← Back to sermon library

Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. Philippians 4, our focus this evening will be verses 8 and 9. I do want to read the chapter, however, beginning in verse 1. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, 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. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Nevertheless, you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the thing sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Well, let us pray. Father, we thank you for this portion of Holy Scripture. Again, we pray for the ministry of the Spirit to illumine and guide us. We ask that you would help us to ponder what the Apostle says in this passage concerning thinking, and concerning doing. Give us grace by the Spirit to be faithful, to be good witnesses and testifiers in this present evil generation, and may we have that courage and boldness to hold forth the word of truth. Forgive us again for all sin and unrighteousness, and we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Well as I've mentioned in Philippians chapter 4, the apostle gives several exhortations and encouragements as he brings the epistle to a close. And as we have seen thus far, he's emphasized the perseverance of the saints in verse 1, the pursuit of unity. in verses 2 and 3, the joy of the Lord in verse 4, moderation among men in verse 5, and then the prayer of the believer in verses 6 and 7.

And now he turns his attention to those things that the Christian is to think on, and he turns to those things that the Christian is to do. And so basically we have in verse 8 the thought life of the believer and in verse 9 the conduct of the believer. And both texts or both verses are very similar in terms of grammar. The command comes at the end after he has said Notice, for instance, in verse 8, he says, Here comes the command. meditate on these things. We'll look at that first and then look at the particular subject matter provided. And then secondly in verse 9, the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, here comes the command, these do. The only difference in verse 9 is that there's a promise attached. I think it attaches grammatically to verse 9, but it certainly includes verse 8.

What we think and how we do are absolutely crucial in the life of the believer. And intriguingly, in verses 6 and 7, the emphasis is pray, verse 6, and then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. In verses 8 and 9, it's think and do, and then the God of peace will be with you. So last time we saw the power of the peace of God. Tonight, the presence of the God of peace connected specifically to those who are thinking and doing as they ought as the believing people of God. So first, the thought life of the believer in verse eight.

The definition of the word is quite simple. It basically means to give careful thought to a matter. When we think about meditation, that's precisely what it is. I'm sure that you've heard of Eastern meditation where the end game is basically to empty your mind. That's not Christian meditation. Christian meditation is to fill your mind and to consider, to contemplate, to think through, to roll it about in your heads so that it can correctly impact your life. So to give careful thought to a matter, to think about, to consider, to ponder, to let one's mind dwell on.

And it's not just simply recognizing facts, but considering the implication of those facts, the application of those facts, putting those facts into practice, as we read there in Psalm 119, verses 97 to 104. What the psalmist believed concerning God's law affected the psalmist in terms of how he lived before that God who had given the law.

And that's the simple connection that we find here in verses 8 and 9. God is concerned about our thought life. God is knowledgeable of the fact, and it's almost weird to say it that way, that what we think, what we believe, how we process information is going to be directly connected to the way that we live. And with reference to this particular sort of connection that we find in verses 8 and 9, there's oftentimes a tendency of an either-or approach to the Christian life. An either-or approach to the Christian life. Well, that particular Christian, he's so doctrinally minded, he's no practically good.

I'm just going to focus on doing those things that God calls me to do. So it's an either or approach. Either I learn doctrine and I'm a lazy slob or I'm not a lazy slob and I don't learn doctrine. I would suggest that the proper pattern is both and. We learn the truth as it is in Jesus. We learn the word and doctrine and we, by God's grace, apply those things in our daily lives.

I have heard it said before that those in the Reformed faith, not everybody specifically, but in sort of a general way, all they do is study their creeds, all they do is study their confessions, all they do is study their Bibles, and they're not practically good. Well, there could be a problem. If we learn all the information of the Bible, if we have a robust creedalism and confessionalism, but we're lazy slobs, that's a problem. But you don't mitigate the lazy slob problem by getting rid of the doctrine. You need both and. You need to know the scriptures, and then, by God's grace and the power of the indwelling spirit, put those things into practice. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to God. This morning, one of the passages that Pastor Cam pointed us to was that bit in Matthew's gospel. I think it was marked for Cam, but in Matthew 15, you've got Jesus talking about what it is that defiles a man.

