Episode 2669 - Lesson 7 - Wednesday Feb.11- Think on these things

Think on These Things ...The peace that surpasses understanding will also "guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7, NKJV). Our inner life needs protection. Interestingly, Philippians 4:7 uses a military metaphor in connection with God's peace. The Greek verb (phroureō) is used to describe a garrison of soldiers guarding a city against invasion (2 Cor. 11:32; compare Acts 9:24).Another very important aspect of inner peace involves living in harmony with God's will. "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Ps. 119:165).Read Philippians 4:8-9. What specific actions are urged?Paul introduces Philippians 4:8-9 with "furthermore" (GNV) and a list of six virtues, followed by a succinct summary of them and encouragement to imitate Paul's example. This closing cross-cultural exhortation fits well within the Greco-Roman setting of Philippi, with its dual emphasis on virtue and example. Interestingly, though, the focus is on biblical virtues, which is quite obvious from Paul's omission of the four cardinal Greek virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, and courage).True--not accidentally, the list begins with the cardinal biblical virtue of truth, which Jesus ("Truly, I say ...") and the whole New Testament frequently emphasize (see, for example, Acts 26:25, Rom. 1:18, 1 Cor. 13:6, 2 Cor. 4:2, Eph. 4:15, 1 Tim. 3:15, James 1:18, 1 Pet. 1:22, 1 John 2:21).Noble--the Greek word refers to a personal virtue (compare its other uses in 1 Tim. 3:8, 11; Titus 2:2, where it is translated as "reverent" in the NKJV).Right--this virtue is defined by God's righteous character (compare its use in Phil. 1:7).Pure--thought and action flowing from God's justifying righteousness received by faith (see 1 John 3:3).Lovely--aesthetic beauty, seen widely in God's creation.Admirable--"kind and winsome and and gracious" (AMPC).Paul gives two further qualifications, lest a pagan meaning be imputed to any of these virtues: "if anything is excellent or praiseworthy" (Phil. 4:8, NIV), we are to think on these heavenly virtues. Then, to remove all doubt and potential misunderstanding, Paul calls us to practice what we have learned, received, heard, and seen from his own example (Phil. 4:9).