* Philippians 4:8 - Whatever Things Are True, Venerable.

{Philippians 4:8} Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are venerable, ... think about these things. -- RLIV.

WHOEVER sympathizes with falsehood or exaggeration is more or less defiling himself. Whoever cleanses his thoughts, and avoids exaggeration, etc., is in that degree purifying his mind and his entire character. Nor is it sufficient that we are sure of the truth of matters. We are to test them further, and discern to what extent they are honorable, noble; for, although the Lord has covered the ignoble features of our characters, and proposes to cover them to the end with His own merit, nevertheless we cannot be in sympathy with our fallen condition, but on the contrary must desire true nobility and the highest standards of honor in our hearts, in our thoughts, in all our dealings with our God and with our fellows. -- Excerpt from "Rejoice in the Lord Alway" Z.'03-9 R3129:2.

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Paul is not here discussing our words or even our actions, but rather our very thoughts. Nevertheless, in absolutely everything that we do or say, our thoughts should be stayed on Jehovah, our Heavenly Father. (Isaiah 26:3) What we think influences the heart, and from the heart comes actions that may be either good or bad. -- Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 5:18,19; Luke 6:45

"As he thinks in his heart, so is he." -- Proverbs 23:7, RLIV.

We should distinguish between having a thought and what we think. We are flooded all day long with all kinds of thoughts, much of which are not in harmony with righteous principles as given in the Bible. Although these thoughts are given to us, but this does not mean that we need to absorb such thoughts so that they become what we think in our hearts. We should always be alert to reject thoughts that are out of harmony with God's will.

Jesus, although he was a perfect man, still had to freedom to obey his God or disobey his God. Satan knew this, and thus he tempted Jesus. Satan, in effect, gave Jesus the thought that he could overcome his hunger after being without food for forty days if he only commanded stones to become bread. While Jesus certainly would have the thought registered in his mind, he did not allow the thought to become what he himself thought, but rejected it, and rebuked what Satan stated by quoting scripture. 

If we allow him to do so, Satan will surely influence our minds to think all kinds of untrue thoughts, about ourselves, our circumstances, and others. Many conflicts arise out of untrue thoughts about some action or word of someone else; this is one of Satan's tools to cause division and strife among God's people. We should always be alert to analyze what we do know and what we do not know about any given situation so as to not entertain thoughts that are not actually true, and accept what is true without thinking beyond the actual facts known. 

Next, Paul tells us to think about whatever things are venerable. Ellicott states, concerning the Greek word rendered as venerable, that "it claims a share of reverence due primarily to God; it has in it a certain majesty commanding worship." Etymologically, the Greek word is based on the meaning of "grave," in the sense of meriting serious consideration. Paul may have used this word to denote serious contemplation in thoughts worthy of our worship of God, thus honorable, righteous, thoughts highly esteemed in the sight of God. Jesus sets the example. In all our thoughts, we should endeavor to think as he would think regarding any situation we may encounter.

Ronald R. Day, Sr. (ResLight)

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