The Pharisees are just flabbergasted that Jesus' disciples would eat with unwashed hands. How dare they eat with unwashed hands? Jesus says that's not the problem. It's not what goes into a man that defiles him. It's rather what comes out of the man that defiles him. His heart is wretched. His heart is deceitful above all things. It's desperately wicked.

So there's a close connection between what's in the heart, what's in the mind, and what comes out in terms of our practical reality, in terms of our practical Christian living. When Jesus is questioned about the first and greatest commandment, he cites the Shema, or Deuteronomy 6, 4, and 5, specifically verse 5, but it's connected to verse 4. Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. We don't just separate activity or orthopraxy, that's the practice of right things, from orthodoxy, that's the understanding or right thinking that is absolutely crucial. And so verses eight and nine are a wonderful corrective to so many problems that we see in the Christian life.

I'm just gonna be bent on doing good. Yeah, but you're a heretic, you're Arian, you're Nestorian. You've got all kinds of problems with your Trinitarian theology. You deny the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pagans can sometimes do good things.

That doesn't necessarily mean they're believers. It's crucial. And again, the encouragement here isn't everybody, you know, go join IRBS. Everybody come to the Symbolics course because that's the only way. No, be like the psalmist in Psalm 190. Not no, if you want to join the IRBS and you want to come to Symbolics, you know more power to you.

But it's get the Word of God in your heart. Thy word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you. Again, inextricable connection to what's inside and what comes out in terms of a Christian response. So the necessity of a both-and approach to the Christian life, Scripture connects right thinking, orthodoxy, and right activity or practice, which is orthopraxy.

Now in terms of the subject matter, notice what he says in verse 8, finally, brethren, This is his second finally, by the way, so take note of that. Paul was the kind of preacher that would say, finally, and not really mean it. There was a father and a son listening to preaching, and the preacher said, finally, and the son said, dad, what does finally mean? And dad said, nothing, son. And you might glean that from Paul. Notice in Philippians 3, 1, finally, my brethren. Here again at verse 8, finally, brethren.

Notice he says, whatever things are true, That makes absolute perfect sense that we would meditate on that which is true. Scripture calls God the Lord God of truth in Psalm 31. Jesus describes himself as the way, the truth, and the life in John 14 6. Jesus refers to sending the spirit of truth in John 14, 18, and then refers to him again as the spirit of truth in John 15, 26, and then again in John 16, probably around verse 13. Not three truths based on the doctrine of inseparable operations, one truth, but notice that each of the persons are called truth. As well, he says, those things which are noble, not false things. Those things which are upright, those things which are decent, those things which are good.

I mean, again, if we just think about modern application, pornography's not noble. You know, cooking meth and selling it or smoking it, that's not noble. Paul says don't think about those things, don't meditate on those things, but rather meditate on the true and the noble and the just in your relations with one another, in your relations to the civil state, in your relations to your next door neighbor. Be just, be upright, be the sort of person that can be trusted. And then he says the pure.

Not the impure. Again, pornography. If you are looking at that garbage, it is hard to convince someone that you're meditating on that which is pure. That's a meditation on that which is vile and base and dirty and disgusting and impure. He then says the lovely. Obviously not the unlovely. Not the disgusting. What are you meditating on? Well, I like to meditate on trash. No, that's not a good sort of venture. Better to meditate on the revelation of God's glory and the created order.

And then he says the things of good report, those things which aren't disreputable or scandalous or shameful. These are what the subject matter is that the Christian mind must be about. And then he adds at the end the things that are virtuous and praiseworthy.

Again, this list shouldn't surprise us. It shouldn't cause us to say, wow, I can't believe that the Apostle Paul wants us to consider, to reckon, to contemplate, to meditate, to think about these sorts of things. Well, of course the Apostle Paul wants us to do that because what we think on largely affects how we function in this present evil age. Again, you see the connection in Romans 1.

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness. Why? Because what is evident to them concerning God built into them According to Romans 2, 14 and 15, but proven to them through the created order, the effect leads them to the cause, they suppress that truth in unrighteousness. So what they think concerning God, no God, comes out in the way that they live, unrighteousness.

And he gives that vice list in Romans 1 and basically describes modern society. He basically describes exactly what we're going through in our present evil age. It was the same thing He was going through, to be sure, and it describes what we were at one time without the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, when we come to consider the source, when we look at this statement in verse 8, the true, the noble, the just, the pure, the lovely, the things of good report, the things that are virtuous and praiseworthy, certainly the Bible is the source for that. But I want to suggest first a little phrase that our confession uses a lot. It's called light of nature.

