“Joseph striped of his coat of many colors by his brothers”, painting by Sam Lawlor.
I think in order to understand some of the dysfunction that affected Joseph as perpetuated by his 10 older brothers, as well as by his father and even by himself, we should look back at when the dysfunction began…in the beginning.
Principle 1. Dysfunction = Sin: ‘Dysfunction’ is really just another word for ‘sin.’ But ‘sin’ is a word used more in religious contexts and it’s meaning is not always clear outside of those contexts. Using ‘dysfunction’ to describe the ‘sinful’ actions of the players in Genesis has been helpful to me to see these actions in a new light.
The dictionary defines ‘dysfunction’ as “abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group.” I’ve more often heard the term as part of ‘dysfunctional family.’ I grew up in one of those. The focus was on making it look like everything was normal to our neighbors and the outside world, but in the secret privacy of our home, things were very, very far from okay.
Principle2. Sin = Entropy: The second part of the Law of Entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics from physics, stated simply says:
• Things naturally move from a more highly ordered state toward disorder (entropy) over time without an intervention of energy specifically applied according to an intelligent plan.
In the above example, if you toss a bunch of bricks into the air, you will most likely end up with the pile of randomly ordered–i.e., disordered– bricks on the right.
If instead you want a highly ordered brick structure, such as a barbecue, you will have to apply focused effort in assembling the bricks according to a specific plan.
Put into social experiential terms:
1. Things that are good now will go bad unless we act to preserve them.2. Things that are bad now will get worse unless we act to improve them.
3. Things that are at their worst can be improved by the application of specific efforts according to an intelligent plan, but only by God’s grace and with His specific help. He is the source of “anti-entropy.”
In other words, intentionality and diligence are constantly needed or things will naturally go from good to bad, then from bad to worse, until they are at their worst.
Principle3. Sin = God’s Curse Dysfunction and entropy are the effect of SIN in the world. As Paul stated it from a Biblical standpoint in Romans:
But exactly how far back does it go? Essentially, dysfunctional people and families go all the way back to the Fall–it started with Adam and Eve…
Dysfunction 1. Eve listened to another source other than God for what she should believe and do, leading to dissatisfaction and disobeying God.Dysfunction2. Adam went along with Eve, even though he knew it was disobedience to God.Dysfunctions3.Self efforts: They tried to cover up in their own way……and then hid from God……and then shifted blame when confronted by Him.Dysfunction4. God expelled / exiled Adam and Eve from the Garden rather than killing them…… to a cursed, harsher life.
🍎 APPLICATIONS: The lessons we can learn from Adam and Eve’s mistakes seem kind of obvious–
1. Control the narrative you’re listening to or risk being deceived and misled.2. Be careful not to join in with sinners in their sin or you will suffer the same consequences.3. Don’t try to cover up your mistakes, or the results of them, or avoid being called to account; you can’t hide from God.4. When confronted with your sin, admit it like King David did, rather than hold onto your pride and blame others.5. Humble yourself, agree with God and confess your sin. He will forgive the stain of it before Him, but realize there will still be negative consequences here on Earth.6. God will punish sin in whatever form it takes.
Not so much directly at this time in history, because we’re in the Age of Grace–when God is withholding His judgment in order to give everyone an opportunity to come to Him via the Savior, Jesus Christ.
However, there are still natural judgments built into Creation–natural cause-and-effect consequences:
-built into the physical world, -built into the social world, and even -built into the psychological world within ourselves–
Remember, if we break the laws of God…
Think about that–look before you ‘leap.’
NEXT BLOG:
Detail from painting “The Fallen Angel” by Alexandre Cabanel, 1847, used for an edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost.
From paradise to poverty, from blessed to cursed, from naivete’ to shame, how did this traumatic tragedy affect the first children born into the world?
My look at the development of dysfunctional families in Genesis leading up to the story of Joseph continues in the next blog: Cain and Abel.
#1. Lamentations 3:22-23 – Great is God’s Faithfulness!
We are down to the last 4 of the 26 verses for 2026 and “Remember God’s Faithfulness” is the theme for June. We’re starting off with one of the greatest verses from the Old Testament about God’s faithfulness.
The Book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and exile of its people —a time of immense national tragedy and despair.
