Older Virtues
In Philippians 4:8-9 Paul lays out a list of virtues for the Philippians to meditate upon and put into practice.
The first set of common virtues Paul lists I’ve called “old virtues,” because they are found throughout the Bible. There are four of them and we will look at them today. Paul lays them out in…
Philippians 4:8a ESV - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
We begin with the first: Whatever is true,
Proverbs 23:23 says, “buy truth and do not sell it.”
The truth is more valuable than anything untrue. The truth is worth knowing, worth meditating on, worth seeking out and standing for. To Paul, all truth begins with God. Listen to what he says in…
Romans 1:18-19 ESV - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
To know truth then, in the ultimate sense, is to know God. And while it is possible to know some truths or true things without the knowledge of God, to deny God is to suppress the truth. And, of course, it is impossible to know God without the gospel.
The gospel is another thing Paul equates with the truth. He says to the Galatians who are in danger of turning away from the gospel,
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?—Galatians 5:7 ESV
Jesus says the same thing in John 8 where he declares that the truth will make us free.
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32 ESV
The truth that sets free is the gospel. A knowledge of truth begins with meditation on God and the gospel. It includes discernment—the ability to separate truth from falsehood. Paul declares love to be the greatest of the gifts, and also declares that “love rejoices in all truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). We should occupy our minds with things that are true. All truth is God’s truth. Now what’s next on his list?
whatever is honorable,
…or noble, or worthy of respect.
In Proverbs this virtue is associated with wisdom. Wisdom personified is speaking in Proverbs 8 and says this,
Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,—Proverbs 8:6 ESV
To be noble is to do the right thing. The honorable thing is a virtue to which deacons, women, and older men are called in the New Testament.
Deacons likewise must be dignified,—1 Timothy 3:8 ESV
Their wives likewise must be dignified,—1 Timothy 3:11 ESV
Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.—Titus 2:2 ESV
The opposites of this virtue are whatever is cheap, tawdry, vulgar, dishonorable and ignoble. We should lift up our minds to meditate on whatever is worthy of respect, virtuous, good, worthy of admiration and respect, whatever is honorable.
Next,
whatever is just
…or right, as defined by God.
This virtue requires discernment as well, in a mind and heart trained, or transformed, by the word of God—meditating on what is right and wrong according to the word of God. Justice, or righteousness, is one of God’s transitive attributes—in other words, an attribute that he shares with creation. “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?” Abraham says to God in Genesis 18. He says it several times.
To meditate on righteousness is to think about good things, right things, virtuous things, as opposed to sinful and wicked things. The Puritans used to say (and no doubt you’ve heard this) that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Occupy your mind with righteous things. Love justice and the doing of right, for things that are just are things that resemble God.
Now we come to the fourth virtue which Paul takes from the Hellenistic world, a virtue which scripture already had in common with it, and that is
whatever is pure.
Those things that are pure are those things that are morally blameless. To be pure is to be free of sin.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.—1 Timothy 5:22 ESV
But the wisdom from above is first pure…—James 3:17 ESV
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.—1 John 3:3 ESV
Let us meditate on things then that are inherently good, unstained by sin, whatever is pure. Understand that Paul is saying we should actively put our minds on things that are true, honorable, righteous, and pure—to set our minds on these things. And these are common virtues we share with those who don’t even know God. Thus they may be found in surprising sources.