Think On These Things

We are told in Romans 12:2 to not be conformed to the world, and we are told in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we are to take every thought captive to obey Christ, but how do we do this? Paul gives us the answer (at least an important part of it) in his letter to the Philippians where he writes:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

If we want to renew our minds and bring our thought life into obedience to the Word of God, if we want to have the mind of Christ, we cannot keep feeding our minds on the stuff of the world. In this list Paul tells us what the Christian mind should be occupied with; we cannot feed our thoughts lusts and passions of the world and expect to ever have a renewed mind. And as long as we do not renew our minds we will always be conformed to the world.

So what do these words imply? John MacArthur explains this this way:

True. What is true is found in God (2 Tim. 2:25), in Christ (Eph. 4:20, 21), in the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), and in God’s Word (John 17:17). noble.[Nobel - ESV] The Greek term means “worthy of respect.” Believers are to meditate on whatever is worthy of awe and adoration, i.e., the sacred as opposed to the profane. just. This refers to what is right. The believer is to think in harmony with God’s divine standard of holiness. pure. That which is morally clean and undefiled. lovely. The Greek term means “pleasing” or “amiable.” By implication, believers are to focus on whatever is kind or gracious. of good report. [commendable - ESV] That which is highly regarded or thought well of. It refers to what is generally considered reputable in the world, such as kindness, courtesy, and respect for others.

John MacArthur - The MacArthur Study Bible

These are the things we are told to focus our minds on. The Bible teaches that the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 5:5-6). Our very salvation involves the renewing, or transforming, of our minds. This is the key to living a Godly life.

For this reason I have picked this verse, Philippians 4:8, as our memory verse for this week.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

And don't forget to keep working on our previous verses as well:

Psalm 119:11
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 1:1-2
Joshua 24:14-15
Philippians 2:5-11

The Exalted Name Of Jesus

Here is an excerpt from the 1890 book, In Green Pastures by J.R. Miller. I thought this quote was appropriate as we continue memorizing this week in Philippians chapter 2. We began last week to commit to memory Philippians 2:5-8 where we learn that our attitude is to be like the attitude of Christ, and then we see what that attitude looks like. In this excerpt we see that if we are to become like Jesus we must focus our attention on Him; it is only as we gaze upon the beauty of Jesus that we will begin to see His character and attitude begin to become a part of us - we will begin to be like Him. And the more we gaze upon Him the more we will become like Him. It is in this way that we begin to think like Jesus and that we actually, as the KJV & ESV says here, let His mind be in us. Here is what J.R. Miller had to say:

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

Hebrews 12:2

Keeping the heart upon Christ--transfigures the life. The old monks intently gazed upon the crucifix, thinking that the print of the nails would come in their hands and feet, and the thorn-scars in their brow--as they gazed.

It was but an utter fiction--yet in the fiction there is a spiritual truth. Gazing by faith upon Christ--the lines of His beauty indeed imprint themselves on our hearts! That is the meaning of Paul's words--"We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord--are transformed into the same image!"

The gospel is the mirror. There we see the image of Christ. If we earnestly, continuously, and lovingly behold it--the effect will be the changing of our own lives into His likeness. The transformation is wrought by the Holy Spirit, and we are only to behold, to continue beholding, the blessed beauty! As we sit before Christ--His image is imprinted on our soul.

So take some time today - and every day - to sit before Christ and just behold Him. And here then are our memory verses for this week:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

The Attitude Of Christ

In Philippians 2:5 we are told that we are to have the attitude of Christ; the NASB says, Have this attitude in yourselves that was also in Christ Jesus. The next several verses then go on to describe what this attitude looks like, it says (still from the NASB):

who, although He existed in the in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(verses 6-8)

So the attitude of Christ is to be a humble servant, to put the greater need of others before your own needs, and to obey God to the point of death if necessary, but how do we develop this attitude in ourselves?

The answer is given in the following verses; look specifically at verse 13, which says, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." And back in chapter 1 we read, "... He who began a good work in you will perfect it (ESV, bring it to completion) until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6). So the way we get this attitude is through obedience submission, and surrender to God.

I encourage you to take some time today to get alone with God and spend some time in prayer asking Him to reveal any area in your life where you have not surrendered or where you are not obeying and submit to His authority. As you do He will complete the work that He has begun in you and you will find that day by day you are becoming more and more like Jesus.

And let's take this passage as our memory verses for this week:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

Next week will will tackle the rest of this passage

The Puritans (Part 5)

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Philippians 1:20-23

How often do we as Christians look at a passage like this on from Philippians and look around at all of our stuff and wonder how Paul could make a statement like this. He said that for him to live is Christ, and to die is gain, that the only reason to keep living is to win more people to Christ, and that his desire is to die so he can be with Christ, which he says is far better. How many of us can make a statement like this, and mean it?

Below is an excerpt from a sermon by Thomas Watson, the Puritan pastor and writer. In this excerpt he tells us that there are nine things that end with the death of the Christian, and give us reason to look forward to the day that we will "depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!"

"I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" Philippians 1:23

It is the desire of a true saint to be gone from this present world, "I desire to depart." What a wicked man fears--that a godly man hopes for! The worldling desires to live in this present world forever; he knows no other heaven but earth--and it is death to him to be turned out of his heaven. A wicked man does not go out of this world—but is dragged out!

But a soul enlivened and ennobled with a principle of grace, looks upon the world as a wilderness wherein are fiery serpents, and he desires to get out of this wilderness!

The bird desires to get out of the cage, though it is made of gold. Just so, the saints of God have looked upon themselves as imprisoned in the body, and have longed for a jail-delivery. "Oh, that I had wings like a dove, that I might fly away and be at rest!" (Psalm 55:6).

It is no wonder that a true saint is so earnest to be gone from this present world--if we consider how beneficial death is to a child of God. Death puts an end to all his evils! In particular, there are nine evils which death will put an end to:

1. Death will put an end to a believer's SINS.

2. Death will put an end to a believer's TEMPTATIONS.

3. Death will put an end to a believer's FEARS.

4. Death will dry up a believer's TEARS.

5. Death will put an end to a believer's TROUBLES.

6. Death puts an end to a believer's CARES.

7. Death will put an end to all our NATURAL imperfections.

8. Death will put an end to the imperfections of GRACE.

9. Death will put an end to a weary PILGRIMAGE.

Though death is a bitter cup, there is sugar at the bottom. Death is the believer's best friend; for it brings him to Christ, which is far better. "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!"