After today’s sermon, I was thinking we should ask each other, “How is your mind today?” instead of “How are you doing today?” because we will learn that everything depends on that. Mark Twain, the great author, said, “Acts and words are a little part of a man’s life. His real life is led in his head and is known to none but himself. All day long, the mill of his brain is grinding, and it is those thoughts which turn into the history of his life.” We look at the world around us—all the solid-seeming realities, big buildings, corporate giants, businesses, governments, institutions, and inventions—and we realize they all began because someone had a thought. That thought took shape and stands so tall today.
In the world of computers, there is a term, GIGO, or Garbage In, Garbage Out. What you put inside a computer is what will come out. If the data you put in is garbage, garbage will come out. Our mind is the most advanced computer in the world. This principle of GIGO is true even for our minds. If you put garbage into your mind, it will process it, and your life will reflect that garbage in your words and actions.
Did you know that the average person has 10,000 separate thoughts each day? Imagine how fast that is. If you convert that into a year, 10,000 multiplied by 365, that works out to be 3,650,000 thoughts a year. Most of you have already had over 2,000 separate thoughts since you got out of bed and came to church. You’ll probably have another 8,000 before you finish this day. Then you’ll start all over again tomorrow.
Every one of those 10,000 thoughts represents a choice you make, a decision to think about this and not about that. If you say, “Oh, who knows about all this? It works on its own. I don’t have to worry about it because what I think doesn’t matter,” you are completely dead wrong. Your whole life—your words and actions—is a reflection of your thoughts.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Beware of what you set your mind on, because that you surely will become.” Norman Vincent Peale said, “Change your thoughts and you change the world.” And an anonymous person once said, “Two thoughts cannot occupy the mind at the same time, so the choice is ours whether or not our thoughts will be constructive or destructive, positive, or negative.” The Bible also emphasizes that: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7 KJV). Jesus said that out of a man’s heart and mind come all kinds of evil things.
God gave you 10,000 thoughts today, but it’s up to you what you do with them. If someone gave you one million rupees every day, how carefully would you think about spending it? Your thoughts are more valuable than the biggest amount of money you have. How is your thought life, Christian? Most people’s lives and words are horrible because their thought life is very negative. Some of you may be like that. Let me show you how negative thought life works. Negative thoughts work in four ways.
- Self-Pity: We all fall into this trap. Life is hard for all of us in this world. Trouble comes to everyone. But a person with self-pity thinks his trouble is the worst in the world and that it is unfair because everyone else is happy. “Why me?” This self-pitying person says, “You don’t know what I’m going through,” or “You try living with this 24 hours a day and then you will know.”
- Blaming: You can’t face life on your own, so you find someone or something to blame for all your problems. “It is because of this situation, this person, or that thing that I am like this.” It might be your husband or your wife, your children or your parents, your job, your boss, or even God. Blaming is dangerous because it leads to perpetual victimhood.
- Unwillingness to Change: This is connected to the first two. Once you immerse yourself in self-pity and keep blaming others, you feel you are a victim. The logical conclusion is that you can’t change or won’t change. Unfortunately, this type of negative thinking makes you think your behavior can’t be your own fault. “What I am doing is right?” “It’s no use trying. I’ll never change,” and then finally, “God made me this way, so it’s not my fault.”
- A Life Filled with Anger, Bitterness, and Worry: This is usually the logical outcome. Once you begin to pity yourself, you become a victim. But victims can’t be blamed, right? So you blame others and God because you cannot change. You refuse to face the reality that you are the reason for your own problems and that your thinking pattern is wrong. When others tell you that you are wrong, you get angry, defensive, and bitter. You remember every miserable thing ever said and done against you. When others make the slightest negative comment about you, you record it permanently and keep boiling it within your heart, thinking again and again about all the things that went wrong in the past. You think God hates you and is punishing you. You don’t allow God’s truth to impact or change your mindset because your problem is beyond God. You always look at things from a human point of view, fully focused on your problem, and you refuse to lift your view in faith and see the life situation from God’s viewpoint: that all things are working for a purpose. Your mind is always set on the things of this earth. So you are filled with fear and worries.
This is not only negative thinking but sinful thinking. It is even devilish thinking. Do you remember how Christ rebuked Peter when he tried to stop Christ from going to the cross? In Matthew 16:23, Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me.” Why? “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Such sinful thinking leads to a sinful lifestyle, which Paul earlier said makes people “enemies of the cross,” again, because they “set their mind on earthly things.”
