Philippians 4:9 - Think Right, Then Do Right

NAS Phi 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.

In this last clause we have the main verb of the verse, the verb which
governs all of the terms we have studied.

This last clause reads "Let your mind dwell on these things."

I. We Are Commanded to Think Biblically.

A. The nature of the command

1. Meaning of the word

"Let your mind dwell on" is one word in Greek:
logizesthe.

It is translated in various ways:

(Have several individuals look these up.)

a. To take into account - John 11:50

NAS Joh 11:50 nor do you take into account that it is
expedient for you that one man should die for the
people, and that the whole nation should not perish."

b. To suppose - Rom. 2:3

NAS Rom 2:3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you
pass judgment upon those who practice such things and
do the same yourself, that you will escape the
judgment of God?

c. To maintain - Rom. 3:28

NAS Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified
by faith apart from works of the Law.
d. To reckon - Rom. 4:4-6, 24

NAS Rom 4:4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not
reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to
the one who does not work, but believes in Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as
righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the
blessing upon the man to whom God reckons
righteousness apart from works:

NAS Rom 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will
be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised
Jesus our Lord from the dead,

e. To consider - Rom. 6:11; 8:18

NAS Rom 6:11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead
to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

NAS Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory that is to be revealed to us.

f. To regard - Rom. 9:8

NAS Rom 9:8 That is, it is not the children of the
flesh who are children of God, but the children of
the promise are regarded as descendants.

g. To think - Rom. 14:14

NAS Rom 14:14 I know and am convinced in the Lord
Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him
who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is
unclean.

h. To count - 2 Cor. 5:19

NAS 2Co 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ
reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and He has committed to us
the word of reconciliation.

2. Form of the word

a. Present tense

- We are to be constantly taking into account,
supposing, reckoning, maintaining, considering,
etc. the eight areas of biblical thinking listed
in Phil. 4:8. WE ARE TO BE THINKING ON THESE
THINGS ALL OF THE TIME.

- Are you growing in that?
- Need to ask, "In what areas of my life do I
need to?"

b. Imperative

- It is a COMMAND in the original language.

- Which means when you or I fail to think, dwell
on, and regard these things we are doing what?

SINNING.

- It's just as wrong to disobey the Ten
Commandments and the Great Commission as it is
to not think on these things.

B. The content of the command

Let's review these criteria of biblical thinking ONE LAST
TIME in light of the command we've just looked at, the
command that applies to each one of them.

1. True

a. whatever is real as opposed to what is fake

b. whatever is true as opposed to what is false

- Are you regularly, continuously thinking true thoughts?

2. Honorable

- Thoughts that are serious and dignified -- as opposed
to whatever is frivolous

- Are you seriously-minded in the areas you should be? at
the appropriate times?

- Some things just aren't funny.

3. Just

- as opposed to that which is unrighteousness, or not in
conformity to God's will and standard

4. Pure

- As opposed to stained, dirty, immoral, or set apart to
ungodliness instead of set apart to God

- Is your thought life pure? Have you been violating the
command of our God in Phil. 4:8 by allowing impure
things to come into your "eye gate"?

5. Lovely

- planning or concentration which will bring about a
loving act

- Is it your practice to plan to do loving things for
your spouse? children?

6. Good repute (admirable)

- thinking that searches for the good rather than the bad
in another

- Do you regularly look for good in your wife? your
husband? your children?

- Do others only hear from you when they've done
something wrong?

7. Virtuous (excellent)

- avoiding thinking that is undisciplined, questionable,
or mediocre

8. Praiseworthy

- A very strong word meaning to "praise upon" our God.

- Praiseworthy thinking is centered on the attributes and
actions of God

- Do you continuously think about Who God is and what
He's done for YOU?

When it comes to obeying the commands of Phil. 4:8, I think
most of us will be doing some regular repenting (or should
be). We need to be growing in biblical thinking, but no one
hits home runs.

This is a minor milestone in our Philippians series. We're finished
with Phil. 4:8! And we're moving on to Phil. 4:9.

READ Phil. 4:9

NAS Phi 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen
in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

We see from this verse that...

II. We Are Commanded to Act Biblically.

Right thinking always precedes right actions and this is exactly
how Phil. 4:8 and 9 present it.
All of the right thinking in v. 8 is the logical prerequisite for
the right acting of v. 9.

cf. Joh 13:17 "If you know these things, you are blessed if you
do them."

INPUT: In what order are the three elements in this verse?

