Philippians 4:1-9 " Think on These Things" " And Do them"

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 Philippians 4:1-9   " Think on These Things" " And Do them"

  In our current world crisis stage...or should I say another world crisis stage, the Scriptures encourage us through the Apostle's writing to the Philippians to think on these things.  4:8  What things?  He mentions several good things we should be thinking about---good things, virtue, if there be any praise, whatsoever things are lovely, just,honest, and pure and true.

   Point 1. is that we are to do just that.Do what? Think, reckon, take into account.  The orig word is logízomai (the root of the English terms "logic, logical") – properly, compute, "take into account"; reckon (come to a "bottom-line"), i.e. reason to a logical conclusion (decision).biblehub.com ( In vs 9 Paul says to do them and so our thinking is a practice if we truly believe it and in Him)

It means much more than keep in mind.  "It means to take into account , reflect upon and then allow these things to shape your conduct.  "Moule

Therefore he says in vs 4: 1, dearly beloved, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

We may go back for a minute to ch. 3 and see what is there too.  3:9  the righteousness of God by faith is the root of Paul's comfort and ours. The Apostle says it directly, " And be found in Him,not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the fqith of Christ.."  Our futures are in His hands, despite what the news and commentators tell us.

We look forward to the time when 3:21 He shall change our bodies that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.  " For our converstation is in heaven" Conversation here means political situation or citizenship is in heaven...

What else should we be thinking on?  4:2  He tells the people to get along.  We are to have the mind of Christ we talked about in Philippians 2:5 a few days ago.  This is having humility thinking of others as better than ourselves.  Euodias and Synthche had to be told to get along. There were other women and Clement (?) ( man or woman?) too that had helped Paul in the work, vs. 3

We are to rejoice and have joy in the Lord, vs 4. " One cause of joylessness is the memory of past failures and faults. ...We are slow to believe in Divine forgiveness....if we believe anything we surely should believe in the pardoning love of God..."  Charles Erdman

vs 5 talks about what joy produces.  Gentleness is a good translation of moderation.  " This sweet reasonableness is be known unto all men.  ...This is the difficult part of the exhortation. It would be quite easy to be considerate and kind and gentle toward some persons.  There are others, however, toward whom it is difficult to show such a spirit..."  Erdman

"The Lord is at hand." 

Verses on worry are priceless. 6-7

2.  We are to do what we have heard in this letter of the Apostle. 4:9 " Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do"  Practice is the orig word here.  Practice what you preach comes to mind.

 prássō – properly, the active process in performing (accomplishing) a deed, and implying what is done as a regular practice – i.e. a routine or habit (cf. R. Trench). biblehub.com

Walk the walk...Talk the talk is not enough in other words. 

Or as I saw the other day, " Let your religion be less of a theory, and more of a love affair."  GK Chesterton

" The exhortation is to ' think on these things.'  One must ' take account of' them, in estimating the values of life.  The mind must be made to dwell upon these high moral ideals, upon things honorable and just and pure and lovely , and of good report, upon true virtue and the praise it deserves." Erdman

" Such high thinking cannot fail to result in nobility of character and in worthy deeds..."  Erdman again

3. and the God peace shall be with you.  vs. 9 b.

Vs 7 as well on worry. '' the peace of God...."

Who does not desire peace?   peace, quietness and rest...eirene is the word . eirḗnē (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness). biblehub.com

The English word is irenic....not belligerant. ....

With this peace, we have peace, and by meditating and retreating on God's words in this passage, we have true and whole salvation in Christ .


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