The instructions found in Phil. 4: 8 are pretty straight-forward, but as we will see, are not always so easily applied.
It is determining what actually is, “ right,… true, ... …honorable, …pure, … lovely, … commendable, …worthy of praise (Phil. 4: 8 NASB2020),” from DIVINE viewpoint, that must be tightly grasped, with the need to purge all else.
Otherwise one will find himself being tossed back and forth between two points of view, being unstable and inconsistent in his or her walk with the Lord.
Adjusting to the requirements of discipleship, as a result of growing in the knowledge of the Lord (1), that calls for the discontinuation of deeply rooted beliefs and practices of what had been a part of one’s regular religious experience, can be most challenging.
Any pastor-teacher or advancing disciple can tell you that it is easier to edify a former atheist than it is to edify someone coming from a religious, but errant, background.
The changes that discipleship (study and application of the Word of God) requires of us will often create a Luke 14: 26 scenario in which one’s commitment to following the Lord will be put to the test, when one find himself or herself going against the grain of popular, familial, cultural, social, and denominational teachings and practices that do not line up with Scripture.
It won’t be too far along the road of Biblical discipleship when one discovers the reality of the (2) minority vs. majority principle.
Although God provided the means (3) for everyone to be saved, and desires that all men be saved (4), only a minority of each generation of Man during the Church Age will choose to take the road that leads to eternal life (5).
It is what we choose to make and keep a part of our soul structure (6), be it good or evil, that determines what we think, believe, do, or don’t do, to our own hurt or blessing.
A-n-y-t-h-i-n-g in our soul structure that would encourage or self-justify what the Bible labels as sin or evil, must be identified through frequent 2Cor. 13: 5 examinations, and then addressed (7).
Every day our soul structures are bombarded with human and or demonic viewpoint that runs contrary to the Word of God, but appeals to the fallen nature within us.
The daily missile attacks launched by the devil and or his Eph. 6:12 forces of evil, are most effective when they conceal their demonic origin and activity associated with them.
They do so by making use of people they have deceived and who are in a position of confidence and trust, in the lives of the ones they want to attack.
Sad to say, but especially in these days of the prophesied apostasy, some of these “trusted” ones stand behind the pulpits within the Christian Community at large (8). Having been deceived themselves, they unwittingly become the blind leading the blind (9), often times believing they are doing good for the ones they lead astray.
The best defense against these daily attacks is the truth that that an advancing disciple should already have stored away in his or her edified soul structure.
It is these principles of Scripture that God the Holy Spirit will use to activate our “incoming missile alert system.”
It is the daily intake and reiteration of these principles that maintains a high alert status and maintenance of our “incoming missile alert system.”
Any area of our thinking or actions that is not under this defensive shield is an easy target.
The 1Cor. 3: 12 FOUNDATION of a born-again believer’s edified soul structure is a clear understanding and belief in the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18.
The STRUCTURE that he or she builds on this foundation must be made out of material (accurate doctrine) that is compatible with the foundation.
Any defective material (inaccurate doctrine or accompanying practices) sets the stage for a structural collapse (10).
The foundation (eternal security) will remain (11), but the structure will have to be rebuilt if one is to be a disciple.
In closing, learning and cleaving onto what God sees as good, coupled with the eliminating what God sees as bad or evil, is what sets the stage for a successful post salvation spiritual life.