1. Thinking (know)

2. Acting (do)

3. Feeling (blessed)

- Right thinking precedes right actions which precede right
feelings (normally -- sometimes you don't feel right even
then!)

Not only is there the thinking-then-acting order here, but there
is also ANOTHER PRESENT TENSE IMPERATIVE.

The New American Standard (NAS) brings this out with the
translation "practice."

There are some things that Paul is wanting, or better, commanding
(under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) the Philippian
believers to PRACTICE.

Not only are we commanded to be regularly thinking biblical
thoughts, but we are to be regularly doing certain things.

What things?

A. Follow the teaching you've been given.

"The things you have learned and received"... in me, practice
these things"

These two words go together and work as synonyms.

Paul is saying in effect "You've learned many things from me
both in person and by letter. Put them into practice!

INPUT: What are some things that Paul has taught them in
this letter that they need to follow?

- be unified (cf. 1:27 "striving together...")

INPUT: What are some things that we are regularly taught
around here that we need to follow?

B. Follow the good examples you've been given.

"and heard and seen in me, practice these things"
1. Paul

Paul was not bragging by saying this. (He couldn't be,
for what he wrote was inspired by the Holy Spirit and
Paul was writing by His moving (2 Pet. 1:21) and with
apostolic authority.

INPUT: Can you think of any similar statements we read
from Paul in the New Testament?

NAS 1Co 4:16 I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me.

NAS 1Co 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of
Christ.

NAS Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved
children;

NAS 1Th 1:6 You also became imitators of us and of the
Lord, having received the word in much tribulation
with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

NAS 1Th 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the
churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,
for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands
of your own countrymen, even as they did from the
Jews,

- And one from the writer of Hebrews (not Paul):

NAS Heb 6:12 that you may not be sluggish, but imitators
of those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.

INPUT: What in the life of Paul would you and I do well
to follow and imitate?

- He praised God in trials.

- He served during trials (Philippians is a
prison epistle, a letter written while Paul was
in prison.

- He told others about the saving gospel of Jesus
Christ wherever he went and was not ashamed
(cf. Rom. 1:16).

- He loved people enough to correct them by
confronting them (cf. Acts 20:31).

We need to draw a significant point from 1 Cor. 11:1 and
Eph. 5:1 above: Paul himself was a follower of ...

2. Christ

- This is our ultimate goal in life.

(if time) Turn to Rom. 8:28-29

"And we know that God causes all things to work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, he also
predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the first-born among many brethren."

(OPTIONAL, IF TIME)

INPUT: Let's name just a few of the ways we need to
follow Christ's example?

3. Other godly examples

Praise the Lord for godly examples He provides for us.

I'm thankful for the godly example we have had 20 plus
years in P. Goode and 8 plus years in P. Viars.

Now they'd be the first ones to tell you (and you've
heard them) that we're all just growing and that no one's
perfect.

However, I can honestly say that in most ways I want
to emulate men like them.

To God be the glory -- He's done the work in them,
but they've been faithful.

INPUT: Growing up or at some time in the past, who
did the Lord place before you as a godly
example that really helped you "have
something to shoot for" in your Christian
life?

We need to ask this question, too: Are you the kind of
example you should be for the Lord?

If everyone in Faith Baptist Church were like you...

How biblical would our thinking be?

What would our marriages be like?

How evangelistic would we be?

What would our child-raising be like?

How committed would our church be?

What would our giving be like?

WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLE ARE YOU?

Maybe you could say something like, "Well, there certainly would
be some weaknesses, but in some and possibly many of those areas
I think I've been a good example."

If so, praise the Lord. If not, may you be willing to consider
your ways and take the necessary steps of growth.

III. We Will Be Blessed with the Result of Thinking and Acting
Biblically: Peace.

"the God of peace shall be with you."

This passage began with a discussion of peace, too.

cf. Phil. 4:6-7

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus."

By a combination of right praying, right thinking, and right
acting peace begins to come. It is a gift from God Who is the
God of peace (the God who gives peace).

Jay Adams in his commentary on Philippians says this:

"Don't expect peace to arrive after the first attempt. When
your lifestyle has begun to change with practice, then you
can expect to find peace. And this peace comes not
automatically, but from God, Who is its Source. So it does
not depend on circumstances, etc., but on the proper
relationship of the (person) with God."

May God help us and may we be committed to be growing in right praying
right thinking, and right acting.

As we grow in these things, we can have true and lasting peace that
comes from our Heavenly Father.