do not
think as Christians...
The Christian mind has succumbed to
the secular drift with a degree of weakness and nervelessness
unmatched in Christian history(Harry Blamires, Recovering the
Christian Mind. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)
Former UN Secretary General
Charles Malik speaking to a distinguished audience at the
dedication of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College declared...
Believe me, my friends, the mind
today is in profound trouble, perhaps more than ever before. How to
order the mind on sound Christian principles, at the heart of where it
is formed and informed, is one of the … greatest themes that can be
considered.”
Dwight
Pentecost offers a practical summary of this verse...
God’s standard for His children is
that we should sit in judgment upon every thought that flickers
through our minds. If it cannot pass the test of ringing true and
being of honest worth, righteous, incorruptible, and attractive, it is
to be rejected and repudiated. If you introduce one drop of
contaminated water into a pitcher of cool water, the cool, refreshing,
pure water will not purify that defilement, but the defilement will
corrupt the pure; so these thoughts will contaminate your mind. Satan
wants to turn your mind into a cesspool and have your mind occupied
with that which ultimately must corrupt, defile, and spoil the whole
body, distort the life, and produce sin. The battle is not first in
the field of action; it is in the field of thought. Transport yourself
to the pasture, consider the cow chewing her cud, and learn that
lesson from nature that the psalmist learned. Your delight must be in
the Word of God, and in His Word you must chew your cud day and night.
If the battle is lost, it is lost because you do not meditate on “
these things.” (Pentecost,
J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)
Wayne Barber
has some additional thoughts on logizomai in his Word Study of the Month
The apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 tells the Philippian believers
that when they see godly living this should cause them to reason
out how and why this kind of living exists. He wants them to see the
source from which this kind of living comes.
Now, the whole verse hinges on the phrase dwell on these things. It literally means to
ponder these things. The word is
logizomai. It is in the
present imperative. Always be pondering
these things. It means to reason something out. To look at something
and see what it is all about and how it came to be. When I get on a
747 to take off from an airport, I am amazed at how that plane can
fly. I catch myself sitting there thinking that we are never going to
get off the ground. It is like a hotel taking off. But, somehow it
does and it causes me to ponder as to what in the world makes this
thing work.
You see, Godly living is just not the result of a good intention by a
sincere believer. When you see someone living the way God says to
live, this should make us sit up and take notice. This lifestyle is
the fruit of someone's life when that person is drinking from the
right well. Jesus Christ is the only well from Whom we must drink.
When He is our life (Php 1:21-
note), our
attitude of (Php 2:5-note), and
our goal (Php 3:14-note), then
He is the very source of all that we are
and all that we do, the well from which we drink. So much of what is
called "Christianity" is coming from the wrong well. The well of
sincerity, the well of good intentions, the well of tremendous effort, but
still the well of ignorance.
Finally brethren, whatever is true. Now the word true is
alethes derived from a which means "without" and lethous
means that which is hidden. That which is true contains nothing that
is hidden that will cause it to self destruct. You see, any well that
proclaims truth, that is not the well of Christ, contains something
hidden within it that will cause it to self destruct. In fact,
anything that man comes up with and calls truth has something that is
destructive in it. So many people think that Paul is saying,
"Remember
all that your Dad told you as you were growing up and think on these
things".
When my daughter Stephanie was 5yo,
she was having a very bad day. My wife told her about Philippians 4:8. She went into her room and when
she came out about an hour later she said,
"Well, I've been thinking
on the things which are true and lovely".
My wife Diana asked her,
what she had thought about she said,
"I thought of teddy bears,
birthday cakes and wedding gowns".
Well, while that was cute to us as
parents, that was far from what Paul was saying. Paul is saying that
all that is praiseworthy comes from the well that has nothing hidden
in it that will cause it to destruct. That well is Christ and His
Word.
In John 3:33 says that God is true referring to God the Father. In John 14:6
Jesus says I am the Truth. In John 14:17 John is speaking of the Holy
Spirit and says that He is the Spirit of Truth. Then in John 17:17
Jesus declares "Thy Word is Truth."
It doesn't take much intelligence to realize where the
source of Truth in these verses. Until a person is seeking God
in His Word...until a person is realizing that Christ is his
life...until a
person is living out of God's Word, seeking to allow Christ's life to
live through him...it is not until then that his life will take on the characteristics of that
which is worthy to be pondered by others.
Paul adds the phrase if there is anything worthy of praise to wrap up
anything left out that speaks of a person's lifestyle and then he ends
by saying
ponder these things.
Oh, how we need to come back to the right well. To drink from that
which has within itself nothing that would cause it to destruct. To
live lives fired by the power of God and fueled by His Word. To live
in such a way that others have to stop and ponder our lifestyle. And
when they look deep, they do not see us, but they see Christ in us.
Pastor Steven Cole concludes
his message on this verse with an excellent discussion of
application...
Proverbs 4:23 (see
notes) says,
Watch over your heart with all
diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Patrick Buchanan has
observed,
The food that enters the mind must
be watched as closely as the food that enters the body (Reader’s
Digest [11/89], p. 203).
Frank Outlaw wrote,
Watch your thoughts, they become
your words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions,
they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch
your character, for it becomes your destiny (Reader’s Digest [date not
known]).
To obey what Paul is saying, we
must exercise control over our thought life. This involves at least
five things:
1. We need the mind of Christ
through conversion.
Before a person knows Jesus Christ
as Savior and Lord, he has a depraved mind (Ro 1;28-note).
He lives in the lusts of his flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh
and of the mind (Ep 2:3-note).
God must supernaturally raise us from our state of being dead in our
trespasses and sins (see note
Ephesians 2:1)
and impart to us a new nature that is able to obey Him (Eph 5:22, 23,
24-see notes
Ep 4:22;
23;
24).
Paul says that
the mind set on the flesh is
hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God,
for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh
cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the
Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does
not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him (Ro 8:7, 8, 9
-see notes
Ro 8:7;
8;
9).