Today’s passage from the Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us that you don’t have to live like that. Your life can be so different. He calls us to get out of such sinful thinking and calls us to a godly way of thinking. Let’s read that.
Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
We will look at two headings: A Call to Godly Thinking and Objects for Godly Thinking.
A Call to Godly Thinking
Verse 8 begins with, “Finally, brothers.” If you listen to grand music with its ups and downs, then at last, everything comes together to reach a climatic crescendo, giving the crowd goosebumps and applause. Paul has been playing divine music through three chapters and now comes to the climax. It is as though he pulls all of those things together and rises to this tremendous climatic statement of Christian duty and responsibility in this section. We saw three gospel duties: Rejoice, be Gentle, and have no Anxiety. “Yes, Pastor, I’m very encouraged. I am trying to practice that, but worry keeps coming to me. I am struggling.” So the Holy Spirit, who knows all our struggles, further helps us in this verse by giving us a call for godly thinking.
There is an inseparable connection between obeying these commands and godly thinking. If we wish to conquer evil thoughts or worry, we will not win by only trying to fight against them. We may control them for a while, but they will keep coming back, and we will be frustrated. The way to overcome that is to learn to substitute those evil, worrying thoughts with good thoughts. We must replace ungodly, sinful, negative thinking with godly thinking. I am consciously avoiding the use of the term “positive thinking” because there is a big heretical Pentecostal teaching on that, and that is not what Paul teaches.
The reason some of us cannot live out those commands is because of our regular ungodly thinking patterns. How a person thinks about any given situation will determine how he acts or reacts to it. A Christian can have only two viewpoints about any situation in his life. He can have a human viewpoint, which leads to worry and spoils the “Rejoice, be Gentle, have no Anxiety” mindset. Or we should have a divine viewpoint about a situation, viewing it from the standpoint of God’s sovereignty, knowing that all things are under God’s control and work for the good of those who love Him. That mindset alone will bring peace. Why? Isaiah 26:3 KJV says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.” Worry reveals that our thinking is from a human viewpoint and is wrong. Peace is the result of God’s divine viewpoint. A mind not stayed on God cannot have the peace of God. Without God’s peace, we will worry. So this peace of God is directly related to the control of one’s mind. The control of the mind is a key to winning over worry and living out those commands. So Paul calls us to a biblical, Christ-centered, self-imposed thought control. This thought control is critical for living for the gospel.
We see a call to godly thinking in the end of verse 8: “meditate on these things.” We know that “meditate” does not mean just a casual memory, but to fix your mind, to turn your thoughts from all others, and to fix them on this. It is a command in the present imperative, continuous tense, meaning we are not to do this once in a while, spasmodically, suddenly, and briefly, but for a long and continual time. It has to become a habit. The word “meditate” is also translated as “reckon,” “take into account of,” “consider,” or “reflect upon” some realities in life.
This is a command to fix our thoughts upon right things. Why? Because Paul knew the fundamental reality that right thoughts are the mother of right actions and a right life. Someone said the mind is like a cloth-weaving machine, and thoughts are the threads. They run day and night, weaving the garments that a person wears in their soul and on their face every day. If you are weaving dark, black threads, you will wear a dull and sad face. With positive, bright threads of thoughts, your face will be bright and joyful. Our thoughts reflexively and unconsciously mold our character. So, we must fix our thoughts upon the right objects. This is a call for godly thinking.
Objects of Godly Thinking
This verse gives us six questions to ask about our thoughts. Before you think and before you speak, ask these six questions. They are like six watchmen standing at the gate of our minds, challenging and verifying every thought. Only if a thought passes any of them should you allow it inside.
- Is it true? “Whatever is true.” The first test is truth. “I think so much about this, but is this true?” Before you open your mind to some thought, ask, “Is it true?” Before you open your mouth, “Am I speaking the truth?” “Is it a fact?” If it is a fiction or an imaginary story, why should I waste my thoughts on this? Just this filter will save us from so many false imaginations and lies that the devil wants to fill our minds with. The world constantly lies to us through media and advertisements and tries to influence our minds. Satan, who is the god of this world, is the father of lies, and he runs this world with lies. So the first filter we use to allow anything in our mind is: Is it true? Truth also prevents worry. Most of the things we worry about are not realistic and never come about. Most of our worries are totally unfounded, not based on truth.
