Think on These Things-Part 1
(Phil. 4:8)
by Pastor Vicky MootsKingman, Kansas
Philippians 4:8 “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.
In this verse, Paul lists eight things which believers are to think upon. Eight is the number of the new creation. Jesus was raised on the eighth day. These things are all attributes of Christ and the new creation life of Christ in us. They are all also characteristic of the Word of God.
Too often we set our minds upon the things of the world which we see and hear in the news, things that tend to bring fear and anxiety and cause us to fret and worry. Paul is hereby admonishing us to shun those things and to refuse to allow them to overwhelm us. Instead, we are to meditate upon Christ and the written Word.
The first thing which he lists is “whatsoever things are true.” The Greek word for “true” is “alethes,” meaning “a true one who cannot lie” or “a true thing that is not a lie.” This of course speaks of Jesus, who proclaimed in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” We also read regarding Jesus, in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
And in v. 17 John states, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Then Jesus declares Himself to be the “true bread from heaven” in John 6:32 and the “true vine” in John 15:1. Not only is Jesus Himself true, but so is the Word of God, as David proclaims in Ps. 119:160: “Thy word is true from the beginning…”
In John 18:38, when Jesus was brought before Pilate to be judged, Pilate asked Him, “What is truth”? Many people today are still pondering the same question. So how can we really know what is true and what is not? Jesus answered the question for us in John 16:13 when He told His disciples, “Howbeit when He the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth…”
The Spirit of Truth is the Holy Spirit who was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, and He is available to all who will receive Him. Today we live in a world that is filled with the lies of Satan. These lies are emanating from our newscasts, social media, political leaders, and, sadly, even being preached from some pulpits by false teachers. We need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to guide us and to give us discernment regarding what is truth so that we will not be led astray. We must also study the Word of God. If something is contrary to God’s Word, then it is not the truth. Therefore, let us follow the instruction of the apostle Paul and fix our minds upon the truth of the Word and upon Christ Himself.
