Sunday Message Live!

This is going to be kind of a "live" post, as I am trying to work something out for me that might be helpful to all.  This morning, I had the thought that maybe I wouldn't struggle so much with bad thoughts and temptation if I found a way to be able to apply at a moment's notice the ideas of Paul in Philippians 4:8:

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

So my thought was, can I get down to the essence of these eight things, and simplify them to the point I could use them as a "quick list" to meditate on?  And that is the process I am 'talking out' right now.

TRUE

This is both the simplest and the hardest, because as you check the commentators, they assume it simple and spend little time on it.  But if you break down the Greek, it literally means "the opposite of concealed."  One commentator that was helpful was Albert Barnes:

The word true refers here to everything that was the reverse of falsehood. They were to be true to their engagements; true to their promises; true in their statements; and true in their friendships. They were to maintain the truth about God; about eternity; about the judgment; and about every man’s character. Truth is a representation of things as they are; and they were constantly to live under the correct impression of objects. 

Wow.  True in everything, true about everything.  What am I concealing today that I shouldn't, and how do I bring it to light?

Quick list word: OPEN.  What do I need to be open about today.

HONEST

This one is harder even on the face, because "honest" is not a good translation of either the Greek or the way it was applied.  The Greek means something you can revere, or adore; thus coming to us as "venerable" or "honorable".  But it was more in meaning;  it was a term the Greeks applied to the things of the gods.  Barnes puts it thus:

The word, therefore, does not express precisely what the word “honest” does with us, as confined to dealings or business transactions, but rather has reference to what was regarded as worthy of reputation or honor; what there was in the customs of society, in the respect due to age and rank, and in the contact of the world, that deserved respect or esteem. It includes indeed what is right in the transaction of business, but it embraces also much more, and means that the Christian is to show respect to all the venerable and proper customs of society, when they did not violate conscience or interfere with the law of God...

So here, I need to look at what in my interactions with society denote character in myself.  I could use respect as my key word, but I'd rather use Esteem, as it leads me to something more.  One of the many translations used the word noble.  So here, how do I act nobly, how do I esteem what is proper around me.

JUST

This one is mostly straightforward.  One translation calls for "upright", and that is about as good a quick word as any.  How do I keep myself fair, upright, faced with the trials of the day.

PURE

Another pretty straightforward concept; Barnes makes a good connection between this concept and the ways of treating your fellow Christians Paul taught in 1 Timothy:

1Ti 5:1  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 

1Ti 5:2  The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. 

1Ti 5:3  Honour widows that are widows indeed. 

It would be easy to say, "treat everyone as family", but for a lot of us, we'd have to add, "but not MY family".  This is beyond blood.  We have to strip the baggage and the "what's in it for me" out of it, and attach the "what can I do for you".  At first, I thought that holy might be my quick word; but looking at it this way, Family or Give might be better.  I think I'll go with Family.

LOVELY

At first I thought this wasn't a good translation, but it's really not bad.  The Greek would be something like, "moving toward friendly", and the commentators added two concepts that helped me.  One was the idea of "something that excites love"; the other was "something that is dear to anyone".  The blue sky, the happy puppy, the new-sprung flower.  But apply it towards the people you meet.  My quick word here is Dear- as in, how can I show that someone is dear to me?

More and more, this seems like a process to get through the day, doesn't it?

OF GOOD REPORT

The Greek sort of brings you to "well spoken of", but one commentator warns that that is not the way they applied it:

Only here in the New Testament. Lit., sounding well. The kindred verb is commonly used in an active sense. Hence not well spoken of, but fairspeaking, and so winning, gracious (Vincent's Word Studies)

So more being that "speaks well" of yourself or your group.  One translation used the phrase, "of good rumor", and that make be the best way to look at it.  What am I doing to start a good rumor?

VIRTUE

This one kind of took me aback because the original Greek is associated with "manly, manliness".  But not in the way WE look at it.  It is more about applied strength, because if you chase it down far enough, you hit the concept of lifting up, of raising.  So here the quick word has to be Uplifting, but in a way that reminds me that I have to use my strength to lift it.

PRAISE

The commentators agree that these last two Paul changed tense on  (from 'whatsoever' to 'if there be any') because he was considering what "society" considered "moral", and thus they were to Paul both linked terms and vague terms.  As John Gill put it:

'and if there be any praise'; that is praiseworthy among men, and deserves commendation, even though in an unjust steward, Luk_16:8, it should be regarded. 

Vincent puts it thus:

Lightfoot remarks that Paul seems studiously to avoid this common heathen term for moral excellence, and his explanation is very suggestive: “Whatever value may reside in your old heathen conception of virtue, whatever consideration is due to the praise of men.”

So we're talking here a life lived not seeking the praise of men, but AS IF seeking the praise of MORAL men.  Deserves Praise is my keyword.

Now there is one more concept to consider here- "think on these things."  The word for 'think on' means 'take an inventory', 'compute', 'make an estimate'.  The commentators were at last united on their take on this one, and Robertson's Word Pictures puts this in just the way I was seeking to apply it:

Think on these things (tauta logizesthe). Present middle imperative for habit of thought. We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy ideals.

"Responsible".  "Habit".  This is what I am striving for: replacing the bad habits of my thoughts (and with them, actions), by making a new habit.  A habit that will start with thinking on, taking an inventory of, being Open, showing Esteem, walking Upright, considering as Family, thinking Dearly of others, causing Good Rumors, Lifting others, and living as if Deserving Praise.