Friday

Related Verses
Phil. 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, what things are true, what things are dignified, what things are righteous, what things are pure, what things are lovely, what things are well spoken of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things.
9 The things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you.

1 Tim. 3:8, 11
8 Deacons must similarly be grave, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for base gain;
11 Women similarly must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

Titus 2:2
2 Exhort older men to be temperate, grave, of a sober mind, healthy in faith, in love, in endurance;

Rom. 9:21
21 Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?

Matt. 5:8, 16
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.

Hosea 14:7
7 Those who sit under his shade will return; They will revive like grain And will bud like the vine; His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Related Reading
[In Philippians 4:8 Paul gives us] six governing aspects of a life that lives Christ…The first governing aspect of a life that lives Christ is “what things are true.” The word true here means “truthful ethically,” not merely true in matter of fact. In the expression of a life that lives Christ, there can be no falsehood, no lying. Everything we do or say must be truthful…A life that is the expression of Christ is a truthful one. 

The second aspect is “what things are dignified.” The Greek word rendered “dignified” 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 dignified, noble, grave, solid, weighty, and honorable. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 229-230) 

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We should not think that only older people should be weighty…Even a young brother in junior high school should have dignity, for he has God within him…To have dignity is not to act important; it is to live God…We are a vessel containing Christ. If we live Him, we will have true dignity. 

In Philippians 4:8 Paul also speaks of “what things are righteous.” This refers to what is right (not just) before God and man. 

The word pure in the expression what things are 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. 

Another governing aspect of such a life is “what things are lovely.” The word lovely means “lovable, agreeable, endearing.” 

Next Paul goes on to mention “what things are well spoken of.” This means what things are of good repute, attractive, winning, and gracious. The Greek word means “sounding well.” 

If we live Christ, we will 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 dignified, pure, right, lovely, and well spoken of. Of the many, many Christian virtues, Paul selected these six as governing aspects. 

All human virtues were created by God…Our human virtues are a vessel made to contain the divine virtues, just as a glove is made in the image of a hand to contain the hand. The Bible reveals that the image of God is Christ (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4)…To say that man was made in the image of God means that he was made according to the form of Christ…Man was designed by God to bear the pattern of Christ. When Christ comes into a person, that person becomes a vessel containing Christ. 

Toward the end of Philippians 4:8 Paul changes his expression and says, “If there is any virtue and if any praise.” The Greek word for virtue here means “excellence,” that is, ethical energy exhibited in vigorous action. Praise refers to things worthy of praise, as the companion of virtue. 

Virtue and praise are not two additional aspects but values of the six aspects already mentioned. 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!…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. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 230-233) 

Further Reading: Life-study of Philippians, msg. 28; CWWL, 1989, vol. 3, “The Experience and Growth in Life,” chs. 14—15, 28