And some of the older commentators suggest that this specifically, verse 8, is targeting the Philippian church in a pagan environment. What's the Christian response in terms of a pagan environment? Well, withdraw yourselves from that pagan environment. Find the biggest mountain you can and plant yourselves up there.

No. Even the pagans, by virtue of the glory of God Most High, by virtue of that Romans 2.14 and 15 writing of the Law and the Heart creationally, they get some things right. In fact, what we learn or glean in what we call general revelation, the created order, the human hand, the human heart, the human eye, the various things that God has made is revealed, not just to believers, but to all men everywhere.

This is not incorrect information. This is correct information. Wherever there is truth, it is God's truth, even if a pagan stumbles upon it. If the first person to solve the simple equation 2 plus 2 equals 4 was a pagan, it doesn't invalidate that proposition.

And so some suggest Paul is almost stepping into the realm of philosophical ethics to appeal to these Christians in Philippi that you do, as it were, have some common ground even with these pagan Philippians. Our confession speaks to this. Again, in the use of light of nature in chapter 22 with reference to Sabbath. It says, with reference to worship, it says that men, apart from special saving revelation, know that God is. They also know that God must be worshipped. But because they're messed up, twisted and distorted by sin, God has revealed himself in the scriptures so that we may come to that saving knowledge. And so the source of that which is true, that which is noble, that which is just, that which is pure, that which is lovely, that which is of good report, those things of virtue, and those things that are praiseworthy, This is how you function in a pagan society. This is how you function in a pagan relationship.

It's not the case that you have to leave. It's not the case that you have to build a rocket and fly to the moon. It's not the case that you have to separate yourself from having basic one-on-one dealings with people in civil society. In fact, Zenki says this, whatever is true, namely, even among non-Christians, To be sure, I take true in its proper meaning as the opposite of false. But Paul does not say that which appears to be true or that which is commonly taken as true or honorable, but instead the things that are true and honorable, that is, that are true, honorable, just, and so forth, in such a way that no one can deny what they are without being shameless. Now what sort of things are thus? The sort of things which are consistent with natural law and do not conflict at all with the doctrine of Christ. There is no conflict between what God reveals in general revelation and special revelation. Special revelation gives us the lenses, the glasses, as it were, to bring everything into sharp relief.

But pagans build refrigerators. Pagans build cars. Pagans pump gas. Pagans do a whole host of things based on the fact that God in His infinite goodness has created the world and structured it in such a way that 2 plus 2 equals 4, whether you're a believer or not. That a refrigerator operates on certain principles whether you're a believer or not. And so the apostle is appealing to them, those things that you have in common, that's great, but that doesn't make them Christians.

Gil says, to close all with respect to the duties of Christianity incumbent on the professors of it, the apostle exhorts to a regard to everything that is true, that is agreeable to the scriptures of truth, to the gospel of the word of truth. or to the law and light of nature, and whatever was really so, even among the very heathens, in opposition to falsehood, lying, and hypocrisy. Again, sometimes heathen societies are built on the principles of not stealing. Sometimes heathen societies are built on the principle of not murdering. Sometimes heathen societies are built on the principle of not engaging in rape. So the apostle Paul says you have some common ground with these people. You don't have to flee and build a commune up in the hills. You're amongst the pagans, but you have some things in common.

Namely, they're under, as creatures, the God of infinite glory. has revealed Himself in the light of nature and has revealed Himself in special revelation to the people of God. Now certainly everything that we share and comment must ultimately be checked and governed by an appreciation of Holy Scripture. With reference to the Word of God, the Bible is the source for whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Again, the source in the sense of this is the marching orders for the Christian church. Somebody outside the Christian church, somebody not having a copy of the Holy Scriptures can not steal. Cannot murder. Cannot commit a pedophilia. Cannot engage in bank robbery. Those things are, in one sense, common to man because of texts like Romans 1. God's made it evident to us. God's built foundational principles into us. Psalm 19, the heavens declare what?