Jeremiah lamenting in the ruins of Jerusalem, by Eduard Bendemann, 1837
Right in the middle of this dark, grieving book, Jeremiah pauses to reflect on God’s character.
(Interlinear) It is through the mercies of Yahweh That we are not consumed, Because His compassions never fail, they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness!
Let’s look a little more closely at the key words that Jeremiah used to describe God.
1. The mercies of Yahweh… (H2617, ḥas·ḏê), from the Hebrew word for kindness = favor, a good deed, goodliness, goodness, kindly, kindness, lovingkindness, merciful, mercy, pity.
That we are not consumed = Completed, finished, cease.
Put these together and we see that despite hardships, human mistakes, or consequences, God’s lovingkindness is never ending.
God WILL NOT end His relationship with those He has covenanted with. He did not end it with Abraham or his descendents when they erred. God didn’t end His covenant with Israel through Moses when the people erred. And God will not end His covenant with us who have believed through Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean there won’t be discipline for sinning, but what it DID mean is He would not continue to discipline Israel until they were ended, nor will He end His relationship with us when we stray. There is always a limit to His discipline–that is when His mercy kicks in.
2. His compassions (H7356, ra·cḥăm.) = tender love, tender mercy, pity, “bowels of compassion”.
…never fail, they are new every morning… God does not hold onto grudges or run out of patience. Each day is a clean slate; His forgiveness and grace are fresh and ready to be dispensed again with every new day.
3. …great is Your faithfulness! (H530, ’ĕ·mū·nā.) God’s reliability doesn’t depend on human perfection, but entirely on His own unchanging character.
Jeremiah’s subject was Israel, the people of God. His perspective of who God is, even in the middle of the losing war, defeat, and exile was that God would not allow Israel, His chosen people, to be totally destroyed by Babylon. Jeremiah’s trust was in the innate mercifulness of God.
Detail of Jeremiah, by Michaelangelo, painted between 1508 and 1512 on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Despite the nation being punished for their transgressions of the covenant, despite the penalty clause being invoked, despite Jeremiah’s abject grief leading to the writing of these Lamentations, still, STILL he cannot forget who God is, who He had revealed Himself to be.
How does Jeremiah know these things about God? In Exodus 34, we have a direct, personal revelation of God to Moses about Himself. This revelation is the most quoted one in the Old Testament.
(Interlinear) And Yahweh passed before (Moses’) face and proclaimed, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh, a merciful (H7349, ra·ḥūm) and gracious, (H2587, ḥan·nūn;) God; slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness (H2617 ḥe·seḏ) and faithfulness.’ (H571, ’ĕ·meṯ.)
Note that the three qualities of God in Lamentations 3:22,23–merciful, compassionate and faithful–are also three of the five qualities God revealed about Himself to Moses. THIS is where Jeremiah learned who God is–a God of mercy and compassion.
Reading about how God interacted with Israel in their extended journey to the Promised Land, Jeremiah could see, as we can also read and see, how often God balanced His judgment and discipline of Israel with compassion and mercy.
That Jeremiah could pause in the middle of his Lamentations and bring this comforting truth to mind is, in my opinion, what we also need to be able to do in the middle of our own personal difficulties and tragedies.
Therefore, it would be helpful to spend time this week reflecting on Lamentations 3:22-23 and REMEMBER HOW GREAT IS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
___________________
PRAISE and WORSHIP:
I heard on the radio while I was writing some of this blog a snippet of one of my favorite praise songs, Great Are You Lord. After reading these verses on God’s great faithfulness, using that song to help praise God feels like an appropriate response.
___________________ ADDENDUM:
Some other places where Exodus 34:6 is quoted in the Old Testament:
1. Moses quoted God’s revelation of Himself several times:
Moses refers to God’s revelation of His character when interceding for the rebellious Israelites–kind of talking God into living up to His declaration of being merciful.Moses quoted the second half of God’s revelation, Exodus 34:7, when reviewing the 10 Commandments with the next generation as a reminder that God WILL punish them if they disobey.
2. Other prophets besides Jeremiah quoted God’s revelation from Exodus 34:6:
The prophet Joel exhorted Israel to repent because they could depend on God’s forgiving nature.Jonah complained to God and said that was why he didn’t want to go to Nineveh in the first place, because he knew God would end up forgiving them anyway.
