Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
- True – not false, in accordance to the actual state of affairs, reality
- Honorable – deserving of respect, something of superior standing, worthy of recognition
- Right – not wrong, being in accordance to what is just, good, and prope
- Pure – unmixed with any other matter, free from dirt, dust, or taint
- Lovely – delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace, attractive
- Good Repute – good reputation, being favorable known, spoken of, thought of or esteemed
- Excellence – valuable qualities, superior, eminently good
- Worthy of Praise – something worth speaking well of
(thanks Webster’s Online for some help)
- What on television fits this description?
- What kind of music fits this description?
- What kind of literature fits this description?
- What movies fit this description?
- What other types of entertainment fit this description?
I’m not suggesting that there is nothing that fits this description of what we should have our thoughts dwelling on. We all enjoy to relax, be entertained, and rest – but are there godly alternatives to what the world offers?
Click here for an excellent teaching on this subject and here for corresponding notes.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Posted by anne on July 10, 2007 at 11:31 am
I have been doing a search on Phil 4:8-9 as I co-lead our youth group in our “whatever” search this summer. This week we are studying “whatever is honorable/noble”. Our ministry is an outreach, therefore, we have students who never go to church nor live a Godly life, yet they feel prompted to come to youth. I think its mostly because they are shown compassion and love no matter what their circumstance. My question is this, how do I make the point of all the “whatever” to be what they want in the first place? Of course I know I can do nothing without the power of the Holy Spirit working but my question is more about how do I get them to relate to this, to find this attractive? Teaching on truth was a lot easier since the kids want truth from their parents, from the church, from us leaders, from their peers, though they themselves are not always truthful
, but how do I get them to understand why being noble/honorable is so desirable this day in age?
Posted by Steve P on July 10, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Hi Anne,
What motivates a person to be holy in an unholy world? Isn’t it easier to go with the majority and go with the flow? So what motivates a young person to go against the grain? Doesn’t the person have to want to please the one who rescued him or her from the devil? I believe that to make an appeal to a person to bring their thoughts into subjection and obedience to Christ is a noble and commendable thing. But if many of these youths don’t go to church or live Godly lives, chances are many of them are not in a state of present salvation. If they haven’t repented and been baptized for salvation, they lack the quickening and the power of the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit resident within, they wrestle against spiritual wickedness with no weapons, no armor, no word of salvation, and ultimately, no hope.
So….I would say start with the horse before the cart. Philippians 4:8 is addressed to Christians who want to live for the Lord. You say they respond to love. Then love them by preaching the message of the gospel and the cross to them, which will cut to their hearts with the message of repentance and salvation. Then you can show them how their reasonable service to the one who saved us is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, denying ourselves and taking up our cross, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Then Philippians 4:8 will fit for them. By all means let the Holy spirit lead you and let the gospel be preached in love. But love them by offering them the means of salvation and the weapons of warfare by which they can fight the good fight. I hope this helps you.
in Christ,
steve
Posted by garrin jackson on February 16, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I am currently in a very dark place in my life. My wife and I have been seperated since Nov 08. My wife 1 year into
our marriage changed and believed with all seriousness that any entertainment not edifying the Lord, or productive
is Sin. I disagreed with her and told her that we need to be true to our conscience but not to place our
convictions on others. we have 3 children, after our 3rd she asked not to have anymore children with me. I have
never been allowed to be alone with my children for fear that my wickedness will rub off on the children and I will
damn there souls to hell. I have zero relationship with my wife (she spends all her time at her mothers house with
the children) because i do not believe what she believes and light can have no fellowship with darkness (thats what i am told).
I have been a christian 22years (i am 33), I have learned so much. I have in the last 8 years givin up most of my hobbies (model building, board games, sports, no tv in house, and all my stuff got thrown away). I can not divorce my wife God says he hates divorce. I have never heard the Lord speak audibly to me at all and I try my hardest to follow the word of God as I inturpet it. I have tried my best to love my wife and to sacrifice for her even with no love in return. my wife believes that I am lost and not saved at all. Why? becase I like sci-fi and fantasy based things. That is all.
I travel alot for my job and I play Lord of the rings Online in my free time. It is the ONLY thing i do besides
watching big bang theory on mon and battlestar galatica on fridays. I Never watch or play at home with my wife or
near my wife. She does know i play. The last movie I watched was iorn man.
We have been seeing a counsilor, In 4 sessions all we have talked about is this stupid video game. The consilor has
tried to convince me biblically that sci-fi and fantasy is Sin and all tv, movies, videogames that don’t edify the
lord is sin. I listened to the sermon that is listed with this site.
What am I supposed to do? I wake up read the word, pray, go to work (where i don’t have lots to do most times as I
am a network engineer and only put out fires), get home (i am currently living with my parents) where i clean up
the place daily. Mondays is door to door outreach, tues is bible study, wednesday is church, friday i see my kids
for 2.5 hours (all that my wife will let me see them), saturday is outreach day and sunday is church. i read the word again in the evenings. I love praise music and play it daily at work and while at home.
I am a man in hell. God does not speak to me and I have a relationship with my wife that is deeper than my
relationship with God (which is not much). When I pray It is like speaking to a wall. I long for feed back. All I
do is read the word and try to follow it. The only source of joy in my life right now is this video game. I know of
no outright sin in my life, no porn (even though my wife withholds herself from me), no serect hidden sin. So the counsiler is telling me to view as sin the only source of enjoyment i have now. He wants me to read, to listen to music, to find things that edify only. no games, no tv, no movies. I am very careful what i watch and play i did lots of reasearch to find something that was least offinsive to scripture. But i cant stand reading christian teaching books, the last kay authur book i read i threw it at the wall. I am currently reading a john bevere book and it makes me mad to hear him saying how much God talks to him and guides him. I cry on my bed for hours begging the Lord to talk to me. I ask him daily to reveal to me if sci-fi and fantasy based things are sin, and if they are what to do for entertainment that i would enjoy.
I am sick to death of this crap, If my wife is the pure example of christ because she does nothing for self
pleasure or not productive but there is no love than it is garabage. Yet I got christians telling me to give up
everything with nothing to replace the space. I get so many feel good sayings like God will fill it and give you
something to do. whatever. God promised to send the helper to reveal all truth, to reveal Gods will for me. I am
still waiting for the Helper. I can not force God to do anything. Only he can change my wifes heart toward me. But I don’t know how to live a monastary lifestyle without a deeper relationship with him. So how do I give up the only thing that brings me joy in my crappy life, that keeps my mind off my issues. Even if I gave up the sci-fi, tv, movies, video game, and anything else my wife deemed worldly it would not help my marriage, for my wife has stated over and over again i must beleive what she believes in order for her to love me.
sry for the rant, but i am a man in prision being asked to give up the only thing keeping me sane.