Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

We continue to examine Philippians 4 to learn principles of spiritual health which enable us to enjoy life’s best moments and to endure its adversities. We have previously emphasized that good spiritual health requires the following: (a) Rejoicing in the Lord; (b) Letting your moderation be known to all men; (c) Living with the awareness that the Lord is at hand; (d) Being anxious for nothing. Good spiritual health also requires that we think on those things described below:

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 (Phil. 4:8).

Let us examine the teachings of this verse.

Mistaken Concepts Drawn From This Verse

In the last century, as the science of psychology developed, men began to study the power of thought over physical health. Mary Baker Eddy and several others reached the conclusion that thoughts control the body’s physical health. Christian Science taught that all disease was the result of wrong thinking; if man could quit thinking wrong thoughts, he could heal his illnesses. Others have developed similar, but less excessive, aberrations by teaching that “anything a person can think he can do” (see books on positive thinking) . If a person can control his thoughts, he can change his living conditions and his accomplishments. Believing this, efforts were made to control the subliminal thinking of man through various mind control techniques (such as listening to tapes played over and over) . The religious book stores are flooded with motivational books and other materials which teach the positive mental attitude philosophy. These authors have tried to “sanctify and cleanse” the positive mental attitude doctrines of its philosophical origins by the quotation and misapplication of several Bible passages, such as Proverbs 4:23 and Philippians 4:8. The positive thinkers have a philosophy toward life which was developed outside the Bible, is laced with false teaching, and leads to doctrinal consequences contrary to the revealed word of God. These philosophers write as if their philosophy was found by a careful study of the Bible when, in reality, the philosophy of uninspired men has been sugar coated with a few Bible platitudes to make it acceptable to the unsuspecting.

We will do well to avoid the excessive claims made from this verse in understanding what it is teaching.

A Scriptural Principle

The Bible truth which is recognized and expressed in this verse is that sin in one’s life springs from sin in one’s heart. If a person will keep his heart from meditating on sinful conduct, he will keep his life free from sin. (Notice that the passage is saying nothing about financial success, achieving promotions on the job, or other physical achievements.) Sin comes from the heart (Matt. 15:19). By keeping one’s heart pure, he can avoid the temptations of sin (Prov. 4:23 -“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”).

The heart should meditate on the word of God. Notice these verses which command us to fill our heart with God’s word:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night (Psa. 1:2).

Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word (Psa. 119:148; cf. 119:15,23,48,78).

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psa. 119:11).

Paul specifically commands Christians to think on things which are:

a. True, in contrast to that which is false, a lie, whether it be with reference to God or man. H.A.W. Meyer says that “true” refers to “that which is morally true; that is, that which is in harmony with the objective standard of morality contained in the gospel.”

b. Honest, from the Greek ward semna, refers to things that are revered or venerated. The adjective describes persons in 1 Timothy 3:8,11 and Titus 2:2, where it stands opposed to double tongue, to intemperance and avarice, to slander and unfaithfulness. The AV follows the old English use of the word honest as derived from honorable. It is opposed to that which is mean, frivolous, indecorous, and unworthy.

c. Just are things which are in accordance with eternal and unchanging rectitude.

d. Pure points to that which is free from all debasing elements, clear in nature, transparent in purpose, leaving no blot on the conscience and no stain on the character.

c. Lovely describes “whatever modes of action tend to endear him that does them, to give him with others not simply the approval of their judgment, but to open for him a place in their hearts – whatever things breathe the spirit of that religion which is love, and the doing of which should be homage to Him who is Love.”

f. Of good report describes “things on being seen lead all who behold them to exclaim – ‘Well-done!’ – or indicate on the part of the actor such elements of character as are usually admired and well spoken of; deeds that sound well on being named, whether they consist of chivalrous generosity or meek condescension – a great feat or a good one – noble in idea or happy in execution. “

g. Virtue describes “moral excellence.”

h. Praise may be used of anything worthy of praise or of praise itself. (Note: the definitions given in this list are largely cited from John Eadic’s Greek Text Commentaries: Philippians).

