The reading of Philippians 4:8 says: “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 are any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
I call this verse “God’s program of thinking.” All of these are our guides to our Christian life.
Paul was writing to the Christian brethren at Philippi. These were known to him early during his Second Missionary journey. Acts 16:9, Paul had a vision when they were at Troas a man of Macedonia said: “Come over into Macedonia and help us.” He and his companions made the journey and came to the great city of Philippi. In that city, they found many good people among them is a business woman named Lydia with the ladies helping her in her business. These women were very comfortable in the spiritual teachings of Paul. They listened and found the message exactly an answer to what they were looking for. Verse 15 tells us that Lydia along with her lady helpers were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. Their baptisms happened right in the river of Philippi. The spiritual nourishment of these new Christians were supplied by Paul as they stayed to teach them. All of these experiences helped all the ladies in their new found faith in Christ. But it was also during these same days they were in the city of Philippi that a problem erupted publicly. A young lady with evil spirits confronted Paul. He knew the power in this woman who brought evil business to her master. Paul rebuked the evil spirits in her. As this lady become normal and the master could not continue with their evil business, Paul and his companions were brought before the rulers of the city. A mob was created to support the evil business of the master. This anarchy resulted to the bodily harm done on Paul and his companion. For their safety, they were put in prison. Inside the prison, Paul and his companion worship God and sung hymns. It was during their worship service that the Jailer observed them as the messengers of God. The Jailer believed and made his confession that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of mankind. Due to this good change of heart, Paul baptized the Jailer and his household, Acts 16:33 – 34. With the conversion of the Jailer, Paul and his companion were allowed to go on with their second missionary journey. They began their third missionary journey and went on visiting the places they went to in the first and second journey where the growing mob prevented them from proclaiming the Words of God. To preserve their lives, the rulers put them in prison where Paul used his Roman citizenship to reach Rome. It was during the years that Paul was in prison in Rome that he wrote to the Philippian brethren admonishing them to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report — to dwell on God’s program of thinking! The past experiences of the brethren in Philippi, they surely remembered well these things of “virtue and praise” as their spiritual guides in living the Christian life.