The righteousness of God, pagans know this at some level, but they suppress that truth and unrighteousness. The Word of God is ultimately the source for the believer in Christ, and we know the origin of Scripture is God Himself, 2 Timothy 3, 15 and 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. So yeah, we have some commonality with the pagans in that we don't kill each other. That's great. But in terms of the dictates for the Christian, in terms of this list, what better source than the book authored by God to fill our minds with and meditate on these things?

The author of scripture, of course, is the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. It's an inseparable operation in terms of the giving of the scriptures. What's the purpose of scripture? Remember Jesus' high priestly prayer in John 17, 17? Sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth.

So do you see how important it is to know that truth, to meditate on these things, and then hopefully it produces, verse 9, type of obedience amongst the people of God. As well, the commentary provided by Scripture. Now, when we look at this list, the Bible does not deny nor does it attempt to hide the reality that there is the false, that there is the ignoble, that there is the unjust, that there is the impure, that there is the unlovely, and the things of bad report. But the Bible provides the necessary framework for us to interpret the dirt around us. It doesn't call us to meditate on the dirt. It calls us to think properly about that dirt, to resist it, to avoid it, and certainly not hide it in our minds and hearts so that we may sin against you. No, meditate on these things. And I would suggest that scripture affords for us a strategy, not only here, but also in Romans 12. You can turn there.

Romans chapter 12. Again, connection between what we think and how we live. Romans 1 to 11, the apostle explains the Christian gospel in glorious detail, and then in chapter 12 he gets practical, practical application of all that he has said concerning justification by faith alone. Life in the Holy Spirit, the believer and his relationship to the law, the believer and his relationship to unconverted Jews, 9 to 11, and here he comes to bring it home.

Verse 1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, and do not be conformed to this world. How do we avoid being conformed to this world? Well, let's just pack up, go up to Sham, and found our own commune there. No. I'm not suggesting separation is always bad.

The prudent man foresees evil and does what? He hides himself. He doesn't run into it. But this idea that we can't live near pagans, Paul doesn't even apply that in the Christian home. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. If the unbeliever is willing to stay with the believer, great.

That's the issue in 1 Corinthians 7.14 when he says that your children are holy. It's not, therefore, bring them to the font and sprinkle them.

The question from the Corinthians was most likely, I'm converted and my wife's not. Is that an invalid marriage? I was saved and she's not. Is that legit? That's the issue that he's dealing with there is the legitimacy or illegitimacy of it. He does not say, well, now that you're a believer and she's not, therefore, off she goes. No. If she's willing or he, the unbeliever, is willing to live, great. Fantastic. So he doesn't even bring that degree of separation into your living room. He doesn't bring that degree of separation into your society. This idea of communal living.

Well, if we just remove ourselves from the riffraff called Philippi, and we live on the outskirts, then everything will be hunky-dory. How's that ever worked out? Is it always hunky-dory when a group of people, even as well-intentioned as they might be, live with each other in close proximity? I'm sure there's probably an example out there, but typically it goes awry. It goes afoul.

So the mindset that if we just withdraw ourselves enough, then we'll be holy, that's not a biblical concept. Again, separate yourselves from the harlot. Separate yourselves from the guy smoking meth. Separate yourselves from the embezzler. Separate yourselves from those things that you might have a proclivity or a tendency to ultimately fall into. Separate yourselves with reference to that.

But the Christian community isn't supposed to buy islands, though as appealing as that might be, and go live there heavily armed and ready to rock and roll. That's not the response. That's not how we're not conformed to this world. Notice again in verse 2, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

So with reference to those things that are true and noble and just and pure and lovely and of good report, the things that are virtuous and praiseworthy, again, you may have some commonality with the pagate. You may see some of those things, vestiges of them in natural law or in natural theology. But with reference to the operating assumption in terms of Christianity, hide the word of God in your hearts that you might not sin against him. Then, notice the conduct of the believer. Verse 9. Not the first time.

Look at Philippians 1.27.

And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now here is in me.

And then several exhortations in chapter 2 in terms of unity. in terms of expressing love to one another. So conduct, what we think concerning God, what we ponder concerning the true, the noble, the pure, the lovely, all that should flesh itself out in the way that we conduct ourselves one to another. And that's the emphasis in verse 9. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, here's the command, these do.

I know this is going to be a real technical definition of these do's, so just bear with me. To bring about or accomplish something through activity. It's a tough one, but just stick with me. Let me repeat that. To bring about or accomplish something through activity, do or accomplish.