3. There are quotes of Exodus 34:6 scattered throughout David’s Psalms:
In Psalm 86:5 & 15: David quotes this revelation twice as the basis of his prayers,
“…save your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to You all day long….”
In Psalm 103, David quotes Exodus 34:6…
…and uses it as the basis for his understanding of God’s awesome forgiveness:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
In Psalm 145, an awe-inspiring psalm of praise to his God, Yahweh, David includes the quote of Exodus 34:6…
…and then concludes, “The Lord is good to all…”
________________________ CONCLUSION:
God’s revelation of who He is in Exodus 34 forms much of the foundation for understanding God’s interaction with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament.
It also forms the foundation for understanding God’s ultimate act of mercy and compassion, when He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die in payment for the sins of all humankind.That is the God Jesus brings us to when we believe in the gospel and respond to it in humility, repentance and obedience. Do that today if you’ve never responded before.Do that every day if you already have the first time, because God’s grace, His mercy, His forgiveness and His love are as necessary to receive every day for our spiritual life as air, food, and water are for our physical life. Amen!
May: Focus on the Good #4. Job 8:7 – God will bless you.
This verse is part of one of the ‘friends’ of Job’s response to the disasters that have fallen upon Job and his complaint about them.
The friends’ responses reflect the different conventional viewpoints about who God is and how He rewards and punishes people for doing right or doing wrong. The friends operate on the assumption that all suffering is a direct punishment for sin and therefore, Job must be guilty of some secret sin. Because the friends constantly mix partial truths with flawed conclusions, it is sometimes difficult to separate accurate theology from incorrect accusations.
Here are some excerpts from the context and my annotations that might help to understand Job 8:7 better.
8:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: (BTW, who was the shortest person in the Bible…?)
2 “How long will you say such things, And the words of your mouth be like a storm wind?” (Criticism of Job’ complaining)
3 “Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?” (Accurate theology, He does not.) … 5 If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, 6 If you were pure and upright, Surely He would rouse Himself for you, and justly restore your household? (Incorrect assumption of Job’s guilt.)
7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.(Accurate theology.)
Even though the friends’ accusations of Job’s sin was off track, their theology was accurate and that is exactly what happened to Job! After learning a little more humility before God…
42:11 “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!” … 13 “So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning.” (NLT)
This verse written in ancient Hebrew is sometimes translated differently. The Hebrew Interlinear translates it by the word as:
“Though your beginning was small, And yet your latter end would increase abundantly.”
The NKJV translation used in the picture at the beginning is very close to the word-for-word translation. Some other versions:
This is the version of the Bible I use and it also is a close match to the original Hebrew, it just uses different synonyms for some of the words.The Berean Study Bible, not as well known, but with a good reputation for accuracy, communicates the same meaning, but in more modern diction and trys less to interpret word-for-word.
The NIV, on the other hand, along with some other translations, go a different direction with their interpretation–translating the comparison as words of comfort.
This interpretation reminds me of the “gap” or “gain” perspectives mentioned in a recent sermon by Pastor J.D. Greear. It is from “The Gap and the Gain,” a book by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, “A guide for high achievers that teaches a mindset shift from focusing on the ‘Gap’ (the distance between your current self and an ideal) to focusing on the ‘Gain’ (the progress made from your past self) in order to increase happiness, confidence, and motivation.”
They argue that constantly measuring oneself against an unattainable ideal leads to dissatisfaction, while celebrating past progress leads to a sense of accomplishment and fuels future success.
This interpretation of Job 8:7 where looking back after being blessed and seeing how much you’ve prospered sounds very much the same.
However, here in the midst of the suffering, it seems like this idea is reversed. Instead of focusing on the ‘gap’ of everything Job has lost in the recent past, the verse suggests focusing on the ‘gain’ he could expect from God’s blessings in the future.
That idea is very much a part of our Christian teachings. Paul said in Romans 8:18,
A lot of critics of Christianity say this is just “pie in the sky, by and by.”