As he goes on to explain, the Holy
Spirit gives us the power to put to death the deeds of the flesh and
to live in obedience to God.
2. We must clean out and block
out sources for sinful thoughts.
We cannot have a pure thought life
without first ridding ourselves of things which defile us. It would be
like trying to clean yourself while you’re lying in a mud hole. The
first step is to get out of the mud and get to a source of soap and
water. If we allow things into our lives which promote sensuality,
greed, sexual impurity, crude language, violence, hatred, love of
self, or anything else not pleasing to God, we cannot grow in
holiness.
I agree with Pastor Kent Hughes,
who in his book,
Disciplines of a Godly Man (Crossway Books, p.
75 or
Logos)
writes,
I am aware of the wise warnings
against using words like ‘all,’ ‘every,’ and ‘always’ in what I say.
Absolutizing one’s pronouncements is dangerous. But I’m going to do it
anyway. Here it is: It is impossible for any Christian who
spends the bulk of his evenings, month after month, week upon week,
day in and day out watching the major TV networks or contemporary
videos to have a Christian mind. This is always
true of all Christians in every situation!” (emphasis his).
Amen! It needs to be said: You
will not be a godly person if you do not control the TV,
videos, movies, music, magazines, books, and even the radio programs
you take in. If something is polluting you or tempting you, get rid of
it and make plans to avoid it!
3. Take in God’s Word from every
source.
Read it daily. If you’re not a
reader, listen to it on tape. You have no excuses for not saturating
your mind with Scripture. As Kent Hughes also says,
You cannot be profoundly influenced
by that which you do not know (p. 77).
I cannot encourage you enough to
memorize verses that relate to problems you struggle with. (related
resource
Memorizing His Word)
Unless the Word is in your heart, God cannot use it when you are
tempted (see Jesus’ example in fending off temptation, Mt 4:1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11). You
do not need to read the newspaper every day, but you desperately need
to read your Bible every day! It’s like a daily shower--it cleanses
off the dirt of the world (Eph 5:26-note).
4. Expose your mind to the
teaching and examples of the great Christians down through history.
(See related resource
Christian Biography)
Listen to and read sermons from
godly men. The sermons and commentaries of John Calvin, Jonathan
Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, J. C. Ryle, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and other
giants of the faith are available in print. (Ed: Listen to John
Piper's excellent biographies of these men at
Biographies)
Read the biographies of these and other godly men and women. With a
few exceptions, avoid most of the modern Christian best sellers, and
spend your time reading the works that have stood the test of time.
These men walked with God, and they will feed your soul.
5. Listen to wholesome music,
especially the great hymns of the faith.
I enjoy many of the praise
choruses, especially those that are taken directly from Scripture. But
also, some of the great hymns have a history of sustaining God’s
people down through the years, and they are doctrinally meaty. The
Wesley’s used hymns to teach theology to many who were illiterate. Get
recordings of the great hymns and play them until you know them by
heart. They will fill your mind with wholesome truth.
Conclusion
A number of years ago, the news
media picked up the story of a woman known as “Garbage Mary.” She
lived in a smelly Chicago tenement amid mounds of garbage. She spent
her time rummaging through trash cans. She would bum cigarettes off
her neighbors. Police took her to a psychiatric hospital after she was
stopped for questioning and found to be in a confused state of mind.
When they went into her filthy apartment, they were astounded to find
stock certificates and bank books indicating she was worth at least a
million dollars. She was the daughter of a wealthy Illinois lawyer.
It’s a pathetic story, but it pictures the lives of many professing
Christians, who could be immersing their thought life in that which is
true, dignified, right, pure, lovely, of good repute; that which is
virtuous and worthy of praise. But instead, they surround themselves
with moral filth, wallowing daily in raunchy TV programs, polluting
their minds with the sordid stories of this condemned world, rather
than focusing their thought life on the things of God and Christ.
An old Indian Christian was
explaining to a missionary that the battle inside of him was like a
black dog fighting a white dog. “Which dog wins?” asked the
missionary. “The one I feed the most,” replied the Indian. Paul says,
“Feed your mind on the pure truth of God’s Word.” (Read his excellent
message
Philippians 4:8 The
Christian's Thought Life)
><> ><> ><>
A Powerful Lesson - In 1892,
John Hyde boarded a ship in New York harbor and set out for India. His
goal was to proclaim the gospel to people who had not heard about
Jesus. During the next 20 years he earned the nickname "Praying Hyde"
because he often spent hours and even many days in prayer for the
salvation of nonbelievers and the revival of Christ's followers. On
one occasion, Hyde was upset about the spiritual coldness of a pastor,
so he began to pray,
"O Father, you know how cold—"
But it was as if
a finger stopped his lips from uttering the man's name. Hyde was
horrified when he realized that he had judged the man harshly. He
confessed his critical spirit and then determined not to focus on the
shortcomings of others but to see them as individuals whom God loves.
Hyde asked the Lord to show him things that were "of good report"
(Philippians 4:8) in the pastor's life, and he praised God for the
man's virtues. Hyde learned later that during this exact time the
pastor's spiritual life was revitalized.
Let's not be faultfinders—even in prayer. We can follow Paul's example
of focusing on what God has done and what He can do in the lives of
others (Ephesians 1:17, 18, 19, 20, 21). Instead of praying against people, let's
pray for them. —J E Yoder
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Father, give me the wisdom to know how to pray for others—with
kindness, not criticism; with love, not anger; with grace, not
judgment.
Be a
grace-giver, not a faultfinder
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THINK ON THESE THINGS -
The best way to keep evil ideas out of our minds is to concentrate on
things that are good and pure and beautiful. The mind cannot be
entirely at rest; it is not a blank. Hence the exhortation is given to
think about right things. We are to be occupied with the Scriptures,
with loving attitudes and holy de-sires. We must look only on worthy
things and meditate primarily on that which is of good report. To
praise rather than to criticize is our first duty. As we thus allow
the Holy Spirit to bring every thought into captivity to Christ, we
will find that good deeds will automatically flow from such lofty and
spiritual attitudes. Like our blessed Savior, we too will then go
about "doing good" (Acts 10:38).
