Many admonitions Paul gave to the Philippians, that group of Christians who simply needed prodding to continue doing well. The Philippian church was remarkable in its lack of serious problems. To be sure there were some interpersonal skirmishes, but overall the church was harmonious and Paul’s letter to them was a relatively easy read.

So Paul now enters into his final exhortation, to focus one’s inner thoughts on things higher than the mundane issues of this world. Scripture says, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov 23:7). What a person thinks, controls his behavior. Behavior does not change the real person inside, but rather the real person inside, what he really thinks, controls his outward behavior. God is interested in change from the inside out, not the outside in. “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil” (Matt 12:34b-35).

So how does one go about changing his thinking? Paul gives the prescription in eight parts. We need to “dwell on these things.” That means to ponder, consider deeply and meditate on them. What are they? Rather than define them, Paul simply describes them. Things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good repute, excellent, worthy of praise. These defy exhaustive exegesis. They simply are. And they speak to the inner, new man. Like recognizing the color blue when you see it, these are qualities that are recognizable to the spiritual man (though they are invisible to the carnal man).

Christian maturity is aided by the training of our minds to look for these things. Like a pianist trains by studying the musical score and practicing it repeatedly, so the Christian trains his mind by studying what is true, honorable, etc. and practicing these things in his outward behavior. Does a list of eight things to dwell on sound overwhelming? These can be thought of, though, as the perfections of God Himself. Therefore, “[God will] keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

Is this not the context leading up to our verse, “ Do not be anxious, for the peace of God will guard your hearts and mind?” For our victory is found in focusing our thoughts on God Himself, the locus of all good things.