This idea is based on Jesus’ call to discipleship in Matthew 16:24 being one of self denial in this world.Other verses indicate Jesus meant denying things like our families, marriage, our business, and inheritance. (Matthew 19, Luke 14)
The “pie in the sky” part comes from Jesus’ promise to His disciples, (Matthew and Mark 10:29-30)
What it comes down to is faith. Do we believe Jesus’ claims to be sent from God according to the prophecies about the Messiah? Do we believe His promises for the future when He’ll return and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth? If we believe, then we have to respond in faith and do as He commands. So, it all boils down to believing and then obeying. That is why the writer of Hebrews says,
“For He (God) who promised is faithful.” That is, in essence, the foundation of our Christian faith, and part of that faith is God has said that He WILL bless us. That is a good reason this week to focus on Job 8:7 and remember, God will bless us!
May theme: Focus on the Good 3. Hebrews 13:5 – God is always with us:
Within our theme verse this week is a quote from Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 and Joshua 1:5, where God said this to Israel three times.
One commentator notedGod said it three times because He knew how easy it would be for Israel to forget and give up when things got difficult for them in claiming the Promised Land.
But then another commentator pointed out there was a triple negative in the Hebrews 13:5 quote. We heard on a sermon this past Christmas about how the Wise Men “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” was a triple construction. I decided, therefore, to look at the different original texts to see what was going on with that.
Original Hebrew text – word-for-word translation
…the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
= two single negatives
In the Septuagint (LXX) Greek text, the official translation from the Hebrew, the translators felt it took a double negative in Greek to communicate the same meaning in Hebrew, which by the way does not mean a positive, it’s a way of adding emphasis.
Not never will I leave you; Nor never will I forsake you.
= two double negatives.
In the New Testament Greek quote in Hebrews 13:5 it says:
I will not never leave you, nor not never forsake you.
= a double negative plus a triple negative.
In other words, there is a LOT of emphasis being made here about God not forsaking us. Paraphrasing the OT commentator, we could say the writer of Hebrews uses the triple negative, “no not never” because we as Christians also need that kind of emphasis to keep from forgetting and give up, especially when things become difficult. So what exactly is it we can be triple sure God WILL NOT do?
Forsake = Greek verb egkataleipó. From en-and -kataleipo; to leave behind in some place or let remain over (in a good sense), or (in a bad sense) to abandon, to desert, to forsake, to leave behind.
In the Septuagint, this Greek verb is used to translate the Hebrew terms for “abandon” especially about the covenant faithfulness of God to Israel. That concept is carried into the New Testament to describe God’s irrevocable loyalty to us as His people.
There are ten occurrences of this Greek word for abandonment in the NT. Here are some of the key verses:
1. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 where God abandons/forsakes Jesus on the cross while He bears the sins of the whole world.
2. Peter uses the word twice in his sermon in Acts 2 where he cites Psalm 16:10 as a prophecy about Jesus NOT being abandoned by God after the crucifixion.
To summarize these verses about Jesus and abandonment:
A. God abandoned Jesus on the cross, So that we could be saved at the cross. His death was not a defeat, it was a victory!B. God did NOTabandon Jesus to death and the grave, but resurrected Him, so we know that He will notabandon us to death and the grave either, but will resurrect us in the last days.3. In John 14:18, the same idea is linked with being abandoned as orphans. This is the beginning of Jesus explaining the coming of the Holy Spirit to take His place in His disciples’ lives–the same as has been done for every Christian since Pentecost. The Holy Presence of God in our lives reminds us that WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABANDONED.4. In 2 Corinthians 4:9, Paul makes the point that just because we suffer in this world doesn’t mean God has abandoned us. In fact, Pastor J.D. has made the point that persecution is a sign of God’s presence in our lives.5. In another passage in Hebrews, the writer uses the same Greek word to command the readers not to forsake getting together on a regular basis. After all, that is what “church” means, which in Greek is “ekklesia”. It refers to an “assembly” or “gathering of called-out ones”. That means regularly getting together around the elements of our being called out of the world by God in Jesus Christ is a defining characteristic of being a Christian.6. And then in our theme verse for the week, it is used in the triple negative of what God will “no not never” do as motivation for us not to always want more and more things, but be satisfied with what we have. The writer of Hebrews offers us the same promise of God given to Israel to always be with them, with the understanding that He is always with us and we can always ask Him to provide what we need, when we need it, even if we can’t see a visible “pillar of cloud by day and fire by night” like they did.
