Whatever (Think About These Things)
Philippians 4:8 says “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
This passage is often used as a “feel good” passage about positive thinking as those speaking of it encourage us to think happy thoughts and loving thoughts and gentle thoughts. But the words and the connotations of this passage are not all about positivity and happy thoughts.
While Paul is exhorting us to think about whatever is true and noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable and excellent and praiseworthy.… have you ever stopped to think about each of those words and what they really entail?
Whatever is True
Let’s start with “whatever is true.” What things are true? We sometimes want to take the “feel good” truths of God's word and claim those as the only truth: God says to love your neighbor, forgive, submit. And he does say that. But he also says other things that are also true that may seem to contradict the “feel good” truths. But remember this: truths don’t always have to be “this” or “that” - sometimes they can be BOTH/AND. Here are some examples:
It is true that God can do anything AND it’s true that God usually works within the realm of the natural (using natural consequences to shape us rather than supernatural interventions to change us, for example)
It is true that God wants us to forgive (for our sake and for his so that we don’t hold bitterness and so that he can use us effectively to shine his light without bitterness getting in the way) AND it’s also true that there are times that it is not right for us to forgive (as long as we aren’t holding on to bitterness but, rather, are prepared to forgive when someone repents and seeks reconciliation)
It is true that we are to be kind AND it’s also true that sometimes kindness is letting someone experience the consequences of their actions (it helps them learn instead of preventing those learning opportunities)
God says to love AND sometimes love looks like boundaries and consequences
God says to submit AND he says to submit to each other - a concept that puts us on equal ground where we willingly cooperate with each other rather than where one person is over the other
So, just because one thing is true, doesn't mean that something else isn’t. Spend time in God’s Word daily so that you can get to know him and his character, not just the things he says.
Whatever is Noble
Consider the word “noble” - it has its roots in nobility, bringing forth images of royalty and knights on horses, covered with armor and wielding weapons. It’s a word that conjures up strength, courage, and dominion through righteous acts - acts that maintain righteousness, and that suppress evil and allow good to flourish. It’s another BOTH/AND statement: Being noble is about doing what is right AND it’s about taking a stand against evil. You have to be good and strong and courageous in order to be noble. [See, for example, the Proverbs 31 wife of noble character]
Whatever is Right
The same can be said for the word “right.” Sometimes we tend to view “doing the right thing” as always doing something that feels nice and accommodating and warm and fuzzy. But doing right means:
resisting wrong
not enabling injustice or oppression
not settling for indifference or laziness
consistently working to align your life to the natural laws of relationships that God designed in order for things to run smoothly - just like he created laws of physics for things to run smoothly. If you try to break the laws of physics (for example: by jumping off a tall building in an effort to defy the law of gravity), you will get hurt. Likewise, you will get hurt when you try to defy the natural laws of relationships that God designed (the law of sowing and reaping, for example)
not showing favor to the wicked (Proverbs 26:8 says “Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool”)
not letting sin go unpunished
not trying to get someone to have a happy marriage when they clearly aren’t interested in doing what it takes to have a happy marriage
These are hard truths that don’t give out the warm-and-fuzzies.
Whatever is Pure
Let’s move on to the word “pure.” This might elicit thoughts of sexual purity, but the connotation is so much bigger. It’s about being uncontaminated and without evil. You might tend to apply it to not doing bad things or thinking any bad thoughts, but it also extends to not keeping bad company (1 Corinthians 15:33 says bad company corrupts good character - get my 40+ tactics that people with bad character use) and not being yoked to an unbeliever and not participating in the sins of others. Those things corrupt your purity. And avoiding them can be difficult - especially if you are close to someone with bad character.
Whatever is Lovely
What about thinking about whatever is lovely? Perhaps it conjures up images of love and romance and beauty. But what if you are in a relationship that does not fit those words - in a relationship where there is a lack of love and romance and beauty? Does that mean you should ignore the lack and just keep imagining loveliness, hoping that pretending will make it so? Certainly not. That would be violating the first word of exhortation in this passage: "whatever is true."