You see what he's saying there? Here's the way that you need to think, or the subject matter on which to think, meditate on these things, consider them, contemplate them, roll them over in your mind, and then do these things. The things believed and meditated upon will lead to action.

The failure to bring about the intended action is not the fault of the things believed. Let me repeat that. The failure to bring to pass or to accomplish that which we're supposed to do, if we've internalized truth and we haven't properly applied it, it's not the problem of the truth. Again, if I had never heard this, it'd be like I'm making it up, but I've heard this.

Oh, you guys are just so full of doctrine. You know, you don't live consistently with that. My first question is, where are you at 6 a.m.? Am I kicking cats and you're witnessing that? How do you know how bad I really am? That's kind of a claim to omniscience. I'm not sure you have that competence to rightly judge the failures and orthopraxy of all your fellows.

Oh, you know, he's just filled his head with that creedal and confessional Christianity, but he's a deadbeat. Really? A deadbeat? Again, are you with him on Thursday at three? Have you seen how he conducts himself in his business practices? Or how about the old classic?

Oh, the church is full of hypocrites. Brethren, I don't doubt there's hypocrisy in each and every one of our hearts. But I do take exception at this reality. Some of us, I think all of us, are mindful and conscious that we don't always live consistently with the truth that we know. And what do we do with that?

We ask God for forgiveness. We ask God for the ministry of the spirit of truth so that we will do what we're supposed to do. The hypocrite, if he's just classic hypocrite, he doesn't go to God and ask for forgiveness for failing to do what he's supposed to do. I thank you, God, that I'm not like other men. Thank you, God, that I'm not a murderer. I'm not an adulterer. I'm not an extortioner. I'm not like this publican.

That's the true hypocrite. You don't look at the public and beating his breast saying, God be merciful to me, the sinner, and say, what a hypocrite. No. So this idea that what we believe restricts, hinders, or keeps us from accomplishing and doing does not reflect on the things believed. It reflects on the lazy slob that isn't doing based on what he knows. So I guess that's the better way to attack us. You're just a lazy slob. Okay, just don't blame the doctrine. Don't blame the Second London Confession. Don't blame Nicaea. Don't blame Chalcedon. Don't blame the scriptures of both the Old and the New Testaments.

The idea is to fill your hearts and heads with that truth. To meditate on these things, and having done that, then to respond appropriately. So again, there is a breakdown. I admit, I admit honestly 100%, I know that breakdown. The problem's not the truth believed, the problem is the laziness, the problem is the apathy, the problem is I need a sign from God to go out and obey. The problem is manifold, but there are those who attack the knowledge of the truth based on the laziness of the adherence of the truth.

So notice then, before he says, these do, verse nine he says, the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me. The instruction of the Apostle Paul, the instruction of the Apostle Paul as preacher, as writer. Preacher, sent by God specifically as the Apostle to the Gentiles. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, when I came amongst you, in fact look there, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, just to get a glimpse into Paul's assessment of himself and the source of his power. 1 Corinthians 2 at verse 1, I brethren, the whole context, 1 and 2, 1 going into 2, is to just show the foolishness of God, as Paul calls it.

That's a foil. He is showing that the wisdom of God puts to shame the so-called wisdom of man. And he says that we see the wisdom of God in what the world calls foolishness. We see the wisdom of God in what the world calls the foolishness of the message. Basically, that's what he deals with in verses 18 to 25. We see the foolishness of God in the recipients of the message. Notice in verses 26 to 31, you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Do you see what the opponent's saying?

Oh, it's foolish because it's the message of this man who died for sinners. It's foolish because of the Corinthians, this group of ex-homosexuals, this group of ex-idolaters, this group of ex-adulterers. These people are the ones that God is showering these blessings on. So it's the message, it's the recipients, but it's also the preacher.

The foolishness of God, according to the world, is seen in the lacklusterness of the Apostle Paul. So notice in 2.1. I love Paul's strategy here. No, no, you don't know me. I'm eight foot tall and bulletproof. I went to the best schools to learn rhetoric. I went to the best schools to learn logic. I sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I'm trained from my youth.