Some Dangers To Avoid

Good spiritual health will be destroyed when we allow our minds to grovel in moral filth. With that in mind, we call attention to some dangers to good spiritual health.

1. Television. Television programs use sitcoms to undermine our moral values, whether it be through conversations which make moral righteousness look absurd and unattractive (think of the conversations which undermine moral righteousness regarding abortion, homosexuality, safe sex, etc.) or by desensitizing our conscience through repeated exposure to ungodly conduct (usually ungodly conduct is presented in such a way that one sympathizes with the ungodly and those who are morally upright are put in a repugnant light). Television displays nudity and other forms of lascivious conduct (dancing, heavy petting). One’s thoughts are exposed to moral filth if he has a steady diet of television.

2. Music. The music of today, whether it be rock or country western, glorifies drinking, fornication, drugs, and other forms of immoral conduct.

3. Literature. There are many pornographic magazines which are popular on the college campus. Many romance novels are little more than erotica.

To allow one’s mind to be filled with morally debased conduct will weaken his resistance to the temptation to sin.

Things Which Stimulate Good Thinking

There are some things which encourage higher thoughts more conducive to purer living. Here are some of them.

1. Reading the Bible. This should go without saving.

2. Considering God’s works. The psalmist wrote, “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings” (Psa. 77:12). We should meditate on God’s work in creation and in redemption.

3. Read good literature. If we can understand the need to warn brethren not to read such periodicals as Playboy, Penthouse’ Hustler, and other salacious literature, we should also see the need to recommend good literature to brethren, such as Guardian of Truth, Searching the Scriptures, Gospel Anchor, Gospel Truths, etc. We should recommend to our brethren good books which help them understand the Bible better and encourage them to read good literature.

4. Associate with good friends. Our friends have a powerful impact on what we think, through their conversations and deeds. We should avoid friends who tempt us to do things which God condemns (1 Cor. 15:33).

5. Listen to good music. I enjoy the good tapes of religious music which have been produced by the Favorite Hymns Quartet, the Guyer Brothers, and Florida College, as well as some produced by our liberal brethren. Our thoughts will dwell on a higher plane when listening to these good songs, rather than the country western and rock music played on the radio. One also can listen to the Bible, sermons and Bible classes on tape recordings as he travels.

Conclusion

Christians need to be reminded that they cannot fill their minds with moral filth and not expect the devil’s allurements and temptations to affect them. For this reason, God commanded that his children think on things which are pure. Conscious of this, David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, 0 Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psa. 19:14).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 17, pp. 514, 532-533
September 5, 1991

By Dan King

The apostles Peter and John, having been arrested, threatened, and warned not to speak any more of Jesus, went back to their company and prayed: . . . grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness (Acts 4:30). Their prayer was heard. For, the Bible goes on to say that when they had finished their praying, they spake the word of God with all boldness (v. 31).

Apparently this was the greatest challenge to these disciples, who at first had shown themselves timid, and even cowardly. The gospel accounts speak of the apostolic band as having forsaken the Lord and fled into the darkness on the night of Jesus’ arrest (Matt. 26:56). Peter had followed him, but afar off (vs. 58). They knew where their greatest weakness lay, and for this they were praying.

What is most interesting about the context is that they had already shown considerable courage in preaching in the Temple in chapters two and three, and when confronted by the threatenings of the high priest and his cohorts at the Sanhedrin. Scripture records their brash reply to the questionings of the rulers, along with the reaction of these men: Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. . . (4:13). One does not normally expect laboring men, such as these, to come before an auspicious tribunal like the Sanhedrin relaxed and confident in the way in which these men did. Luke explains that they were filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 8), but then goes on to record their prayer for courage. A comparable text appears in 2 Timothy 1:6,7, where Timothy is told to stir up the gift of God which was in him through the laying on of Paul’s hands, For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. Paul is evidently encouraging Timothy to overcome his natural timidity and speak up and speak out! Timothy had control of his own vocal chords, and his own daring or lack of it would determine whether he would do so or not.