A college girl who was a fine scholar and had a noble spirit
volunteered to be a counselor at a girl's camp. Despite her
abilities, she was required to peel potatoes in the kitchen. The head
mistress of the camp, realizing that this was quite a menial task for
such a talented and highly intellectual girl, exclaimed, "It's too bad
that a young woman of your education should have to peel potatoes."
The girl who was a splendid Christian looked up brightly and replied,
"But, Miss Baldwin, remember, I don't have to think about potatoes
while I'm peeling them." The application is obvious. You can keep
your soul out of the dust no matter what your task, if you center your
thoughts on the things mentioned in our text. Let the Holy Spirit
discipline your mind by dismissing suspicion and replacing it with
hope and trust. Forego grudges. Flout envy. Be appreciative, be kind,
be gentle. Rejoice in the Lord a little more. Take pleasure in beauty
and virtue. Clear away the cobwebs of doubt, frustration, and anger.
Let your mind dwell on Christ and He will beautify your life.
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Think truly, and thy thoughts
Shall be a fruitful seed;
Live truly, and thy life shall be
A great and noble creed. — H. Bonar
You're not what you think you are; but what you THINK—you are!
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THINK TOGETHER - An
executive of the world's largest toymaker said, "We are such a machine
in terms of what we deliver on an annual basis that it doesn't allow
time to think."
In an effort to stimulate creativity, this company is taking selected
employees out of corporate headquarters and encouraging them to think
together in new ways. For instance, when asked to devise a method to
prevent an egg from breaking if dropped from 14 feet, one group went
beyond the conventional approach of trying to cushion its fall and
created an egg bungee cord.
What about us? Are our lives so focused on activity and production
that we don't take time to think? In Paul's letter to the Philippians,
he told them to meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure,
lovely, and of good report (Php 4:8). What would happen if we began this
kind of thinking together in our churches and homes? Might we discover
creative, God-given approaches to problems that seem to defy solution?
Would our perspective on life undergo a radical change?
"Meditate on these things" is a great command. Obeying it with our
families and other believers could open doors of discovery for helping
others, serving God, and living for Him. Now that's something to think
about! —David C. McCasland
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Lord, help us to think of the right
and the true,
The pure and the noble—it all points to You;
For if we consider what's worthy of praise,
We'll then want to live for You all of our days. —Fitzhugh
Right thinking leads to right living
><> ><> ><>
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 - WHILE driving, I sometimes see vultures soaring
high overhead, swooping down, and then rising up again with the air
currents. Every so often, I see a small group of them sitting on the
roadway tearing apart the carcass of some unfortunate creature. These
ugly birds are on the lookout continually for what is loathsome and
repulsive!
Some people are like that. Nothing seems to satisfy them more than
what is sinful, corrupt, and immoral. The books and magazines they
read, the TV programs they watch, the conversations they engage in,
and the activities they pursue reveal a vulture-like appetite.
How much better is the spiritual diet the Bible suggests: "Whatever
things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things
are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy—meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8).
What kind of food do you prefer? Don't be like the vulture. Rather,
"as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow
thereby" (1 Peter 2:2).—R W De Haan
><> ><> ><>
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 - PASTORS, public speakers, and writers do a
lot of listening and reading to find information, illustrations, and
better ways of expressing truth. I listen to radio talk shows while
driving, and I have a book or magazine in hand while watching a ball
game on television.
What happens with all this input? My mind processes it, and it becomes
a part of me. Then when I write or speak, it comes out in my own
words.
This process of absorbing words and ideas is not unique to speakers
and authors. Everyone takes in vast amounts of information every day.
And living as we do in a world system with god-less values, we are
bound to take in a lot of garbage. What we can't avoid we need to
reject before it becomes a part of the way we think. If we fail to be
discerning, our minds will be defiled. But if we find pleasure in what
is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians
4:8), these good qualities will become a part of the way we think,
act, and speak.
We can't avoid hearing bad thoughts and ideas, but if we process them
through God's filter of truth, we can turn them around and use them
for good.—FM
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
><> ><> ><>
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 - ANYTHING that dims my vision of Christ or
takes away my taste for Bible study or cramps my prayer life or makes
Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian,
turn away from it," said J. Wilbur Chapman.
The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, summed it
up this way: "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue
and if there is anything praiseworthy— meditate on these things"
(Philippians 4:8).
With those things filling our minds and with the Holy Spirit leading
us, we can develop guidelines for living that will honor God. Doing so
will liberate us from "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16). Then, no matter what trials and
temptations may threaten us, we will have a standard to live by.
The Christian life is not a collection of do's and don'ts; it is a
daily walk that is guided by the Holy Spirit who indwells us. He can
help us establish self-control and give us direction through the
principles in Scripture. With His help, we can set good standards for
our behavior.—P R Van Groder
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
><> ><> ><>
Cafeteria Christianity - In his book Thinking in the Future Tense,
Edward B. Lindaman refers to "the cafeteria culture of our age." It's
the tendency to shy away from life's unpleasant disciplines and seek
only what brings immediate pleasure.
Christians are not exempt from this tendency. Some persuasive
preachers promote an "abundant life" of success and prosperity through
positive thinking, more faith, or giving money to get God's blessing
in return.
The Bible, of course, teaches us to think positively (Phil 4:8) and to
give liberally (2 Cor. 8:2). But much "prosperity preaching" lacks the
nourishing truths of Christ's sacrifice for sin and His demand for
godly living. Our God is not only loving, good, and generous; He is
also righteous, holy, and demanding. He hates sin and will not
compromise with evil.
It's wonderful to hear about the blessings Christ offers, but we also
need to experience repentance and self-denial. The picking and
choosing of a cafeteria-style Christianity is no substitute for a
well-rounded diet, which includes the tough truths of taking up
Christ's cross and following Him (Mark 8:34). That kind of nourishment
stimulates the growth of spiritual muscle and Christlike character.