Pharisee amongst the Pharisees. He doesn't do that at all. Basically, he says, you know what? You're kind of right. Just like you're kind of right with the Corinthians. So he says, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. How's that for a resume? Paul applies to be the lead pastor at the church, and he says, okay, I don't have excellence of speech, don't have a lot of wisdom. In fact, I'm weak, I have a lot of fear, and I tremble a lot. And my speaking ability, according to verse four, my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom.

He didn't even have that feather in his cap. Okay, we'll overlook some of the other things, but man, can you bring it? Here's the source of his power. But in demonstration of the spirit and of power, notice why, verse five, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 10. I'm sorry, 2 Corinthians chapter four. 2 Corinthians 4 at verse 7.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels. Earthen vessels can almost sound noble. I mean, we buy earthen vessels and we put them in our backyards. Sometimes we get earthen vessels and they're ornately decorated. We put a little bit of water in them and we watch the birds fly and land. Earthen vessels, that's great. That's not how Paul's using it here. Cracked pot would probably be a better way to understand this.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels. Do you put your gold in that earthen vessel? You go down to Home Depot, you buy your earthen vessel, and you put it in your backyard, and you put your gold in there? No, you don't put your gold in your earthen vessel. You put it in your safe or under your mattress. Everybody knows you put it under your mattress.

What's his point? We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. You see, if it was owing to the ability of the apostle Paul, if it's owing to his ability to persuade, his excellence of speech, somebody would say, wow, it's all because of Paul. No, I'm an earthen vessel. I'm a cracked pot.

The whole purpose and design of gospel preaching is so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. So back in Philippians chapter four, the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me. So the teaching and the preaching ministry of the Apostle Paul, as well as I mentioned, the writing ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Where is he presently as he writes the book Philippians? He's in jail. Spirit is with him in jail. And what is he doing? He's writing scripture in jail. His words are authoritative. They are given by the Holy Ghost and therefore they're binding on the people of God. They're binding on the church of God. They are the God-breathed scripture. The beauty of that 2 Timothy passage, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Spirit doesn't invalidate the personality of the man who's writing.

John doesn't write specifically the way that Paul does. Paul doesn't write specifically the way that Peter does. He leaves intact Paul. He leaves intact Peter. He leaves intact John, and Isaiah, and Ezekiel, and all of the prophets, and all of the apostles. This is the beauty of God Most High. He takes these 40 different authors and the self-same spirit uses those men to write the very words of God, all the way down to the plural form of specific words. So with reference to the Apostle Paul, it was his teaching, it was his preaching, it was his writing. And I would suggest the traditions passed down to him.

Sometimes, contra Roman Catholicism, Protestants are accused of rejecting tradition. We're not anti-tradition or anti-bad tradition. We're all for good tradition. I mean, our church is a living example of that. We subscribe to the Second London Confession of 1689.

What does that do? It leans on tradition. In chapter 8, it leans on Chalcedon from 451. In chapter 2, it leans on Nicaea in 325 and then again in 381. Tradition's not bad, provided the tradition is good, but as well, the things that they saw in Paul. He's already discoursed on this.

If you go back to chapter 3, specifically at verse 17, brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern. So in other words, meditate on these things, verse 8, and then the things that you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do. Go out, be faithful, live in light of that truth, put it into practice, let it be flashed out. Let your light so shine that men may see your good works and give glory to God. Adorn the doctrine with godliness.

That's the emphasis in the text, and then the promise appended is very clear. These do, and the God of peace will be with you. "'These do, and the God of peace will be with you.'" What a blessed promise. Pray, the peace of God will be with you. Do, and the God of peace will be with you. That's a lot of God that we get by his grace when we live according to his will. It's beautiful, it's wonderful, it's awesome.

I just wanna look at a couple of examples of the way to receive and the way not to receive the word. You can turn back to the seventh plague in the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter nine. Exodus chapter 9. Just a couple of examples and then we'll close. The seventh plague, 9 specifically at verses 13 to 21. God through Moses warns concerning the plague of hail. the plague of hail.

Again, the whole thought of, you know, it's a few little pea-sized hail that come down for a half hour and we go, wow, it hailed. I don't read the text that way. You got to get your livestock out of the way because they're going to die. This is the kind of hail that if you were out on the freeway, you wouldn't want to be out because your car is going to be dented, perhaps crushed, and perhaps you die. Just bad, kind of all around.