It becomes clear, when these Scriptures are compared, that the words they spoke were from God as given by the Holy Spirit (as per the promise of Christ in Mk. 13:11), but the courage was their own! God supplied the words to speak, but it was up to them to get up the “gumption” to say them. That is why the apostles were praying for courage. They needed it!

There are a couple of very important lessons that we ought to learn from this observation. First, we should come to appreciate the dedication and courage of those first Christians in standing for truth. They were truly “men of like passions with us. ” They had to search their souls as we do before they spoke, knowing that their words might cost them a great deal. God did not turn them into robots and direct their actions in such a way as to accomplish his will. They had to gird up the loins of their mind, summon the fortitude to speak, and pull out all the stops. Someone has said that courage is “fear that has said its prayers.” In this case, that definition is completely appropriate.

A second lesson that can be gleaned here, is the fact that they prayed for that which they knew they needed. History is an excellent teacher, so is experience. The night of the betrayal had been branded into the memories of these men with absolute permanency. When that night was over they had been forced to look Jesus in the face, knowing how they had forsaken and denied him. Furthermore, now they knew they would again have to look him in the face to give account for their lives and words, along with all men at the judgment (2 Cor. 5:10). They were intent that they would not make the same mistake again!

Like them, we need to be praying for our weaknesses. We know those areas wherein we have sinned in the past, and if we are intent upon not repeating those errors, then we will pray for the strength to overcome them in the future. Moreover, we will take action when it is necessary to avoid situations and circumstances that lead to such sin.

If it is the courage to speak that we need, then we must know that God is not going to stand in our place for us and speak the words. Like the apostles he gives us what to say, but in our case supplies it to us in his Word. Again, like the apostles, it is up to us to take the first step in developing the courage to speak the truth. But God will be there to help: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear. . . (Psa. 46:1-2).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 17, p. 525
September 5, 1991

By Bobby Witherington

Matthew 19:6 records Jesus to say, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. ” In Romans 7:2 the apostle Paul wrote, “The woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives.” Of course, the husband is also bound by the same obligation. In fact, our Lord gave but one exception whereby a person may scripturally divorce his or her mate and remarry. In Matthew 19:9 Jesus said, “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. ” God’s plan from the very beginning was one man for one woman, and one woman for one man. This being true, it is wise for both men and women to proceed with caution as they enter the marriage union. This caution requires that each of them, long before the wedding, be fully determined in at least two very important areas:

1. Each must be absolutely sure that he has a right to marry and be absolutely sure that the other party has a scriptural right to marry. A person who has a living mate, and whose mate was not put away for the cause of fornication does not, according to God’s law, have a right to marry. Poor housekeeping, insolence, arrogance, a bad temper, etc., however sinful and undesirable, do not constitute fornication and do not, therefore, provide scriptural grounds for re-marriage. In the marriage realm, especially, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” No God fearing person should marry one who is not free to marry, regardless of that person’s beauty, handsomeness, good qualities, or money.

2. Each party to a marriage must be fully determined to keep his or her companion. This means they will avoid trial marriages. It means that each will refuse to enter the marriage bond as long as he has reservations about either himself or his commitment to make it an until-death-do-you-part relationship and partnership. Each much realize that the relationship may not always be perfect – the trials may come in the form of poverty or wealth, or in numerous ways unforeseen. They should enter the marriage bond with the determination to make every success and, yes, every failure, a means for strengthening the marriage bond and enhancing mutual trust and tranquility. Neither party is ready for marriage unless or until he has fully made such a predetermination as that just described.