What a tremendous promise to think about this week!
May theme: Focus on the Good Verse 2. Ephesians 1:3 – Think about how God has blessed us in Christ:
“Blessings’ times three.Who doesn’t like to be blessed? When newly crowned King Solomon was asked by God for ANYTHING he wanted, the young king asked for the WISDOM to rule God’s people he had just been appointed king over.
God was so pleased by his answer, that He pointed out how Solomon could have asked for riches, but because Solomon didn’t selfishly ask for that blessing, instead asking for one that would help him fulfill his God-given role as king, God blessed him with riches also.
Now THAT’S being blessed!However, Ephesians 1:3 doesn’t say that we have every MATERIAL blessing in Jesus Christ, but every SPIRITUAL blessing in heaven. Just what in the world…uh, out of this world…did Paul mean?The heavenly blessings Paul is referring to are detailed in the verses that follow in Ephesians 1.1. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.2. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved.3. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.4. …with all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, … to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to unite all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.5. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,… in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. 6. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit……Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.
📋 SUMMARY:
FOUR PAST COMPLETED BLESSINGS:
1. He chose us (2×)
2. He redeemed (2×) us.
3. He forgave us.
4. He made us holy and blameless in his sight.
FOUR PRESENT CONTINUING BLESSINGS:
1. He freely bestows His grace (2×) on us.
–He gives us:
2. wisdom and
3. understanding; and
4. knowledge of His mystery, the gospel.
FOUR FUTURE-ORIENTED BLESSINGS:
1. We are predestined (2×) for adoption.
2. We are sealedwith His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future redemption.
3. God will unite all things in Christ, including us.
4. All the saved, both Gentiles and Jews, will be testimonies of praise to God’s glory.
🤔 CONCLUSION:
These are the things that Paul meant by “every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.” Does thinking about these things excite you? Do you feel especially blessed after reading through Paul’s list?
…Yeah, me neither. But I think we should be. That’s probably why it’s a good idea to spend some time this week reading about and thinking about how God has blessed us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
🍎 APPLICATION: While researching for this blog, I ran across the following list of ten affirmations from this Ephesians passage that I share as something that might be helpful to do as part of your personal devotion on a regular basis:
Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 1:4c-6 Ephesians 1:7-8a Ephesians 1:8-9a and 1:10-11 Ephesians 1:13-14a and 1:14b
May theme = Focus on the Good #1e. Philippians 4:8e – Think about Whatever isLovely
Paul’s list of qualities seemingly moves from objective reality (“true,” “right”) to qualities that relate to how we feel about something (“lovely,” “admirable”). However, Biblical loveliness is not just subjective fondness; it is a relational necessity that underpins true Christian fellowship and effective Body ministry.
‘Lovely’ is the Greek adjective prosphilés: translated pleasing, agreeable or lovely. It is from pro– toward, and the verb –phileo, to have affection for; the noun form of which is philos = friend. Properly, prosphilés means “inclubed toward personal affection and friendship.”
It’s use in Philippians 4:8 is a singular occurrence, so here we go again, a rare or unique adjective in the Greek New Testament, used only by Paul and only here.
In order to get some traction on what Paul might mean, let’s check some of the verses with the noun and verb forms such as the brotherly love (phil-adelphia) verses.
Romans 12:10 Being devoted (philo-storge) in brotherly love (philadelphia) means being friendly toward each other like they’re family.Hebrews 13:1 Brotherly love (philadelphia) should be continuous, no vacations!1 Peter 1:22 Purifying our heart by obedience to God’s truth prepares us for having a sincere love of the brethren (philadelphia).
There are several words in Greek that mean different kinds of love. The other one used frequently in the Greek New Testament is agape’ love. This is a kind of enduring love made by a choice rather than based on how you feel, like phileo.
There is a verse that contains both pf these Greek words that hints at the relationship between the two for Christians.