- Is it noble? “Whatever is noble.” The word means “honorable, worthy of reverence, respect, or esteem.” It means dignified. Whatever is lofty, not trashy, mundane, or common. It is translated as “noble seriousness.” It is a serious, weighty thing, the opposite of thoughts that are clownish, buffoonery, or low and useless nonsense. There are some people who never have serious thoughts; everything’s a joke. Such people cannot think noble, higher, or serious thoughts. We are not to be silly goof-offs who treat life as a perpetual joke. We live in the light of eternity, in an uncertain, short life, with the reality of heaven and hell before us. Yes, we can joke and make things lighter sometimes. But always joking… There are some preachers who make everything in a sermon a joke, acting like buffoons. There are people who think so much about small, mundane, and common things, like what to eat or what dress to wear, and 90% of their thoughts go into those ordinary things. Paul says we should have respectful, higher, and weightier themes. Is your thought life noble and honorable? Do you ponder things that are noble and of serious purpose? Or do you dwell on the frivolous and trivial? That is a mindset that knows the value of a thought and doesn’t use it on useless things.
- Is it just or right? “Whatever is just/right.” This means “in conformity to God’s standards.” Not, “Is it right in my eyes?” or “Is it right in the eyes of others?” but “Is it right in God’s eyes?” The selfish world doesn’t care about whether it’s right or wrong, but does it work? No, no, is it right? Sometimes something may be true. We hear so many wrong news stories in the world which are true, but is it right for me to keep thinking deeply about them? Media people love negative messages, so they project everything from a negative, spicy side. Is it right for me to wallow in those things? God says to render to each man what is just respect. If you are thinking about someone or something, is it just to think like this from God’s sight? If your thoughts were broadcast for the world to hear, would you be ashamed and embarrassed? If others knew what you were thinking, what would they think of you? Are our thoughts just and right?
- Is it pure? “Whatever is pure.” The word means “undefiled, chaste, clean.” It touches the whole area of purity, moral, chastity, or anything that would defile us—anything contrary to God’s law. When we start thinking of that, we defile our minds with it. Remember, what goes into the mind will come out. We don’t do anything outside without first doing it in our minds. Thomas a Kempis traced the successive steps of a successful temptation. The first step is the bare thought as it enters the mind. The second step is that we picture in our imagination how sweet this sin would be; we hang that picture on the walls of our minds. The third step is as we contemplate it, the picture drips sweet syrup, drop by drop, into the heart until the heart fills up and the will bends and gives in to the filled-up heart. That is how people fall into big sins. Is your thought life clean? Have my thoughts been pure about other people, my finances, my family, my job, and my boss this past week?
- Is it lovely? “Whatever is lovely.” It is a lovable thing. It is pleasing, “winsome,” and attractive. It has the idea of attracting loveliness as a magnet attracts iron filings. And practically, whatever things are calculated to gain others’ love. When you think loving things about others, you talk to them in a loving manner, and they respond back in love. One person was asked why everyone loves him and what his secret was. He said, “It’s simple. I love everyone. I never allow any hateful, bitter thoughts about anyone.” The former four qualities—truth, dignity, justice, and purity—may procure respect, but love alone is likely to win love. How do you think about others? Do you have hateful, bitter thoughts, or lovely thoughts on how you can gain others’ love? We are to think and concentrate our attention on the lovely things in people. We must bar thoughts from entering our minds that make us hate people and not focus on the negative things about people. A thought may be true and even right but still not be lovely. Here’s a simple rule: If it’s not lovely, if it doesn’t make you lovely, don’t think it, don’t say it, don’t do it, and don’t dwell on it.
- Is it of good report? The NIV says “admirable.” “Whatever is admirable.” Whatever is of good report, or highly regarded. That’s where I should put my thoughts. This is thinking about how I can gain goodwill or a good report and a good name. At the same time, I must not do anything evil to get that good report. We are willing to think regularly and do many things to gain a good report, but not by lying or saying wrong things about others so that I can gain a good name. I need a good report and the goodwill of people so I can live and share the gospel with them. “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” This is the scope of my thoughts. These are the six things I will look for.
If these six are not enough, the Apostle gives us two catch-all general categories: “if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy.” If I have omitted anything, here are more general things you can think of. Virtue means “excellent and good character,” and “praiseworthy” means “those things that bring good praise and a good name, even before God.”