Of course, many have entered into marriage without having become fully determined in these two important areas. If you happen to be such a person, but your marriage is, in the eyes of God, a scriptural union, then we affirm that you should do all within your power to make it last. If your family circle is not broken on the outside, but is torn and splintered on the inside, then you should immediately go to work mending whatever is amiss and do all you can to produce a greater togetherness between you and your mate. To that end we plan to make specific recommendations in successive articles, the Lord willing.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 17, p. 519
September 5, 1991

By Ron Halbrook

My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence (Jn. 18:36).

The separation of church and state is no mere accident or expediency, but was clearly taught by Jesus Christ so that even the wicked ruler Pontius Pilate understood him. God ordained his church and civil government as two separate institutions with different purposes. Rulers should honor God as the sustainer of the universe, of nations, and of governments (Jn. 19:11). Government officials should seek the providential help and blessing of God in doing the work he gave them to do, but cannot conduct the business of the church. God gave the church its own work and organization without the least semblance of civil, military, or political power. It has no right or authority from God to enter into such fields of action.

What does the Bible teach about the relationship between the church and politics?

1. Godly men should lead the assemblies of the church in fervent prayer for our rulers, from the highest to the lowest (1 Tim. 2:1-8).

2. The church teaches respectfor governments, laws, and officials (Rom. 13:1-7). God ordained civil government to restrain criminals and the evil deeds which destroy peace, safety, and order in a society, and to protect obedient citizens. Governments wield the sword as agents of God’s wrath against evildoers. God commands us to pay our taxes and to cooperate with our rulers.

3. The church preaches the positive duties of all men and the positive provisions of the gospel to all men, high and low (Matt. 22:37-40; Mk. 16:15-16). Men sin and fall into various violations of God’s law because they fail to love God first and to love their fellowman. God does not tolerate or excuse sin on the part of the highest ruler or of the lowest servant. Every sinner must believe in God’s Son and be baptized in submission to the authority of Christ in order to receive the remission of sins. No man will be saved on his own merits by attaining great honors in civil affairs or because of suffering great abuses and injustices in life.

4. Sin must be rebuked and condemned no matter who practices it (Matt. 3:1-12; Lk. 3:1-14; Mk. 6:17-18). John applied God’s Word to all men alike, including the common people, tax collectors, and soldiers. Some of his plainest rebukes were directed against arrogant, hypocritical, religious leaders. The unscriptural marriage of a king was condemned openly and pointedly. The same kind of preaching was done by Jesus and his apostles, and must be done today.

5. Individuals have liberty to participate or not in civil and political activities. The Bible authorizes governments but leaves the particular systems to the judgments of men. It authorizes citizenship without specifying degrees and levels of participation other than respect and obedience. Whether a person votes, serves in the military, joins a political party, takes part in campaigns, runs for office, and the like are matters left by God to the conscience of each person (cf. Rom. 14:5,17). Whatever decision is made, we must remember that God rules and overrules in nations, that we must act in keeping with moral principles rather than personal or political loyalties, that we must put such priorities as worship and the family above other interests, and that the most important thing we can do for our country is to live a godly life (Prov. 14:34).

6. The church’s mission is spiritual, not political. God established the church with a specified, limited work: to preach the gospel, worship God, and care for needy saints (1 Tim. 3:15; 5:16; Acts 2:42). The church is not a social welfare agency, an arm of civil government, a political institution, a secular school, or a recreational club. The church has not a minute or a penny to spend on such endeavors. While opposing immorality, dishonesty, and sin of every kind, it has no political program and endorses no candidate. It holds no political rallies, offers no candidate the pulpit as a platform for political speeches, makes no political donations, and has no political action committees at any level. The church of Christ registers no voters, organizes no voters, transports no voters to the polls, and finances no part of the voting process. Christ gave no authority in his word for the church to act in such matters. When the church so acts, it sins and rebels against Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 2 Jn. 9). Let the church be the church and let the government be the government!

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 15, p. 489
August 15, 1991