July 09 2026

Thursday July 09

“Whatever Things Are Honest”

Philippians 4:8

Welcome to Pastor's Chat. Today we continue our study of Philippians 4:8. Let me read it again because every phrase is rich with truth: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” Yesterday we looked at the first filter for our minds: "Whatever things are true." Today we come to the second: "Whatever things are honest."

The word honest in our King James Bible means much more than simply telling the truth. It carries the idea of whatever is honorable, noble, dignified, worthy of respect, and deserving of reverence. It describes that which lifts our minds upward instead of dragging them downward. Paul uses this same Greek word in speaking about the qualifications of deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8, where they are to be "grave," or dignified. Titus 2:2 uses the same idea to describe older men who are to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, love, and patience. The Christian should have a mind that delights in things that are noble.

That raises an important question.  What occupies our thoughts? Much of the entertainment in our world today feeds the opposite of what Paul is describing. We are surrounded by mockery instead of respect, vulgarity instead of purity, violence instead of kindness, and foolishness instead of wisdom. It seems that many people today laugh at what God calls sacred and celebrate what God calls sinful. As believers, we must be careful about what we continually allow into our minds. Remember, whatever fills the mind eventually shapes the life.

Solomon wisely wrote in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." The word keep again means to guard. We guard our homes by locking the doors. We guard our valuables by placing them in a safe. Should we not be even more careful to guard our minds? Someone once said, "You become like what you admire." There is a great deal of truth in that statement. If we continually admire what is worldly, our thinking will become worldly. If we continually admire what is holy, our thinking will become holy.

One of the greatest examples of honorable thinking is found in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Every conversation He had was marked by dignity. Every action reflected the holiness of His Father. Even when He rebuked sin, He did so with perfect righteousness and perfect love. Peter tells us, "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps." (1 Peter 2:21) If Christ is our example, then our thoughts should increasingly reflect His character.

This also affects the conversations we enjoy. Have you noticed that people usually talk about what they think about? If our minds are filled with things that are trivial, foolish, or corrupt, our speech will reveal it. Jesus said, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) What fills the heart eventually comes out through the lips. Perhaps one practical application today is this: Ask yourself, "Does what I am watching, reading, listening to, or thinking about encourage dignity, reverence, and respect for God? Does it help me become more like Christ?" If the answer is no, then it probably does not belong in the mind of a believer.

The Christian mind should never be captivated by what is cheap when it has been invited to dwell upon what is noble. Paul is reminding us that our minds should continually rise above the gutter of this world to the greatness of our God. The more we fill our minds with Christ, His Word, His works, and His glory, the less attractive the things of this world become. That is why the greatest safeguard for the Christian mind is not merely saying "no" to the wrong things. It is saying "yes" to the better things. Fill your mind with Scripture. Fill your mind with the character of Christ. Fill your mind with the greatness of God. Then you will discover that honorable thoughts produce honorable living.

Tomorrow we'll look at the next filter Paul gives us: "Whatever things are just." We'll discover that God not only wants us to think nobly, but He also wants us to think righteously.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us to a higher way of thinking. Forgive us for allowing the world's values to crowd into our minds. Help us to love what is honorable, noble, and worthy of Your name. May our thoughts, our words, and our lives reflect the character of the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask this in His precious name. Amen.

God bless and may you have a wonderful wonderful day!