And I need all of that I can get, don't you? --D J De Haan
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
From subtle love
of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings;
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified. --Carmichael
To be conformed to Christ, let God's Spirit form Christ in you.
><> ><> ><>
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 -An office supervisor instructed her secretary to
alter some question-able financial records. When the secretary
refused, the supervisor asked, "Don't you ever lie?"
For many people, both public and private honesty is an obsolete
virtue—a moral remnant of bygone days. Integrity is more complex than
simply refusing to lie. Integrity means speaking out when remaining
silent would convey the wrong impression, and it means doing what's
best for others even if it causes us harm.
Sa'ad, a sensitive, hard-working man who lives in Zarayed, one of
Cairo's garbage dumps, works long hours collecting trash. He is one of
thousands of Egypt's garbage collectors who struggle to survive, but
who seldom break out of their hopeless prison of poverty. Often he
clears little more than fifty cents a day. One day Sa'ad found a gold
watch valued at nearly two thousand dollars. He could have sold the
watch and made a better life for himself and his family. He could have
reasoned that he needed it more than the owner or that it was God's
justice that allowed him to find the watch. But he didn't. He returned
the watch to its owner. Sa'ad is a Christian and believes it's wrong
to keep what doesn't belong to him.
If this kind of honesty is not evident in our lives, we need to
reexamine ourselves. Jesus is the Truth. Truthfulness, therefore, must
be the way of life for all who follow Him. —D. J. De Haan
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Some people are honest only
because they have never had a good chance to steal anything.
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What's The Connection? - The image on the TV screen captures
our attention and we sit down to watch. As we flip from channel to
channel, is there any connection between what we decide to watch and
what is in our heart? Does our faith in Christ have anything at all to
do with our TV choices?
In a world of falling standards, we must think through this question:
How does our relationship with Christ affect our TV viewing habits?
One secular writer speaking about today's television programs said,
"The notion of indecency has become obsolete." He is suggesting that a
standard has been pushed aside. What is that standard? I believe it's
the moral standard found in biblical teaching.
Most TV productions are not governed by the guidelines God wants us to
follow. The Bible tells us, "Whatever things are true, whatever things
are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if
there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on
these things" (Philippians 4:8). It's hard to do that when we're being
bombarded by the ungodly images presented on television.
Let's ask God to help us make godly choices in what we watch on TV.
—Dave Branon
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. —Anon.
Character is formed by making choices in one direction
><> ><> ><>
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 - Our society needs a good dose of old-fashioned
honesty, particularly among its leaders. In business, in politics, in
school, in the home, and even in the church, we are seeing less and
less of this vital quality—especially in money matters.
Under-the-table deals, unrecorded trans-actions, padded expense
accounts, forgotten debts, and unpaid traffic fines are the order of
the day. The rule seems to be, if you can get away with it, do it.
We need to recapture something of the spirit and moral character of
the sixteenth President of the United States. Throughout Lincoln's
professional life as a lawyer he always had a partner. Frequently, Abe
would go out on a circuit to handle legal matters while his colleague
stayed at home. When he completed a case, Lincoln often collected the
fee before he returned to the office. He always divided the money in
his billfold, carefully wrapping his partner's half in a piece of
paper on which he wrote his name and the case for which it was
received. In this way, if anything happened to him before turning over
the money, no one could dispute the amount and for whom it was
intended. This practice may seem trivial, but it was totally in
keeping with the man we have come to know as "Honest Abe."
We all should make it our goal to live in such a way that the word
honest sounds right in front of our name. —D. J. De Haan.
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Don't talk cream and live skim
milk
><> ><> ><>
THE GIFT OF THOUGHT - In some ways humans are inferior to
animals. I have seen some incredibly strong men, but never one "as
strong as an ox." Men can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds, but that
doesn't begin to compare with the speed of a cheetah. There are people
who have an uncanny sense of direction, but even they can't explain
how migrating swallows can return unerringly to the same place year
after year.
Yes, some animals are intelligent, but none of them can think as we
can. No animal could ever have developed today's amazing society with
all its medical and technological advances.
A human's unique ability to think enables him to have thoughts about
God and eternity. The famous American poet Walt Whitman found this to
be troubling. He said that he often envied the cattle that graze
contentedly in a meadow, because they never worry or dwell on
troublesome thoughts.
As Christians, we know that the ability to think is a God-given gift.
But sad to say, we can misuse it by entertaining thoughts that are
vulgar, foul, and mean. Paul told us to meditate on whatever is true,
noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy, and of good report
(Philippians 4:8).
Lord, help us to discipline our thoughts. —Herbert Vander Lugt
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Of all God's creatures only man
Can worship, meditate, and plan;
The gift of thought sets him apart
To love the Lord with all his heart. —D. De Haan
Godly character is shaped by godly thoughts.
><> ><> ><>
F B Meyer has the following
comments on Php 4:8...
THE
GOVERNMENT OF OUR THOUGHTS
Phil. 4:8, 9
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and
seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
The God of Peace. We last spoke about the peace of God which,
like a white-robed sentry, keeps the heart with its affections, and
thoughts, with all their busy and sometimes too promiscuous crowd. We
have now to speak about the God of peace; and blessed though the peace
of God may be, to have the God from whose nature peace emanates is
infinitely preferable. One main constituent of our text is the word
think; another the word do.
Thinking and doing are the conditions on which the God of peace will
tarry in the heart. To think rightly, and to do rightly--these will
bring the blessed dove of heaven to brood in the nest of your soul.
Almost everything in life depends on the thoughts, as the forest lies
in the acorn, and Scripture itself lays stress upon this. The wise may
says: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues
of life;" and, again, we have it: "As a man thinketh in his heart so
is he." In this context we notice that the peace of God is to keep our
thoughts; and, again, our text says: "Think on these things." The
control of your thought, the government of your mind, this is all
important for three reasons.
