What Do You Think?
Our brains are truly an amazing creation by God. The whole concept of thought is a mystery. Where does it come from? How do we arrive at a conclusion on a matter? How can you understand what you are reading right now? Descartes concluded that the only thing he could know for certain is that he exists because of the fact that he could think, ”I think, therefore I am”. But our thinking can be deceived as well. Our thoughts come from what we perceive through our senses and are filtered through any presuppositions we may have. We need to have the right filter.
Enough philosophy, how can we be assured that our thinking is right? The world says, whatever you want to be right is right for you. Once again, we can be deceived in our own thinking. Romans 12:2 tells us to ”be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” How then do we renew our minds? As always, God’s Word has the answer.
In Philippians 4 the apostle Paul produces some instruction in right thinking. ”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8).
Truth seems to be harder to find in our world today. We live in an age of readily available information. It’s no longer a problem accessing information. The problem is now determining which information is true. There is one truth that has remained since the beginning of the world and that’s the Word of God. Jesus prayed in His High Priestly prayer to the Father, ”Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”. The Word of God is our solid truth. This should be what we filter all our thinking through.
Not much in this world is honorable. It’s full of immorality, undignified speech and action. We should expect that these are the ways of the world. But let it not be characteristic of the church. We focus on the truth of God’s Word which is honorable. Think not on those things that are temporal but think on those things that are eternal.
Praise be to God that He is a God of justice, always acting right. Without the justice of God we would not experience His love. The greatest just act we could think on is the act of complete payment for our sins done by Christ on the cross. This just act should trickle down through our lives as we perceive one another as recipients of that act of love and so offer the same love to one another. 1 John 1:4, ”Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
In this world of rampant immorality, we think of the purity of the gospel; keeping our minds free from the ever-mounting temptations to unholiness. We must fixate on the gospel, enduring temptation by the grace of God. 1 John 3:3, ”And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
God has given us so many lovely things to observe. His creation is so magnificently detailed and ordered. There’s great beauty in being created in the image of God. Even greater than all of this is the beauty of Christ and the gospel. In a world tainted by sin, there is so much loveliness to think about and all of it points back to Christ as Creator, Sustainer and Salvation Worker.
Finally we are to think on those things that are commendable, that are of a good report. Of course this leads us once again to the Word of God as the determiner of what things are commendable. Micah 6:8, ” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Galatians 5:22-23, ”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
To sum up, ”if there is any excellence” the gospel is by definition excellent. ”if there is anything worthy of praise”, our Savior is most certainly worthy of our praise. These are the things we ought to think on. Christ-centered thinking is what we need. It leads us to Spirit filled worship. Colossians 3:1-2, ”If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” So, what do you think?