Lesson 341 - Senior
Memory Verse
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4, 5).
Cross References
I Essentials of Christian Living
1. Paul enumerates to the saints at Philippi those qualities which are needful for victorious Christian living, [Philippians:4:8].
2. Seek after embodied truth as it is in Jesus Christ, was Paul’s exhortation to all saints, [Philippians:4:8]; [Matthew:22:16]; [John:7:18]; [John:14:6]; [John:1:14], [John:1:17]; [1 John:5:6], [1 John:5:20].
3. Honesty in all things is a very necessary quality for the Christian, [Philippians:4:8]; [Acts:6:3]; [Romans:12:17]; [Romans:13:13]; [2 Corinthians:8:21]; [2 Corinthians:13:7]; [1 Thessalonians:4:12].
4. Justice and judgment are to be given due consideration and their proper place in men’s lives, [Philippians:4:8]; [Genesis:18:19]; [Deuteronomy:16:19-20]; [2 Samuel:23:3]; [Psalms:82:3]; [Proverbs:11:1]; [Matthew:23:23].
5. Christians are to value those things which are pure, [Philippians:4:8]; [1 Timothy:4:12]; [James:1:27]; [James:3:17]; [2 Peter:3:1]; [1 John:3:3].
6. Whatsoever is lovely should be thought upon, [Philippians:4:8]; [2 Samuel:1:23]; [Song of Solomon:5:16]; Mark 10;21; [John:11:36].
7. Christians should desires and seek to be of a good report, [Philippians:4:8]; [Acts:6:3]; [Acts:10:22]; [Acts:22:12]; [1 Timothy:3:7]; [1 Timothy:5:10]; [Hebrews:11:2].
8. Virtue is of tremendous value wherever it is found, [Philippians:4:8]; [Ruth:3:11]; [Proverbs:12:4]; [Proverbs:31:10]; [2 Peter:1:3-4].
9. The worship of God cannot be complete without praise for God, [Philippians:4:8]; [Philippians:1:10-11]; [Psalms:33:1]; [Psalms:50:23]; [Matthew:21:16]; [Ephesians:1:6]; [Hebrews:13:15].
Notes
Think on These Things
The subject of our text is an admonition for Christians to ”think”; and to think on eight distinct subjects; namely: truth, honesty, justice, purity, loveliness, good reports, virtue, and praise. The mind is the gate to the soul, and those three great enemies of mankind -– the world, the flesh, and the devil -– are well aware that if the mind of man can be caused to harbour thoughts of sin, the soul will succumb to the temptation. A modern example of this is seen in the great emphasis the Communist Party places on the indoctrination of people into the precepts of their godless and atheistic principles.
Another example is modern advertising which uses every means available, continually and persistently to suggest certain products to the minds of men. The liquor and cigarette industries spend tremendous sums of money every year on advertising to educate the people to the use of their products. The cigarette industry greatly increased the sale of cigarettes in one year by spending fabulous sums to convince women that it is socially proper to smoke.
Our modern magazine stands are crammed with immoral literature. Children are tempted from every angle by the salesmanship of unprincipled companies seeking to increase the sale of their products, regardless of the moral harm it causes. Oh, that Christian parents would supervise their children’s reading, and feed and fortify their minds daily by reading to them from the Bible!
The Christian does not need to fear that his Bible has become antiquated and can no longer cope with the modern things. The Author of the Bible is God, and he is omnipotent. A thousand years are as a day with Him. The Word of God is ageless, and is as pertinent and conducive to Christian living in our modern day as it has ever been. Paul’s advice and counsel to the saints at Philippi to “think on these things” is as valuable as it has ever been.
The days of Paul were notorious for extravagance and sin. No doubt there was as much to tempt the Christian of Paul’s day as there has ever been in any age. While in the early Christian era, there were not the elaborate mechanisms for entertainment that there are in this modern day – such as television, radio, movies -– still the opportunity to indulge in sin was ever present. Any student of ancient history knows the extent of national vice and wickedness that went on as a matter of course in the days of the Apostles. And what were the Christians of that day advised to do to counteract such things? Think on the things of God – and those things, which are holy and good!