THINKING AND DOING.
(1) Because thinking about things prepares you for doing them. If
you allow a matter to revolve in your mind, if you turn it over and
over and consider it from every aspect, and dwell upon it, it becomes
comparatively easy to do it. It is as though the thoughts lay down the
tram lines, upon which presently the car of action proceeds. The
thoughts lay the wires which presently convey the message. No doubt
many of you have again and again experienced this, that when you have
come to some great crisis in your life, you have passed through it
with perfect ease, because you had so often rehearsed the matter. When
you came to act, it was as though you had passed through the
experience before, your thought had so entirely prepared you for it.
It is of the utmost importance therefore that you take care what you
think, because thought is the precursor, herald, and forerunner of
action.
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER
(2) Thought is also important, because it has a reflex effect upon the
whole character. As you think, so you are almost without knowing
it. Wordsworth refers to this; he says:
"We live by admiration, love,
and hope;
As these are well and wisely fixed,
In dignity of being we ascend."
If a man cherishes bad thoughts,
almost unwittingly he deteriorates; he cannot help it. There is a
profound philosophy in Rom. 1, where it says that because they refused
to retain God in their minds but cherished their vile lusts, God gave
them up to their passions to defile themselves. If a man is
perpetually cherishing unholy, impure, and untrue thoughts, he will
become an unholy, impure, and untrue man. Our character takes on the
complexion and hue of our inward thinking. If a man is ever cherishing
noble thoughts, he cannot help becoming noble; if he is generous in
his thought, he will be in his act; if he is loving and tender in his
thought, he will be loving and tender in his bearing. Thoughts are the
looms in the wonderful machinery of the inner life, which are running
day and night, and weaving the garments in which the soul shall be
arrayed. If you will care for your thoughts, the thought will mould
character reflexively and unconsciously.
THOUGHT AND IDEALS
(3) Thought affects us because we naturally pursue our ideals.
Columbus, after long thinking, came to the conclusion that the earth
was round, and that conviction determined him to launch his little
boat and steer westward. Washington thought that government must be
based on universal suffrage and free vote of the people, and this led
to the formation of the United States. Wilberforce thought that every
man was equally free in the sight of God, created and redeemed to be
responsible to God only, apart from the holding of his fellow-man.
Young men and women may read these words in whom great thoughts are
formulating themselves, and if they are not to be mere enthusiasts,
mere weak dreamers, the time must come when they will yoke the car of
their thought to the star of their ideal, and presently a life will
tower up before their fellows that shall leave a definite impression
for blessing upon the race. If you are to be any more than a dreamer
and enthusiast, young friend, your thought must, sooner or later, take
shape in your industry and energy, even in the sweat of your brow, and
the suffering of martyrdom.
Thought Often Unnoticed. It is a remarkable touch in John Bunyan's
description of Ignorance, as he walks beside the two elder pilgrims,
that he says: "My heart is as good as any man's heart"--and adds, "As
to my thoughts, I take no notice of them." Probably there are scores
of people who take no notice of their thoughts. They leave the castle
gate of their soul perfectly open for any intruder that may wish to
enter, either from heaven or hell; and so it befalls that the thoughts
of the world, of vanity, of impurity, thoughts which are inspired by
demons, but which are arrayed in the garb of respectable citizens,
pour into the great gateway of the soul, filling the courtyard with
their tumultuous uproar. Without discrimination, thought, or care on
their part, they allow themselves to be occupied and possessed with
thoughts of which they have every reason to be ashamed; they teem in
and out, and do just as they will. This is the reason why you
sometimes find your heart filled with passion; it is because Guy
Fawkes has entered in disguise with his fellow-conspirators, and under
long flowing robes has introduced explosives. This is why our hearts
become filled with hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness, with
thoughts against God, and against our fellows. We do not watch the
great courtyard gate.
Think Reverently. Think carefully, think reverently, says the Apostle;
take care how you think. We might almost say you can live as you like,
if you are only careful how you think. At the great dock gates they
will feel down the casual labourers before permitting them to enter
the great warehouse, and again when they come out. We are told that in
some of the great hospitals they will search the visitors, especially
on Sunday afternoon, lest they should introduce deleterious food,
which might neutralise the physicians' treatment. When there was the
dynamite scare in London, how carefully the policeman examined
everybody who had business in the House of Commons, lest a bomb might
be introduced. If only we had a scrutator standing at the door of our
heart to examine every thought as it entered; nay, if we could have
there the Angel Ithuriel, of whom Milton speaks, and the touch of
whose spear showed that the devil lurked in the toad that squatted by
Eve's ear and whispered her his secret, how often in what seems a
respectable thought entering the courtyard gate we should discover a
traitor, who had come from the very pit to set our heart on fire with
sin.
The Conflict of Thoughts. It would appear that to arrest the tide of
evil thoughts that threatens us is what St. Paul means when he says he
is crucified with Christ. When newly converted there is nothing that
we suffer from so much as the collision between the intrusion of those
thoughts and the new divine principle, which has entered us. Just for
a few hours watch carefully at the gateway of your hearts, and see if
it be not sometimes almost an agony to exclude those which you must
suspect. In beginning to do this, many would learn, perhaps for the
first time, what the Cross of Christ means. It might bring the very
perspiration to your forehead, in the awful conflict against certain
fascinating thoughts, so winsome, so bright, so attractive, that offer
themselves with the most insinuating grace. In earlier days, when
one's standard was not quite so high, when one was less aware of the
insidious temptation that lurks in the most graceful and attractive
thoughts, one would have permitted them to enter, but now how great a
fight goes on at the great gate of the soul, not only against bold bad
thoughts, but against the more pleasing and seductive ones.
But supposing we were left merely with this constant watching and
antagonising of evil thoughts, life would be almost intolerable.
Remember, therefore, that not the negative only but the positive, not
destruction only but construction, is the law of the Christian life.
Not the grave of Christ, but the resurrection power, is our hope; and
hence St. Paul says, "Think on these things"--and he gives you six
standards of thoughts.