Sometimes what is lovely is being able to be a peacemaker rather than a peacekeeper - it’s those difficult boundaries that can lead to the loveliness of peace. Sometimes what is lovely is stepping away from someone else’s sin so that you can have the energy to give to others. Sometimes what is lovely is a life other than what you have - and to allow that life to be yours, you have to give up the one you have. This is not just positive thinking - these are hard truths.
Whatever is Admirable
Consider people who are admirable. People who are most admired are people who are balanced and genuine. They aren’t the people who are always nice, the yes-men and yes-women of society. They aren’t seen as admirable but, rather, as weak. But those who are admired also aren’t the bad boys and bad girls whose goals seem to be to just make everyone afraid. No, the people who are most admired are those who know when to say yes and when to say no, when to be gentle and when to be firm, when to concede and when to resist. They have a quiet strength about them that makes you feel both welcomed and safe. Striving to be that is what is admirable.
If Anything is Excellent or Praiseworthy
Think about what people are praised for: Being able to navigate challenging situations, having strength and discernment, choosing right over wrong, having godly character. People aren’t praised just for being nice or happy or positive. They excel and are praised when they are strong, confident, and courageous - and sometimes that means doing hard things.
A Final Thought About Whatever
So as you can see, when you really consider what the words mean in that “whatever” passage, it can help you think differently about what Paul is telling us to think about. But there’s another clue that helps us know that the passage isn’t just about positive thinking. The clue is in the verse after Philippians 4:8, and it says: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.” The apostle Paul is exhorting us to do whatever we have learned or received or heard from or seen in him. Have you seen Paul’s life? Have you heard his challenging exhortations? Have you learned his hard teachings that don’t make room for sin or shallowness in your life? If Paul follows his “whatever” passage with an exhortation to imitate him, you can be sure that it isn’t just about positive thinking. Let’s take a look at some examples:
Paul’s Example
Paul and Whatever Is True
Paul spoke the truth. In fact, some of the truths were so hard for people to hear that people didn’t like him. In Galatians 4:16 he says “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” He had been exhorting them to live by the Spirit and not by the letter of the law, and he told them that he fears he may have wasted his efforts on them. That was the truth, and he wanted to steer them back to God, but it was hard for the Galatians to hear.
Paul also talked about the judgement of God being based on truth (Romans 2:2). Even Jesus, when he was talking about the Holy Spirit, said that the Spirit would guide them into all truth and would “prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” Truth isn’t always something that is encouraging and uplifting. Sometimes the truth challenges us and helps us face reality. That’s the example Paul set, and it’s the example we can follow in our relationships, too. When there are repeated offenses, it is true and right to call them out.
Paul and Whatever is Right
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul is telling the Corinthians that they are proud of a sin that they should be mourning about and that, in fact, they should have thrown the sinner out of their fellowship. He tells them that he himself is passing judgement on them and that they should hand the man who is sinning over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh so that his spirit might have a chance to be saved. He goes on to tell them that “you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.” A lot of people today would condemn this kind of thinking, calling it “intolerant,” but this is what Paul said is the right way to handle people who claim to be believers but aren’t acting like they are. Paul exhorts us and sets an example of what is right.
Paul and Whatever is Noble
How did Paul teach on being noble and honorable? He uses the Bereans as an example of having noble character in that they searched the Scriptures to see if what Paul taught was true. Those who are noble seek the truth.
Paul also talks about being noble/honorable by being pure. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 he tells believers to avoid sexual immorality and learn to control their bodies in a way that is holy and honorable, not like the heathens. He adds a one-two punch: “The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before” and “anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit” - the Spirit of truth.
He also encourages us in 1 Corinthians in 16:13 to “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” It’s how Paul encourages us to be noble.
Paul and Whatever is Pure
In speaking about purity, Paul tells the Corinthians (in 1 Corinthians 10) that they need to not get involved with what the pagans are doing because they can’t drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, too. And he tells Timothy, along the same lines, to be careful not to share in the sins of others but, rather, to keep himself pure.
These are just a few examples of how Paul lived and taught in alignment with whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The “whatever” passage doesn’t just pull a person out of negative thought patterns that can lead to anxiety, it also emboldens us to stand confidently for all things that are good and right and true.
So whatever you think about today, make it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. And you will find that… Hope isn’t found in our situation changing; it’s found in our situation….
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