In this message we shall first cover two further matters related to the believers’ having the highest standard of morality and virtues, and then we shall consider the matter of watching and praying.
The fact that the believers have the highest standard of morality and virtues is seen in their enduring suffering for doing good. First Peter 2:20 says, “What credit is it if sinning and being buffeted you shall endure it? But if doing good and suffering you shall endure, this is grace with God.” Such a situation indicates that our living expresses the working of God’s grace within us and through us. Here grace refers to the motivation of the divine life within us and its expression in our life, becoming in our behavior gracious and acceptable in the sight of both man and God.
In Philippians 4:8 Paul says, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is righteous, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is well-spoken of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things.” In this verse we see the expression of a life that lives Christ. Furthermore, here we see a number of governing aspects of a life that lives Christ.
The first of these governing aspects is “whatever is true.” The word “true” here means truthful ethically, not merely true in matter of fact. In the expression of the life that lives Christ there can be no falsehood, no lying. Everything we do or say must be truthful. No one who lives Christ should practice falsehood of any kind. A life that is the expression of Christ is a truthful one.
Another governing aspect of a life that lives Christ is “whatever is honorable.” The Greek word translated “honorable” means venerable, worthy of reverence, noble, grave (1 Tim. 3:8, 11; Titus 2:2), implying the idea of dignity which inspires and invites reverence. A life that lives Christ will be honorable, noble, grave, solid, weighty, and dignified. If we live Christ, we shall have true dignity. When others see us bearing such a dignity, they will have a deep respect for us. The dignity implied in the Greek word for honorable always inspires a profound respect.
In verse 8 Paul also speaks of “whatever is righteous.” This refers to what is right (not just) before God and man. Doing what is right is another governing aspect related to the living of Christ.
The word “pure” in the expression “whatever is pure” means single in intention and action without any mixture. To be pure in this way is to have no pretense. Purity is also a governing aspect of the life that lives Christ.
Yet another governing aspect of such a life is “whatever is lovely.” The word “lovely” means lovable, agreeable, endearing.
Next Paul goes on to mention “whatever is well-spoken of.” This means whatever is of good repute, renowned, attractive, winning, gracious. The Greek word means sounding well.
In Philippians 4:8 Paul does not mention kindness, patience, or holiness. Instead, he mentions six items which are governing aspects of a life that lives Christ. If we live Christ, we shall surely have a life that is an expression of all these aspects. In our living, there will be no falsehood, looseness, or lightness. Instead, our living will be honorable, pure, right, lovely, and well-spoken of.
On the basis of Paul’s word, “To me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21), we can rightly say that the virtues in 4:8 are aspects of the expression of a life that lives Christ. Since Paul himself lived Christ, he certainly would not charge the believers to live something instead of Christ. Therefore, the virtues he mentions in 4:8 must be the expression of the reality lived by Paul and by other believers. This reality is Christ Himself.
If we consider carefully the virtues listed in 4:8, we shall realize that in ourselves it is impossible for us to have such a life with such an expression. Therefore, we must go on to 4:13, where Paul says, “I can do all things in Him who empowers me.” To be so empowered is to be made dynamic inwardly. Christ dwells in us (Col. 1:27). He empowers us, makes us dynamic, from within. By such inward empowering Paul could do all things in Christ. All the virtues in 4:8 are the expression of the very Christ in whom Paul could do everything.
Based on the whole context of the book of Philippians, we can say that the six virtues in 4:8 are the expression of the living of Christ. These are not merely human virtues but are the expression of the Christ whom we live.
Toward the end of 4:8 Paul changes his expression and says, “If there is any virtue and if any praise.” The Greek word for “virtue” means excellence, that is, ethical energy exhibited in vigorous action. “Praise” here refers to things worthy of praise, as the companion of virtue.
The first six items in 4:8 are categorized as “whatever is”; the last two are categorized as “if any.” This indicates that the last two are a summing up of the six foregoing items, in all of which are some virtue or excellence and something worthy of praise.
Virtue and praise are not two additional aspects but values of the six aspects already covered. Virtue is a general term rather than a specific aspect. There is virtue in truthfulness, dignity, purity, loveliness, rightness, and being well-spoken of. The principle is the same with praise: there is something worthy of praise in all these six aspects of the Christian life.
How excellent is the expression of the life that lives Christ! The six aspects in verse 8 certainly are excellent characteristics of the Christian life. It is excellent to be truthful, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good report. In each of these excellent aspects there is some virtue and something worthy of praise. We should “take account of these things”; that is, we should think on them, ponder them, consider them.
The items in 4:8 portray a picture that is much more virtuous than that portrayed in the Ten Commandments. These virtues produce excellency and praise. This praise is not only to God but also to us, for others will praise us for all these excellent virtues. Since Philippians is a book on the experience of Christ, this indicates that in our experience of Christ we must attain to the point that whatever we do is true, honorable, righteous, pure, lovely, and well-spoken of. These virtues will be an excellency in our behavior and will cause others to praise God and also to praise us.
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