Philippians 4:8

‘Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honourable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are winsome (of good report); if there be any excellence, and if there be any praise, think on these things.'

And all this will be maintained continually as they set their minds on what is good, righteous, true and pure. The true Christian does not allow his mind and heart to wander after what is unsuitable and displeasing to God. He rather concentrates his thoughts on what is true (genuine through and through - Proverbs 22:21 LXX; John 7:18), and honourable (highly thought of morally - Proverbs 15:26 LXX), and just (right according to God's Law - as often in Proverbs; a word regularly used by Jesus of ‘the righteous'), and pure (chaste, innocent and morally upright - Proverbs 15:26; Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 21:8 LXX; James 3:17), and lovely (delightful and spiritually desirable, spiritually and morally attractive, especially in speech - Sir 4:7 a; Sir 20:13) and winsome (the winsomeness that results from ‘speaking well of others' i.e. is ‘well speaking, a giver of good report about others', consider Proverbs 15:26; Proverbs 16:24 for the idea), all this rather like the teacher of wisdom in Proverbs who sought to turn men's minds from what was base, but above all, like Jesus Christ Himself. While Paul may well have called on the ideas of current ethical wisdom for some of the terminology, for much of it was current at the time, the whole concept is transformed for Paul on the basis of the finest teaching of the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, and of the teaching of Jesus. He has in mind the walk of the truly righteous man, ‘the way of holiness' (Isaiah 35:8). He is not urging that they follow the path of the moral philosopher, but rather urging that they walk in accordance with Old Testament precepts, and that they walk as Jesus walked, Who was the perfect exemplar of all such ideas.

Similarly today, whatever the Christian reads, whatever he watches on TV, whatever he talks about, should all be determined by what he knows will please his Father. He should not be doing anything that he would not want to be caught doing if the Lord comes unexpectedly at such a time as he does not expect. Indeed if there is anything that is ‘morally excellent' (Isaiah 43:21 LXX; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:5), or if there is anything that is ‘worthy of praise', he is to think on these things. For he is to be a light shining among men as one who is blameless, and who causes no harm (Philippians 2:15). Thus he does not ask, ‘how can I find enjoyment or benefit for myself?' He rather asks, ‘what can I do that will please the Lord?', often in terms of ‘what would Jesus do in my place?', and ‘how can I encourage my brothers and sister in Christ'. His whole concern is for others.

The idea behind ‘continually thinking' is that the Christian continually sets his mind on such good things and continually keeps good things and good thoughts in view. Such an attitude almost becomes second nature to him as he prays and reads God's word, and seeks first God's Kingly Rule (Matthew 6:33). But he must never become complacemt. Anything that will mar the picture, or that he would not want Jesus to catch him doing, he must deliberately turn his back on. His one aim must be to please the Master.