SIX
SISTERS
Let these six sisters stand at the gateway of your soul, and challenge
every thought
(1) Think on the True.
"Whatsoever things are true." Keep out of your mind the false, but
admit the true, because every life, every government, all politics,
all business, all great commercial undertakings, all books and
systems, which are not founded upon truth crumble sooner or later. If
you could visit this world in the future, you would find that the
falsehoods which now stalk across its arena, and seem as strong as
thistles in spring, will have passed away. Consider things that are
true.
(2) On the Honourable.
"Whatsoever things are honourable." The word in the Greek is
grave--reverent--respect-compelling--every-thing which is respectable,
which makes for itself a court of respect. Exclude from your mind all
that is dishonourable, and admit only what is worthy of God.
(3) On the Just.
"Whatsoever things are just." Be absolutely just to other people in
your estimate, in giving them their dues. If they be above you,
criticise them justly; if on your level, deal with them as you would
wish them to deal with you; if beneath you, be just. Everything unjust
in speech or habit prohibit; everything which is just foster.
(4) On the Pure.
"Whatsoever things are pure." Here is the fight for a young man's
life, to arrest the impure, however bedizened and bedecked, and to
admit into his heart only that which is perfectly pure, pure as the
lily, as God's ether, as the light.
(5) "Whatsoever things are lovely."
That conduct which is consistent with 1Cor 13:4, 5, 6, 7, which
proceeds from the heart of love and thaws the ice of selfishness,
which has accumulated upon others.
(6) And on the Things of Good Report.
"Whatsoever things are of good report." Like the elders who obtained a
good report; like Mary, of whom Jesus said, "She hath clone what she
could"; like the man with his ten talents, to whom the Lord said,
"Well done, good and faithful servant." Anything, the Apostle says,
which is virtuous, and anything which wins praise of God or man, think
on these things.
Let these six sisters stand at the gateway of your soul, and challenge
every thought as it offers itself, admitting only those thoughts which
approve themselves as true, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. O
God, let these six angels come into our souls, and from now until we
meet Thee, let us give the entire control of our nature up to their
serene, strong, wholesome restraint, that all that is inconsistent
with them may be abashed, and everything which is consistent with them
admitted to infill and dwell within us.
A High Ideal. You say the ideal is high. Yes, but listen; we
must believe that each of these attributes was won by Christ for us
all--won by Him. They were native to Him but they were won because He
pursued them through temptation. He kept them as His own, face to face
with the most terrific temptations ever presented to a moral being.
Having endured all, He died, rose, and bore to God's right hand a
humanity in which these things were eternal and inherent. Thence he
sent down the Holy Spirit to reproduce His risen humanity in every one
who believes.
But Attainable by Faith. Faith is the power with which we
receive through the Holy Ghost the nature of Jesus Christ into our
hearts; so that instead of talking about justice, purity, and
self-restraint as so many abstract qualities, we speak about Him in
whom those attributes are incarnated. By faith we receive Him, and
having received Him, we receive them. Let the Holy Spirit reproduce
Him.
Just now we said, Let those six sisters stand at the gateway and test
all our thoughts. But it is better to say, Let Jesus Christ stand at
the gateway and test them, because He can not only test but roll back
the tide of evil thought, as easily as He could make Niagara leap
back, did He choose. It is mere stoicism and stoical philosophy to
say: Watch your thought. It is Christian philosophy to say: Let Christ
keep your thoughts, testing them, hurling back the evil, and filling
the soul with His glorious presence.
This is the secret of the indwelling presence of the God of Peace. He
abides where the heart is kept free from evil thoughts, and filled
with the Spirit of the Son. "The God of Peace shall be with you." (F.
B. Meyer. The Epistle to the Philippians)
><> ><> ><>
Alexander Maclaren has the
following sermon entitled...
THINK ON THESE THINGS
I AM half afraid that some of you
may think, as I have at times thought, that I am too old to preach to
the young. You would probably listen with more attention to one less
remote from you in years, and may be disposed to discount my advices
as quite natural for an old man to give, and quite unnatural for a
young man to take. But, clear friends, the message which I have to
bring to you is meant for all ages, and for all sorts of people. And,
if I may venture a personal word, I proved it, when I stood where you
stand, and it is fresher and mightier to me to-day than it ever was,
You are in the plastic period of your lives, with the world before
you, and the mightier world within to mould as you will; and you can
be almost anything you like, I do not mean in regard to externals, or
intellectual capacities, for these are only partially in our control,
but in regard to the far more important and real things — viz,
elevation and purity of heart and mind. You are in the period of life
to which fair dreams of the future are natural. It is, as the prophet
tells us, for ‘the young man’ to ‘see visions,’ and to ennoble his
life thereafter by turning them into realities. Generous and noble
ideas ought to belong to youth. But you are also in the period when
there is a keen joy in mere living, and when some desires, which get
weaker as years go on, are very strong, and may mar youthful purity.
So, taking all these into account, I have thought that I could not do
better than press home upon you the counsels of this magnificent text,
however inadequately my time may permit of my dealing with them; for
there are dozens of sermons in it, if one could expand it worthily.
But my purpose is distinctly practical, and so I wish just to cast
what I have to say to you into the answer to three questions, the
three questions that may he asked about everything. What? Why? How?
I. What, then, is the counsel here?
‘Think on these things.’ To begin with, that advice implies that
we can,and, therefore, that we should, exercise a very rigid control
over that part of our lives which a great many of us never think of
controlling at all. There are hosts of people whose thoughts are just
hooked on to one another by the slightest links of accidental
connection, and who scarcely ever have put a strong hand upon them, or
coerced them into order, or decided what they are going to let come
into their minds, and what to keep out. Circumstances, the necessities
of our daily occupations, .the duties that we owe to one another, all
these make certain streams of thought very necessary, end. to some of
us very absorbing. And for the rest — -well!
