Pr. Joshua Yong

Whatsoever Things Are Honest, Whatsoever Things Are Just

Philippians 4:8 – “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.”

Apostle Paul exhorts us to “think on these things”. What are the things that we constantly dwell upon? It is important to take an inventory of the thoughts that fill our minds. Just as shops regularly stock take so we have to “take stock” of the things that constantly fill our minds for they will determine what our minds will dwell upon.

This week the two things we want to consider are honest and just thoughts.

Whatsoever Things are Honest

The things which are “honest” are those which are “honourable” or “respectable.” These are thoughts which are dignified and solemn. This is the same word used in 1 Timothy 3:8 to describe the deacons. One of the qualifications of the deacon is that he must be “grave.” The word “grave” is the same word for “honest.” Some misunderstand that to be solemn and dignified in one’s thoughts means to be serious or moody all the time. It does not mean that at all. To have “honest” thoughts, however, means to have thoughts that are dignified and respectable. He has serious thoughts concerning his life and his devotion unto the Lord.

His thoughts are not filled with comedies and senseless jokes. Many people do enjoy comedy and a good laugh. While there is nothing wrong with laughing in itself, often times the nature of the laughter of the world is filled with filth and sin. People joke and laugh at the calamity and affliction of others. There are jokes which are insensitive and discriminatory; jokes which are sensual and lustful; jokes which are demeaning and insulting. These things should not fill our minds. A person who has a mind filled with these thoughts is one who cannot be serious even when he needs to be serious.

a) Honest in Calling
In this regard, the Christian who has “honest” thoughts is one who is serious and solemn in the way he views himself as a Christian, as well as the way he views life and the people around him. He takes his calling as a Christian seriously. He ponders on what it means to be a disciple of Christ. His commitment and devotion to Christ is constantly on his mind. He takes His faith seriously and seeks to live out his faith. Just as those who are born into a royal family are expected to carry themselves with dignity, so Christians who are sons and daughters of the heavenly King ought to conduct themselves in a way which is befitting of their calling. Such conduct can only flow out of the thoughts one fills our minds with.

Some Christians today do not take their faith seriously. They no longer understand what it means to be a Christian and to bear the name of Christ. No thought is given to the debt of love we owe the Lord Jesus Christ. What we can do to cultivate honest thoughts in our Christian calling is to ponder and meditate on the Word of God. Time ought to be spent in personal reflection especially upon the Word of God. When the Word of God is expounded and the Holy Spirit uses the Word preached to convict our hearts, we should dwell upon those thoughts. How often is a blessing lost when having heard the Word of God, we let our minds drift back to the cares of the world.

b) Honest in How He Views Life
This solemnity is also seen in the way he views life. He heeds the words of the Psalmist in the numbering of his days and the applying of his heart unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12). To have solemn thoughts concerning life is to realise that there is only one life to live, and that this life is short. This life must be lived in Christ and for Christ. We cannot waste away our lives in fun and games, or in fulfilling our sinful and selfish ambitions and pleasures. There may be some who have very serious thoughts concerning their own lives’ ambitions,businesses, wealth and possessions, but these are not the solemn thoughts which the Bible speaks of. The Bible regards such thoughts as the thoughts of a foolish dreamer. Bring to mind the parable spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 12:16-21. The Lord Jesus Christ there described a man who was a dreamer who spoke to himself saying, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” Yet God’s reply to him was, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (v.20). When our thoughts are filled with sinful and selfish ambitions, they are then to be regarded as thoughts which are trifle and undignified. Instead of pursuing such thoughts, a Christian’s ambition for life ought to be seeking the glory of God and the enjoyment of His fellowship.

c) Honest Towards Others
When a person has thoughts which are “honest” towards others, it means that he is sincere and not suspicious of everyone who is around him. It is noteworthy that in 1 Timothy 3:8 and 1 Timothy 3:11, what is contrasted with a person who is “grave” is one who is “doubletongued” and “slanderers.” Manipulation, schemes and deception are regardedby the world as necessary tools for survival. The world claims that if a person is too trusting and honest, he will be seen as weak and people will step all over him. They teach that if one is to survive in school or at work, one has to be cunning and sly. Very seldom is found one who is honest and plain yet can do well in the world. However what a torture it is to the person who is always cynical and suspicious. Every word is carefully planned; every step meticulously thought out, just to get an advantage in life. He cannot trust the people around him, for he is paranoid and has to plan everything out just to be ahead of others. This is not the kind of thoughts a Christian should fill his mind with.