Taken together, these eight questions point the way toward godly, positive thinking. Paul says, “Think on these things.” Keep on focusing your thoughts in these eight areas. When you wake up from bed, go out and find what is true and think about it. Find what is noble and think about it. Find what is just and think about it. Find what is lovely and think about it. Find what is of good report and think about it. Do it, and then verse 9 tells us that “the God of peace will be with you.” Those who think on these things experience God’s peace in their lives.
He makes it fully comprehensive by adding “whatever” for each quality. He could have just said “whatever” once and put the list with commas, but for every word, he adds this “whatever.” Why? So that Christians don’t live with a narrow, selfish, gutter-like thought life, as if there is nothing else to think about. Expand the horizons of your thinking. Begin to think expansively and largely. Think there is a world of truth, nobility, justice, purity, lovability, and good report. There is so much more to think about, but you are living a narrow thought life, worrying about what to eat or drink. Expand your thinking.
Application
Realize Mental Disorder. Stop Sinful Thinking. Cultivate Godly Thinking.
1. Realize Mental Disorder.
First, realize the truth: everything in life depends on your thought life. What you think today, you become tomorrow. If you think you can’t, you won’t even try. If you think angry thoughts, angry words are sure to follow. If you fill your mind with sexual fantasies, your body will find a way to fulfill those desires. If you dwell always on your problems, they will soon overwhelm you, fill your heart with worries, and your stomach with ulcers. If you think low thoughts, low living is soon to follow. What goes in must come out. Sooner or later, your thoughts translate into reality.
Frank Outlaw wrote, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” How many of you sitting here have a mental disorder? Some of us have a thought life that is completely the opposite of this. We want to think on things that are fictional, imaginary, illusory, vain, common, mean, frivolous, contemptible, unjust, impure, ugly, and seen as a bad report or stigma by all people. This is why we have mental disorders and life is so horrible. The mind is always filled with worry, negative thoughts, and discouragement. You don’t know what it means to Rejoice in the Lord Always. You have a spiritual mental disorder. Your mind is the greatest treasure you have in human life. You must protect that mind with priority. Patrick wrote, “The food that enters the mind must be watched as closely as the food that enters the body.” If you eat all kinds of things, you get a disease. In the same way, if you allow all kinds of things into your mind, you will get a mental disorder. So, the first step is to realize that.
2. Stop Sinful Thinking.
Do not allow garbage to go into your mind. Remember GIGO: if you put garbage into your mind, garbage is what you will get out. Stop this. We should learn to discipline our mind and exercise a very rigid control over that part of our lives which a great many of us never think of controlling at all. An open mind is like a city broken down without walls; any devil can go in and out.
This verse forbids all kinds of preoccupation with evil. Paul knows we have evil inside us as remaining sin and we have evil outside us in the world. In the midst of all this, if you are to live worthy of the gospel, do not allow the ugly realities of the sin within your own heart and the sin in the world to preoccupy your mind. Against all that, you have to constantly fix your mind on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.
The reason some Christians make very little progress in the Christian life lies right here. They are totally or almost totally preoccupied with the evil that is still within their own hearts. Now, the evil there is real; we’re not denying it. But they are so preoccupied with it that they make no progress in the development of these Christian graces. Or they are fully focused on the evil in the world, in elections, corruption in society, and injustices in society, which they study in detail. We’re not ignorant that this is a crooked and perverse generation. But God says, “Think on what?” “These things,” the virtuous, the praiseworthy, not all the garbage of international conspiracies and of dishonesty and deception in government. Yes, we should hide our face in the mud when we come across news of fraud, and we should know them, but we must not dwell on them in detail. We must not unnecessarily expose our minds to evil.
This touches so many areas of life because we receive input from so many sources. What about the music you listen to? Music has a profound impact on the mind, stimulating various brain areas, thinking patterns, and even influencing our emotions. Is our music and are our songs true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report? What about the movies you watch, the TV shows? Instagram, YouTube reels, and videos? What do your algorithms show you? Do they have a filter? Do they have things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report? If you are allowing your mind to be filled with all that garbage, do you think your life will be wonderful and progressive?