‘He that hath no rule over his own
spirit is like a city broken down, without walls’; anybody can go in,
and anybody can come out. I am sure that amongst young men and women
there are multitudes who have never realised how responsible they are
for the flow Of the waves of that great river that is always coming
from the depths of their being, and have never asked whether the
current is bringing down sand or gold. Exercise control, as becomes
you, over the run and drift of your thoughts. I said that many of
us-had minds like cities Broken down. Put a guard at the gate, as they
do in some Continental countries, and let in no vagrant that cannot
show his passport, and a clear bill of health. Now, that is a lesson
that some of you very much want.
But, further, notice that company of fair guests that you may
welcome into the hospitalities of your hart and mind. ‘Think on these
things’ — and what gee they? It would be absurd of me to try to
exhaust the great catalogue which the Apostle gives here, but let me
say a word or two about it.
‘Whatsoever things are true..,
think on these things; Let your minds be exorcised, breathed,
braced, lifted, filled by bringing them into contact with truth,
especially with the highest of all truths, the truths affecting God
and your relations to Him. Why should you, like so many of us, be
living amidst the small things of daily life, the trifles that are
here, and nearer coming into vital contact with the greatest things of
all, the truths about God and Christ; and what you have to do with
them, and what they have to do with you? ‘Whatsoever things are
true ... think on these things.’
‘Whatsoever things are honest,’ or, as, the word more properly and
nobly means, ‘Whatsoever things are reverent, or venerable’ — let
grave, serious, solemn thought be familiar to your minds, not
frivolities, not mean things. There is an old story in Roman history
about the barbarians breaking into the Capitol, and their fury being
awed into silence and struck into immobility, as they saw, round and
round in the hall, the august Senators, each in his seat. Let your
minds be like that, with reverent thoughts clustering on every side;
and when wild passions, and animal desires, and low, mean
contemplations dare to cross the, threshold, they will be awed into
silence and stillness. ‘Whatsoever things are august... think on
these things.’
‘Whatsoever things are just’ — let the great, solemn thought of
duty, obligation, what I ought to be and do, be very familiar to your
consideration and meditation. ‘Whatsoever things are just... think
on these things.’
‘Whatsoever things are pure’ — let white-robed angels haunt the
place. Let there be in you a shuddering recoil from all the opposite;
and entertain angels not unawares. ‘Whatsoever things are pure ...
think on these things.’
Now, these characteristics of
thoughts which I have already touched upon all belong to a lofty
region, but the Apostle is not contented with speaking austere things.
He goes now into a region tinged with emotion, and he says, ‘whatsover
things are lovely’; for goodness is beautiful, and, in effect, is the
only beautiful. ‘Whatsoever things are lovely... think on these
things.’ And ‘whatsoever things are of good report’ — all the
things that men speak well of, and speak good in the very naming of,
let thoughts of them be in your minds.
And then he gathers all up into two words. ‘If there be any
virtue’ — which covers the ground of the first four, that he has
already spoken about — viz. true, venerable, just, pure; and ‘if
there be any praise’ — which resumes and sums up the two last:
‘lovely and of good report,’ ‘think on these things.’
Now, if my purpose allowed it, one would like to point out here
how the Apostle accepts the non-Christian notions of the people in
whose tongue he was speaking; and here, for the only time in his
letters, uses the great Pagan word ‘virtue,’ which was a spell
amongst the Greeks, and says, ‘I accept the world’s notion of what is
virtuous and praiseworthy, and I bid you take it to your hearts.’
Dear brethren, Christianity covers all the ground that the noblest
morality has ever attempted to mark out and possess, and it covers a
great deal more. ‘If there be any virtue, as you Greeks are fond of
talking about, and if there be any praise, if there is anything in men
which commends noble actions, think on these things.’
Now, you will not obey this commandment unless you obey also the
negative side of it. That is to say, you will not think on these fair
forms, and bring them into your hearts, unless you turn away, by
resolute effort, from their opposites. There are some, and I am afraid
that in a congregation as large as this there must be some
representatives of the class, who seem to turn this apostolic precept
right round about, and whatsoever things are illusory and vain;
whale-ever things are mean, and frivolous, and contemptible,
whatsoever things are unjust, and whatsoever things are impure, and
whatsoever things are ugly, and whatsoever things are branded with a
stigma by all men, they think on these things. Like the flies that are
attracted to a piece of putrid meat, there are young men who are drawn
by all the lustful, the lewd, the impure thoughts; and there are young
women who are too idle and uncultivated to have any pleasure in
anything higher than gossip and trivial fiction. ‘Whatsoever things
are noble and lovely, think on these things,’ and get rid of all the
others.
There are plenty of occasions round about you to force the opposite
upon your notice; and, unless you shut your door fast, and double-lock
it, they will be sure to come in: — Popular literature, the scrappy
trivialities that are put into some periodicals, what they call
‘realistic fiction’; modern Art, which has come to be largely the
servant of sense; the Stage, which has come — and more is the pity!
for there are enormous possibilities of good in it — to be largely a
minister of corruption, or if not of corruption at least of frivolity
— all these things are appealing to you. And some of you young men,
away from the restraints of home, and in a city, where you think
nobody could see you sowing your wild oats, have got entangled with
them. I beseech you, cast out all this filth, and all this meanness
and pettiness from your habitual thinkings, and let the august and the
lovely and the pure and the true come in instead. You have the cup in
your hand, you can either press into it clusters of ripe grapes, and
make mellow wine, or you can squeeze into it wormwood and gall and
hemlock and poison-berries; and, as you brew, you have to drink. You
have the canvas, and you are to cover it with the figures that you
like best. You can either do as Fra Angelico did, who painted the
white walls of every cell in his quiet convent with Madonnas and
angels and risen Christs, or you can do like some of those low-toned
Dutch painters, who never can get above a brass pan and a carrot, and
ugly boors and women, and fill the canvas with vulgarities and
deformities. Choose which you will have to keep you company.
II. Now, let me ask you to think for a moment why this counsel is
pressed upon you.