In contrast, a Christian should be sincere and honest in his relationships with others. He is trusting and honest, not because he is naïve but because he chooses to be so. This kind of sincerity and honesty was witnessed in the early Church. In Acts 2:46 the Bible says that the Christians in the early Church were “...continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” This “singleness of heart” was the “simplicity” and sincerity they had when they gathered for fellowship. Can our minds also be filled with thoughts of love and kindness towards each other? We must choose to have sincere thoughts where we do not have to suspect the intentions of everyone we meet; where we do not have to “play politics” in Church; where we think of what is best for others; where our desire is to edify and build up one another and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. We sometimes mistake suspicion for discernment. Discernment is always an exercise in love and for the Lord Jesus Christ, but suspicion often serves selfish motives.

Whatsoever Things are Just

Closely related to honest thoughts are thoughts which are “just.” This word “just” describes that which is “righteous” and “upright.” It describes the conforming to a high standard. The standard used to measure what is righteous and just is the Word of God (Rom 2:13). God alone determines what is truly righteous and just, and He has revealed this perfect standard of righteousness in His Word. It must be noted that we think righteous thoughts and live righteous lives not to earn our salvation, but because the Lord Jesus Christ has earned our salvation for us.

a) God is Just
To think upon the things which are just must first mean to think upon God who is the standard of what is just and righteous. 1 John 2:29 tells us to know that the Lord Jesus Christ is righteous. The Lord Jesus Christ exhorts us in Matthew 6:33 to seek “the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” There is nothing more wonderful than to dwell and think upon the righteousness and holiness of God. For an unbeliever, the righteousness of God is a frightening thing. The holiness and justice of God expose the sinfulness and wickedness of men. But for a child of God, the righteousness of God is a glorious thought. The Lord Jesus Christ clothes us with His own righteousness and through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are worthy to stand before the holy presence of God.

In a wicked and immoral world, the righteousness of God is a comforting truth for we know that God is always just in weighing the thoughts and actions of men. At times men despair when they see the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer (Ps 73:1-16), but when we gain sight of the righteousness of God then our hearts are comforted for we know that God has His purpose in all things (Ps 73:17-20). Thinking upon the righteousness of God reassures us that there is an absolute moral standard and there is true justice.

b) God’s Righteous Words
Psa. 119:160 declares: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” God’s Word is the standard of what is righteous and just. To think upon things which are just must therefore also mean to think upon God’s Word. Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 says that the Word of God is profitable for “instruction in righteousness.”

Every citizen of a country is held to the standards of the law of the land. As citizens of heaven we are all held to a higher standard – the standard of the Word of God. At times, what a country may deem to be lawful and morally acceptable may not hold up to the standard of God’s Word. Christians are therefore held to a higher standard of righteousness.

Christians ought then to think upon those things which are regarded as righteous in God’s sight. What are those things which are pleasing and acceptable to the Lord? As lawyers would take time and effort to study the law of the land, so every Christian ought to know the standard of righteousness in the Word of God. While the objective of some lawyers is to find loopholes in the law of the land, the purpose of the Christian studying the law of God’s Word is very different. We study God’s Word because we love it, which is our guide and shows us how we can please our righteous God. We study the Word of God that we may obey it and practice righteousness.

c) Righteous Deeds
There is also a practical aspect in this thought, for the Bible speaks of doing righteousness. 1 John 2:29 says, “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” No doubt we are declared to be righteous because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, but we are also commanded to practice this righteousness because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.

Christians ought to think upon righteous thoughts with the purpose of doing righteousness. Many fill their minds with plans and thoughts to sin. Sinners often find elaborate ways to sin. In the committing of sin, often more sin is committed with the purpose of covering up the initial sin. When a person begins to tell lies, his mind has to think of more lies to cover up the initial lie. How so often, people concoct elaborate schemes to hurt others. The committing of murder, theft, robbery, and adultery are often complicated and elaborate affairs.

For the Christian, his thoughts are given to righteous deeds. He considers how he can please the Lord. He reflects and searches his heart to see if there are sins he has to repent of and he thinks of practical steps on how he may forsake these sinful ways and break these sinful habits.

He also meditates upon the righteous deeds he can do to express his love to his Lord and to fellow men. 1 John 3:17 speaks of these righteous deeds as the showing of compassion to a brother in need. Therefore, a Christian who thinks upon things which are just are thoughtful and sensitive to the needs of others. He is caring and willing to help. Do these loving and helpful, caring thoughts fill your minds? Or do thoughts of harm and hurt torture your minds?

There is much that fill our thoughts and minds daily. By the grace of God, let us fill our minds with thoughts which are honest and just.