Think on These Things

Philippians 4:8

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

Fix your thoughts on:

what is true

what is honorable

what is right

what is pure

what is lovely

what is admirable.

What is excellent

What is worthy of praise.“

It is nearly impossible these days to turn on the TV, go shopping, go out to eat, read a newspaper, go online, etc., without our minds being cluttered and our thinking infiltrated by all sorts of improper thoughts. Paul gives us guidelines for our thinking.

Let us investigate them.

True–or genuine, honest, and sincere. We should concentrate on honesty in all our dealings, for, “God is true”

John 3:33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.

Christ said, “my record is true”

John 8:14Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me.

Honorable toward all. Strive to “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty”

1 Timothy 2:2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Right, justor equitable. “Be just and fair and equal”

Colossians 4:1Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master-in heaven.

Pure–without spot or stain. “Neither be partaker of other men's sins”

1 Timothy 5:22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader(Greek about the laying on of hands) Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

Lovely–literally, “towards love,” i.e., those things which demonstrate love or a response of love. (This word only appears here in the New Testament.)

Admirable – Of good report–that which elicits praise.

Exellent – Virtue–a standard of righteousness. He “has called us to glory and virtue”

2 Peter 1:3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

Praise–our speech should be to “praise them that do well” .

1 Peter 2:14 For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

Surely our lifestyle and thought patterns need adjusting as noted above, particularly when the verb tense in the command “think on these things” implies a life-long habit–a continuous way of doing things.