1 Thessalonians 4:9: brotherly love = philadelphia taught by God to love = agapan.
Paul’s language suggests friendship toward each other is driven by the greater commands from God and Jesus Christ to love agape’ style
The command to love each other, agape’ love, was a new commandment by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The new commandment to love by Jesus Christ in John 13:34–35 all are forms of agape’ = love times four. • Love (agapate) one another. • As I have loved (agapesa) you, • so you must love (agapate) one another. • if you love (agapen) one another…
But Jesus wasn’t the first to place an emphasis on love in the Bible. Buried within the Law were two key verses that Jesus said summarized all the Law and the Prophets–
1) Love God and 2) Love your neighbor.
The second one falls within the meaning of our Philippians 4:8 theme word for today, so let’s take a closer look at it.
The second greatest commandment of God is quoted in Mark 12:30-31, “You shall love (agapaseis) your neighbor as yourself.’ (Also Matthew 22:39).
Jesus, by labeling and agreeing that this command was the second most important command given by God in the Law, suggests that we should also make “loving our neighbors” our second priority in everything we think, say and do.
The FIRST priority should always be to love God Himself.
This Biblical priority order was put like this by the ill-fated football player, Gale Sayers:
The “second greatest command” is from Leviticus 19:18 and the context sums up some commands about interacting with your neighbors–the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament ‘brothers.’
1. Leviticus 19:15 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT be partial against the poor or for the wealthy. • POSITIVE: Treat everyone fairly and without prejudice.2. Leviticus 19:16 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT gossip and criticize. • POSITIVE: Stand up for others, instead.3. Leviticus 19:17 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT secretly hate others. • POSITIVE: Be open and honest, instead.4. And in Leviticus 19:18 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT hold a grudge or seek revenge. • POSITIVE: Love others like yourself.The opposite of the two negatives in verse Leviticus 19:18 is FORGIVING each other. So, putting these two ideas together, we can infer that loving those around us (our neighbors) also means being forgiving of them.
There are also many similar qualities associated with forgiveness in the New Testament that we are commanded and/or exhorted to be toward each other.
“Loving our neighbors as ourselves” also reminds me of something else Paul wrote:
I wouldn’t be surprised if Paul borrowed this idea for husband-wife relationships from Leviticus 19.
Expanding Paul’s contribution to the idea of “loving our neighbor,” we get the idea that we should help build them up. This idea parallels Paul’s commands in Thessalonians:
All of these positive qualities add up to how we should be friends with each other within the Body of Christ. I believe that is the ‘loveliness’ to which Paul is referring in Philippians 4:8.
To summarize:
NOTE: “Good and pleasant” is a definition for “lovely” in English.
Be friendly toward EVERYONE without prejudice or partiality: 1. Be supportive. 2. Be open and honest. 3. Be forgiving. 4. Be encouraging. 5. Build them up.
🍎 APPLICATION Here are some nonBiblical synonyms for today’s theme word’s meaning, “leaning toward friendship,” and which offer suggestions for how to develop friendly relations:
• Show friendly interest.
• Look for ways to grow closer.
• Identify and develop affinities.
• Foster connections: Seek to actively build bonds.
• Build rapport. Means a harmonious relationship characterized by mutual trust, understanding, and empathy, allowing for easy communication between people.
• Be companionable. Someone who is friendly, pleasant, and sociable to be around, often acting as a pleasant, easy-going companion
• Cultivate camaraderie – A spirit of familiarity, trust, and friendship that develops among people who spend a lot of time together or work toward a common goal.
To summarize–‘loveliness’ is being intentional about becoming friends with your Christian ‘neighbors.’ Pick one of the techniques above that you feel you need to improve in and work on it this week. I know there are MANY that I need to work on!
So, even though the exact Greek adjective form for ‘lovely,’ only appears once in the New Testament, it is closely related to some very important Scriptures and might be why Paul says…
May theme = Focus on the Good#1d.Philippians 4:8d – Think about Whatever is Pure
4. Whatever is Pure = the Greek adjective h’agnos. Literally meaning a- , without, and –hagos, something awful, gross or nasty.
H’agnos is a form of the more familiar Greek adjective h’agios, which is most often translated as ‘holy’.
I find it very interesting that there is not a positive word for purity and holiness, but they use the negation of a negative word, the old “two negatives make a positive” rule. The implication is “not pure” is the common state and I guess we can more easily recognize when something is an exception to the ordinary?