Notice in 920, he who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field. They received the same data, they received the same revelation, they received the same warning, they received the same statement. The ones who feared, did. Those who didn't fear, didn't do. Turn to the prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 33. Kind of a terrifying, well not kind of, very terrifying passage in Ezekiel 33. Ezekiel 33,

30. As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses, and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord. So they come to you as people do.

They sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. For with their mouths they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. For they hear your words, but they do not do them.

And when this comes to pass, surely it will come, then they will know that a prophet has been among them. They'll hear you, they'll receive you, they'll listen to you. It'll be like a concert. They're gonna be like, man, Ezekiel the prophet, he can speak. Ezekiel the prophet can preach. Ezekiel the prophet's on fire. He's got the spirit today, brethren. And then go out and sin. Better not to commend Ezekiel the prophet verbally, but commend his ministry practically by doing what he said.

And then, of course, the builders in Matthew's gospel, Matthew chapter 7, Matthew chapter 7, verses 24 to 27. Therefore, what a classic way for the Lord Jesus to end the Sermon on the Mount. Talk about the exhortation, the punch in the shoulder, the, you know, metaphorical grabbing by the collar and giving them a shake.

Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall. What about the two hearers in James 1 and 2? Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.

How does he illustrate the folly? It's kind of like a man, he looks in the mirror and he walks away and then he forgets what he looks like. That's not the way to receive the things that God has called you to in terms of preaching, teaching, and exemplar in the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul.

So I would conclude with the importance of Christian thought, its content, both natural law and special revelation. That's the subject matter for the Christian. Belgic confession. How does God reveal himself? In the book of nature and then in the book of special revelation. They don't say the book of nature is bad. Paul doesn't say Romans 1 bad. It's true information. It's true data. We share that with the pagan. 2 plus 2 equals 4.

Again, whether you're regenerate or you're not. How do you send rockets into space? How do you keep cars on the road? How do you do anything if regeneration is the precondition to any kind of thought whatsoever? Again, God in His infinite grace, God in what we call common grace, has engineered the world in such a way that there are things common to believer and unbeliever.

So the content of Christian thought. The sanctifying influence of Christian thought. Again, sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth. And then in terms of the importance of Christian conduct, there's a close connection. What we believe affects how we live. What we believe affects how we live. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6.

If anyone teaches, verse 3, otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine, notice, which accords with godliness. See, there's a doctrine which accords with godliness. What's that doctrine? Well, it's that God-breathed Word.

It's those theological conclusions made at Nicaea and at Chalcedon, codified in London in 1677 and 1689. These are good things that the Christian must fill up on because it then gets fleshed out in their lives. And then the final text is in Titus chapter two, just to demonstrate this. Titus two at verse 11.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. So the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. has appeared savingly to the elect. They are effectually called out of darkness into marvelous light. They are regenerate. They are born again. They are believing in Jesus Christ. They are now new creatures in Him. Now what? Well, this is what.

Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people.

Notice, zealous for good works. It's not saying you're saved because of good works. No, the grace of God has appeared. It teaches you these appropriate lessons. You believe the gospel that the Father has, the gospel of the Lord Jesus that the Father orchestrated, and having believed that, you're now fitted to go out and do good works.

Notice what Paul says in verse 15, speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. Let no one disregard you. In other words, people that believe the Lord Jesus are supposed to listen to the word of the Lord Jesus. Even though it comes from imperfect preachers, it doesn't change the content of that word. Let them, or no one rather, despise you. So hopefully we see that connection between right thought and right conduct. But there is no right thought, redemptively, and no right conduct, in terms of good works that are pleasing to God, without first coming to the cross.

In other words, we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We must come to Him. We must receive the benefits that He has secured for all the needy sinners that come. It's by grace through faith in Christ Jesus that we are saved. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. But those good works in 2.10 don't come apart from the emphasis on salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone in verses 8 and 9.

So come to the Savior and learn how to think properly and learn how to live properly. through his blessed word. Well, let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this close connection between the truth and between those things that we are called to do. May you indeed help us by the spirit, help us with a hunger for the word of truth, help us to be disciplined and taking it in, to meditating upon it, to contemplating it, and to rolling it around and seeking by your grace to live in a manner that is consistent with it. I pray that you would go with each of us now, watch over us in this coming week, grant us the grace to bring glory and honor unto you, and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.