An Antiviral Mindset

A California pastor, Kyle Idleman, talks about his last move in his book, Not a Fan. In that move, he saved the heaviest piece of furniture for last -- the desk from his office. And as he was pushing and pulling the desk with all his might, his four-year-old son came over and asked if he could help. So together they started sliding it across the floor. His little boy was pushing and grunting as they inched their way along. But after a few minutes, he stopped pushing, looked up at his dad, and said, "Dad, you're in my way." Then he tried to push the desk all by himself. Of course it didn't budge. (Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan, Zondervan, 2011, pp. 96-97)

How often do some of us do that with our Heavenly Father? In the course of trying to move our lives along, we say, "God, you're in my way," and think it all depends on us. Then we wonder why we're so full of anxiety and getting nowhere.

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 KJV

(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;

If a Christian is going to spend his time with the dirt and filth and questionable things of this world, there will not be power in his life. The reason we have so many weak Christians is that they spend their time with the things of the world, filling their minds and hearts and tummies with the things of this world. Then they wonder why there is no power in their lives.

We need a sanctuary. We need something to think upon that will clean up our minds. Here are some questions to think about: How much time do you spend with the Word of God? How much time do you spend contemplating Christ? “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord” (). The Word of God is a mirror, and in it we behold the glory of the Lord. The only way you can behold the living Christ is in the Word of God. As you behold Him, there is a liberty, a freedom, and a growth that He gives you. You cannot come by it in any other way.

Oh, how puerile, how inconsequential is the impact of believers’ lives! I am amazed at how easily Christians are taken in by every wind of doctrine that comes along. They are not able to discern truth and error. The one explanation, as I have pondered it in my mind, is ignorance of the Word of God. To have power in our lives we must contemplate the person of Jesus Christ, contemplating Him in the Word of God.

McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, pp. 325–326). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Philippians 4:8 KJV

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.

Truth

True (alēthē) things are of course the opposite of dishonest and unreliable things (cf. ,

Things that are true certainly refers to more than truthfulness in speech; it includes truthfulness and sincerity in thought, attitude, and action. In this type of context the meaning of true may often by conveyed more satisfactorily in a negative expression, for example, “in which there is nothing false.”

Loh, I.-J., & Nida, E. A. (1995). A handbook on Paul’s letter to the Philippians

Honest “Honest” is the translation of a word which was used in classical Greek in the sense of “venerable, inviting reverence, worthy of reverence.” The word exhorts here to a due appreciation of such things as produce a noble seriousness

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Just

Right is a relational term. A man is “just” (RSV NEB etc.) and therefore right when he gives to God and to his fellow men what is their due. He accepts and performs his proper duty to God and man. Some of the implications of a term for right may be expressed as “right in the eyes of God and people.” Something of the same meaning may be expressed in some languages as “fair for all people.”

Loh, I.-J., & Nida, E. A. (1995). A handbook on Paul’s letter to the Philippians (p. 134). New York: United Bible Societies.

Pure

The word pure, when used of ceremonial activity, describes that which has been cleansed and is fit to offer to God. But it is used here in the ethical sense as a description of what is morally pure, undefiled, blameless. This meaning may often be expressed by a negative phrase, for example, “in which there is nothing to be blamed,” “something which has no fault,” or “something in which nothing bad has been added.”

Loh, I.-J., & Nida, E. A. (1995). A handbook on Paul’s letter to the Philippians (p. 134). New York: United Bible Societies.

Lovely

Lovely (prosphilē, occurring only here in the NT) speaks of what promotes peace rather than conflict.

Lightner, R. P. (1985). Philippians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

Of Good Report

The words “good report” in the Greek text are literally “fair speaking,” thus “winning, attractive.” The word “if” refers to a fulfilled condition.

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Virtue

Virtue (ἀρετη [aretē]). Old word, possibly from ἀρεσκω [areskō], to please, used very often in a variety of senses by the ancients for any mental excellence or moral quality or physical power. Its very vagueness perhaps explains its rarity in the N. T., only four times (; ; , ). It is common in the papyri, but probably Paul is using it in the sense found in the LXX (; ) of God’s splendour and might (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 95) in connection with “praise” (ἐπαινος [epainos]) as here or even meaning praise.

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

Praise

The word praise (Mft Knox “merit”; NEB “admirable”) is used in 1:11 in reference to the praise of God. As a rule Paul thinks only of what God will praise, but in this context he is obviously speaking of the kind of conduct that wins the praise of men (Brc “wins men’s praise”).

Think on These Things

Think on these things (ταυτα λογιζεσθε [tauta logizesthe]). Present middle imperative for habit of thought. We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy ideals.

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.