Let me put the reasons very briefly. They are, first, because
thought moulds action. ‘As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.’ One
looks round the world, and all these solid-seeming realities of
institutions, buildings, governments, inventions and machines,
steamships and electric telegrams, laws and governments, palaces and
fortresses, they are all but embodied thoughts. There was a thought at
the back of each of them which took shape. So, in another sense than
the one in which the saying was originally meant, but yet an august
and solemn sense, ‘the word is made flesh,’ and our thoughts became
visible, and stand round us, a ghastly company.
Sooner or later what has been the
drift and trend of a man’s life comes out, flashes out sometimes, and
dribbles out at other times, into visibility in his actions; and, just
as the thunder follows on the swift passage of the lightning, so my
acts are neither more nor less than the reverberation and after-clap
of my thoughts.
So if you are entertaining in your hearts and minds this august
company of which my text speaks, your lives will be fair and
beautiful. For what does the Apostle immediately go on to add to our
text? ‘These things do’ — as you certainly will if you think about
them, and as you certainly will not unless you do.
Again, thought and work make character. We come into the world with
certain dispositions and bias. But that is not character, it is only
the raw material of character. It is all plastic, like the lava when
it comes out of the volcano. But it hardens, and whatever else my
thought may do, and whatever effects may follow upon any of my
actions, the recoil of them on myself is the most important effect to
me. And there is not a thought that comes into, and is entertained by
a man, or rolled as a sweet morsel under his tongue, but contributes
its own little but appreciable something to the making of the man’s
character. I wonder if there is anybody in this chapel now who has
been so long accustomed to entertain these angels of whom my text
speaks as that to entertain their opposites would be an impossibility.
I hope there is. I wonder if there is anybody in this chapel to- night
who has been so long accustomed to live amidst the thoughts that are
small and trivial and frivolous, if not amongst those that are impure
and abominable, as that to entertain their opposites seems almost an
impossibility. I am afraid there are some. I remember hearing about a
Maori woman who had come to live in one of the cities in New Zealand,
in a respectable station, and after a year or two of it she left
husband and children, and civilisation, and hurried back to her tribe,
flung off the European garb, and donned the blanket, and was happy
crouching over the embers on the clay hearth. Some of you have become
so accustomed to the low, the wicked, the lustful, the impure, the
frivolous, the contemptible, that you cannot, or, at any rate, have
lost all disposition to rise to the lofty, the pure, and the true.
Once more; as thought makes deeds, and thought and deeds make
character, so character makes destiny, here and hereafter. If you have
these blessed thoughts in your hearts and minds, as your continual
companions and your habitual guests, then, my friend, you will have a
light within that will burn all independent of externals; and whether
the world smiles or frowns on you, you will have the true wealth in
yourselves; ‘a better and enduring substance.’ You will have peace,
you will be lords of the world, and having nothing yet may have all.
No harm can come to the man who has laid up in his youth, as the best
treasure of old age, this possession of these thoughts enjoined in my
text.
And character makes destiny hereafter. What is a man whose whole life
has been one long thought about money-making, or about other objects
of earthly ambition, or about the lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of
the eye,
and the pride of life, to do in heaven? What would one of those fishes
in the sunless caverns of America, which, by long living in the dark,
have lost their eyes, do, if it were brought out into the sunshine? A
man will go to his own place, the place for which he is fitted, the
place for which he has fitted himself by his daily life, and
especially by the trend and the direction of his thoughts.
So do not be led away by talk about ‘seeing both sides,’ about ‘seeing
life,’ about’ knowing what is going on.’ ‘I would have you simple
concerning evil, and wise concerning good.’ Do not be led away by talk
about having your fling, and sowing your wild cats. You may make an
indelible stain on your conscience, which even forgiveness will not
wipe out, and you may sow your wild oats, but what will the harvest
Be? ‘What, soever a man, soweth that’ — that — ‘shall he also reap,’
Would you like all your low thoughts, all your foul thoughts, to
return and sit down beside you, and say, ‘We have come to keep you
company for ever’? ‘If there be any virtue... think on these things.’
III. Now, lastly, how is this precept Best obeyed?
I have been speaking to some extent about that, and saying that
there must be real, honest, continuous effort to keep out the
opposite, as well as to bring in the ‘things that are lovely and of
good report.’ But there is one more word that I must say in answer to
the question how this precept can be observed, and it is just this.
All these things, true, venerable, just, pure, lovely, and of good
report, are not things only; they are embodied in a Person. For
whatever things are fair meet in Jesus Christ, and He, in His living
self, is the sum of all virtue and of all praise. So that if we link
ourselves to Him by faith and love, and take Him into our hearts and
minds, and abide in Him, we have them all gathered together into that
One. Thinking on these things is not merely a meditating upon
abstractions, but it is clutching and living in and with and by the
living, loving Lord and Saviour of us all. If Christ is in my
thoughts, all good things are there.
If you trust Him, and make him your Companion, He will help you, He
will give you His own life, and in it will give you tastes and desires
which will make all these fair thoughts congenial to you, and will
deliver you from the else hopeless bondage of subjection to their very
opposites.
Brethren, our souls cleave to the dust, and all our efforts will be
foiled, partially or entirely, to obey this precept, unless we
remember that it was spoken to people who had previously obeyed a
previous commandment, and had taken Christ for their Saviour. We
gravitate earthwards, alas! after all our efforts, but if we will put
ourselves in His hands, then He will be as a Magnet drawing us
upwards, or rather He will give us wings of love and contemplation by
which we can soar above that dim spot that men call Earth, and walk in
the heavenly places. The way by which this commandment can be obeyed
is by obeying the other precept of the same Apostle, ‘Set your minds
on things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand
of God.’
I beseech you, take Christ and enthrone Him in the very sanctuary of
your minds. Then you will have all these venerable, pure, blessed
thoughts as the very atmosphere in which you move. ‘Think on these
things... these things do!... and the God of Peace shall be with you.’