It is unreasonable to think that a Christian can indulge in all manner of thoughts which are contrary to the Spirit of God and the things of God and still retain any degree of proper worship for God in his heart. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” [Proverbs:23:7]). Someone has said that a “man will not be any better than the books he reads.” There is only one all-important Book for the Christian, and that is the Bible. If a man will faithfully read and ponder the Word of God daily, his soul and mind will be elevated and fed. The Bible is the greatest piece of literature ever placed into the hands of men. It is eternal, and it is the source of every moral principle in life. It is the revelation of God and His righteousness, and it is the sole authority for the proper way for men to live. In this day of ten thousand voices clamouring enticements to sin, the Bible still stands mountain-high, proclaiming with voice of thunder that the way of God is right. A Christian must, as our text commands, devote determined and mature thinking to the things of God.
Good and Evil
The knowledge of evil that a sinner has acquired by his sinning is a library of thought that can become his worst enemy when he has become converted. Salvation is the gift of God, and by the grace of God men are lifted out of their sins and cleansed by the Blood of Christ. However, for anyone to retain salvation after he has once received it of God, he must put forth effort. It is not enough for a Christian to float supinely along the currents of life without effort to cultivate the Spirit of God in his heart. One old divine of years gone by said concerning the necessity of working out our own salvation with diligence: “No fine emotions, no select moments of rapture and communion will ever avail to take the place of dogged perseverance and prosaic hard work which wins in all other fields, and win, as is the only thing that does win, in this one too.”
Eve’s acceptance of the devil’s suggestion to do evil was the downfall of man. Listening to the suggestions of Satan is but one step removed from the transgression. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” is not an idle warning. The prophet said, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” [Isaiah:26:3]).
It should be remembered that the harbouring of evil thoughts will make us guilty before God of committing the deed. It was the condemnation of the antediluvians that “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” [Genesis:6:5]). (Read [Deuteronomy:29:19-20]; [Matthew:15:19].) God said of Israel that He would bring evil upon them, even the fruit of their thoughts, because of their rejection of His law [Jeremiah:6:19]). Again the Lord charged Israel with walking after the imaginations of their own heart [Jeremiah:9:14]). Ezekiel was taken by God in the spirit and shown the wickedness of Israel as they harboured sin in the chambers of their imagery [Ezekiel:8:12]). It is indeed true that the mind is the gate to the soul.
Thinking on God
The thoughts of the wicked are known to God, and so also are the thoughts of the righteous. Great blessing is promised those who think on His name. We read: “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name” [Malachi:3:16]).
In the cynical days in which we live, there is a great lack of acknowledgment in men’s lives of the value of such things as truth in the inward parts, honesty, justice, purity, and virtue. Be that as it may, there is no rebuke to sin so weighty and sharp as a pure, holy, Christian life. In “The Works of John Wesley” we find this thought set forth: When swarms of vice steal in, and it seems that the spirit and life of religion is about to be lost, then the best way to resist such temptations is for the clergy (and for that matter, every Christian) to make themselves notorious and visible examples of all the contrary virtues -– to make their own self-denying and heavenly life a plain, open, and constant reproof of all vain indulgences.
Our thoughts are the expressions of our heart’s desires and possessions. We will voice those thoughts sooner or later, and our lives will live out what we think; for what we think, we are [Proverbs:23:7]). By thinking of these things, which will make us of good report, we shall acquire them as our own. Much thought on them will result in their becoming part of our soul. Truth and equity will become ingrained within our very being. We shall cultivate a taste for the qualities, which are edifying and inspiring to our soul’s salvation. Our conversation will be in heaven, and our fellowship with those who are in agreement with such subjects. We shall have fellowship with the Lord, for “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” [Amos:3:3]).
“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” [Philippians:4:8]).
Questions
1. What are the eight things the Christian is commanded to think on?
2. Why is it important to think on such subjects?
3. Why does modern advertising place such emphasis upon reaching the minds of men?
4. What is the gate to the soul?
5. Can we be one thing in our heart, and another in our mind?
6. How does the devil try to reach the souls of men with temptation?
7. Are we guilty of sin when we harbour evil thoughts?
8. What kind of reading should a Christian concentrate on?
9. Does the Bible still offer good advice for Christian living in this modern day? Explain your answer.
10. What do you understand virtue to be? Define purity, justice.