Will you be rejoicing in the Lord, gentle with all men, and live without worry? Yes, sometimes for refreshment and relaxation, watching TV is fine. But what are we watching? Someone said, “You can undo in one hour of injudicious TV watching the benefits of a whole Lord’s Day.” That’s right. One hour of injudicious TV watching can bring such filth, such impurity, such evil, non-virtue, and non-praiseworthy things. We hear God’s word and God’s truth, and graces stay in our mind, slowly digesting into our heart. When that is happening, you go and watch TV or your phone for a long time. You will not watch it neutrally. You see your remaining sin reaching out and enfolding those things, not only mentally but also emotionally. Because you do not expose your mind to them in a state of ethical and moral neutrality. Remaining sin has a positive magnetism for evil. It affects your heart and drains all the spiritual benefit you got on the Lord’s Day.
It is true. Some pastors analyzed Christian family life. They asked why a husband and wife were not growing in grace and why their children were not converted. They did some spiritual probing. “Husband and wife, you have heard so much truth. Why did you not grow in the Lord?” They found out that every Sunday, they go home and watch three or four hours of TV or mobile, allowing all filth to come into their mind and losing all spiritual benefits. No wonder your life is like this. He asked the unbelieving children in their house, “You have heard the message, such heart-shaking messages, so much truth. Why did nothing work in your heart?” “Because our parents watched TV. As soon as we finish service, we go and keep looking at the mobile and watch TV the whole afternoon and evening.” You see the danger. You may be suffering spiritually because you come to church for one hour and then spend forty hours a week cramming your mind with falsehood, evil, and impurity. Don’t think that an hour on Sunday is going to change you and take you to heaven. Stop the garbage from entering your mind if you are serious about obeying God and living a life worthy of the gospel.
You will never be able to live for the gospel if you do not learn to control your TV and mobile watching. The command of God today is to let your mind be taken up with what is pure and what is honorable and just. If you are not doing it, let me remind you again, you are sinning against God.
Also, examine with whom you associate. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us that “bad company corrupts good character.” If you run with the pigs, you’re going to smell like the pigs. You become like the people you hang around with. If they like to drink, you’re going to feel uncomfortable unless you drink with them. If they use coarse language, you’ll pick up their vocabulary. If they are angry at the world, guess what? Pretty soon, you’ll be angry too. If they are negative, hostile, critical, filled with self-pity, and convinced that the world has cheated them, those traits will rub off on you sooner or later. So many Christians fall into the trap of thinking they can lift their friends up. All too often, they end up being dragged down. You’ll never get a new mind unless you examine your friends and the impact they have on your life. So, stop eating garbage. Stop sinful thinking.
Cultivate Godly Thinking
In every situation—at home, at the office, or at church—look for what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. In every place, every relationship, and every thought, this should act as a filter for what goes into your mind. But how will I know what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report in every situation? The only standard for these is scripture. The only means for me to know what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report is scripture.
The perfect standard in the whole universe that meets all these attributes is God’s word. What can be more true than scripture, more noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report?
Feed your mind with the word of God. It alone can make you truthful, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. It alone can help us see these good things in life and think about those.
I am happy most of us are getting into a habit of regularly reading scripture. Can I encourage you to go to the next step next year, which can powerfully change your thought life and so your life, and help you obey this command? Learn to memorize scriptures. Just take one verse every day from your reading and keep memorizing it. Keep it as your mobile screen saver, put it in WhatsApp, or write it somewhere for the day. Every time you touch your mobile, let it come before you. When you keep memorizing verses like this every day, amazingly, every time a nameless worry or fear comes to mind or a wrong thought comes, you will see those verses coming as a battalion of soldiers. God’s Word soothes the soul and chases away my fears and worries. I recommend serious Scripture memory to everyone. As you begin to hide God’s Word in your heart, it will slowly but surely “change your mind.” Also, learn to read some good books.
If you focus on the truth, you will think and speak the truth. If you look on noble things, nobility will mark your life. If you seek out lovely things, your life will be lovely to others.
If you dwell on that which is right, that which is wrong will have no attraction for you. If you think on pure things, you will become pure. If you search for higher things, you will elevate your own life.
Practice these six things in every situation in life so we can live as a witness for the gospel. We have to be exemplary in these six things. We should teach the world these things. Think of some ways. Take “true.” First, as men and women, are we thinking and speaking what is true, in the family and at the workplace? Does our family believe that whatever my husband and wife says is true? Are we true at home? Children, do you speak the truth? If you have started to learn lying, your mind is already twisted and sinning against God. In a lying world, we learn to live to think and say only what is true. He’s honest and true to the point of personal sacrifice. “Why did you say that?” “Because that is true.”
Noble, serious: Everywhere, life is just casual, and all thoughts and discussions are silly, careless, useless, small things. There are no higher, respectful thoughts. People cannot say anything useful or higher. You know why? Because they are silly thinkers. Do our words reflect that we are no-nonsense people, that we think and say only noble things? See, train your brain to think nobly. Very few people are like that. It will progress you in life like nothing else. The world needs noble thinkers.
Take “just”: The world has all kinds of unjust things and no care for what is right. If it works, then it’s right. We think and say and do just things.
Purity in all we think and speak. Oh, there is a secret world of impurity. You don’t realize what damage it is doing to you and to the gospel witness in your life. Isn’t that what is regularly grieving the Holy Spirit in your heart and never makes you progress in grace?
Think about what is lovely and of good report. Think about how many things we can do that are lovely and of good report. Husbands, when we ask your wives, can your wives say you are lovable and will they give a good report? Are you helping your wives in the house, buying them things, surprising them, and being gentle with them? Wives, are you like that? Children?
Wherever we are, at work or outside, we do things that make us attractive, lovable, and bring a good report. What a witness! One young man said he was brought up like an animal, very insensitive to common manners. Though handsome and rich, nobody liked him. He never wished anyone well, never said “please” or “thank you,” never said “sorry,” and wasn’t concerned about personal hygiene; he had a smelly body. People just hated him. But he never thought of “lovely” and “good report” as a command of God. When he realized and started practicing this, he not only followed those good manners but started using deodorant because that is of good report and lovely.
He became such a gentleman. He sees someone who needs any help and immediately helps them. If they are carrying two bags, he helps them with it. If they are struggling with something, he gives a helping hand. If old people are standing, he gets up and gives them his place. Why? Because it is lovely and of good report. You know the world watches that. Husbands, if you practice this at home, your wife will watch it and love you.
Wives, are you doing and saying and teaching your children what is lovely and of good report? Even with dressing, how we dress. Some have no dressing sense, with contrasting colors that don’t match, or a tight dress that is irritating to the eyes, or casual dressing that has no sense when we come to the sacred place of worshipping God. Not combing your hair properly and looking like you just got out of bed, not even putting on some cream or powder. Is that dignified? It may not affect you, and you may not care, but is that lovely and of good report? “Oh, Pastor, where does this verse say all that?” See, that is why Paul says “whatsoever.” It includes a lot of things, so take the liberty.
What about some of you who are regularly late? Disrupting the flow of the service. Is that just, pure, lovely, or of good report? Some of you hear the sermon and benefit, and you go without saying “thank you” to the Pastor. Is that just, lovely, or of good report? Some of you have been hearing the gospel for years and still not believing in Christ. Is that noble, just, pure, lovely, or of good report? Maybe God has saved you, and you are still not a member of the church. Some of you joined as a member, promising to fulfill your responsibilities, but you don’t attend compulsory meetings. Is that noble, just, or lovely?
If we have a gospel witness, we have got to study what is true. Study what is noble and honorable. Study what is pure. Study what is just. Study what is lovely. Study what is of good report. Imagine how beautiful you and I will be when we develop and when we see a man or a woman developing in the full spectrum of Christian graces. It’s a beautiful thing.
You know why we all should become like this. I think Paul was just looking at Jesus when he was listing this. You see, that beauty is just a little reflection of the loveliness of Christ. He is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. See his truth in words and life. He was the embodiment of truth. “I am the truth.” How noble his words and life were. He is the Most Noble Son of God!
How just he was. He is the standard of perfect righteousness. He is pure, so pure, without one sin. He is the pure Lamb of God. He is the Fountain of Purity! How lovely. We call him the altogether lovely one, the fairest among ten thousand. How gentle he was with sinners and enemies. When God says we all ought to become beautiful people, lovely people, Christ was like this. Has not God ordained that we should be conformed to his image? Study the life of our Lord.
In Christ’s strength and union, we can develop all these and become like him. Do it in the language of the next text, and the God of Peace shall be with you.
Those of you who still don’t believe in Christ. The Bible says God has given you up to a depraved mind. You can only think of the low things of this life: the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of this life. Friday I taught that the greatest proud person is one who slight’s God’s word. It says they are in a cursed condition, meaning everything in this life, all good things, are actually traps to drag you into hell. And God will punish such proud people in his providence. Oh, you can escape all that. If you believe in Christ, he can give you a new mind and heart
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 