In the Old Testament, the same principle is expressed in the translation “unblemished” (Hebrew: tamim) refering to sacrificial animals and priests needing to be physically perfect, “without defect, spot, or blemish.” This requirement symbolized holiness and purity, in other words, God demands our best.
This requirement prefigured the righteous perfection of Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humankind. Some related verses:
Exodus 12:5 – The Passover Lamb must be “without blemish,” as should any animal offered for an atoning sacrifice.Leviticus 21:17-23 Priests must be withoutdefect to serve in the tabernacle (or later the temple).And the same language is used in Hebrews to describe Jesus. In Hebrews 9:14, Jesus is described as an ‘unblemished‘ sacrifice.
Getting back to the New Testament and Philippians… Whereas h’agios (holy) is used 235 times in the Greek New Testament, h’agnos (pure) joins the first two adjectives used by Paul in Philippians 4:8 as being rarely used, in this case, only 8 times. Let’s look at some of those verses and see what food for thought they provide about purity.
James portrays heavenly wisdom as “first of all pure,” declaring purity as the source from which all the other virtues flow.In Titus 2:5, Paul encourages young women to be “pure” so that the word of God will not be “dishonored,” highlighting the importance of personal integrity in being a witness to the gospel–that is, our purity is a testimony to God’s holiness.Peter recommends “pure… demeanor” for believing wives, showing that a testimony of purity carries persuasive power, even toward an unbelieving spouse.In 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul pictures the Corinthian church as “a pure virgin presented to Christ.” Using bridal imagery from Jewish betrothal customs, he emphasizes the exclusiveness of the covenant relationship with God.John links purity to our future hope. Our focus on the second coming of Jesus Christ should motivate us to live a life of unparalleled purity.
In 2 Corinthians 7:11, Paul describes the Corinthian church as having proved itself “innocent” (pure) after Paul had called them to account for public sin in his first letter.
The Corinthian church’s response to this revealed sin was a deep godly sorrow that Paul greatly commended. Following is a closer look at the 7 qualities Paul associated with their repentance to the point of bring able to regain their purity as a church.1. Diligence. First, they moved quickly to deal with the sinful situation after receiving Paul’s letter.2. Pleas (apologia). Then there was much discussion and argument about it with all involved.3. Indignation. A single-use noun from a more common Greek word. The uniqueness of this word emphasizes the church’s response was not a generalized anger, but a focused, moral outrage.4. Fear. Although it doesn’t specify fear of God, the implication is there. Their fear might well have been that God’s grace, mercy and blessing would be taken away from the church. If you don’t think Jesus does that, read the letters to the 7 churches at the beginning of the Revelation of John.5. Earnest desire. An intense yearning that is more than simple emotion, but leads to fulfilling action. In the New Testament, it appears only in 2 Corinthians. Once they realized the sin needed to be dealt with, they knew they had to go beyond their feelings and take decisive, God-honoring action.6. Zeal. Greek = a ‘burning’ emotion; often translated ‘fervor.’ When the church had decided to deal with the sin, they “had their ire up,” to use another expression, and charged ahead in thorough, dedicated and complete implementation.7. Punishment of wrong. Greek ek-dikésis: A combination of ek- = out of and -dikeo = justice, one of the Philippians 4:8 qualities, it is used to refer to what comes out of the execution of justice. Here it means an appropriate punishment was applied to the sinner–not to condemn or totally expel, but rather appropriate for the wrong that was done that will also give the sinner a chance to repent and return to full fellowship with God and with the Church.
As you can see, there is a lot to the Biblical concept of purity. That is probably why Paul urges us…
May theme = Focus on the Good #1c. Philippians 4:8c – Think about right(eous) things.
3. Whatever is RIGHT = Greek adjective dikaios =Righteous, just, upright. From the noun dikē. Properly means”judicial approval.” Biblically it means keeping the commands of God.
The Philippians 4:8 adjective form of this Greek word is used 80 times in the New Testament. These 80 times do not count the noun construction, “righteousness.” This is in contrast to the words for the first two qualities where the adjective form is used only a few times. Let’s look at some of those verses that use “right(eous)” to provide some food for thought.
1. We are not righteous in and of ouselves–quite the opposite.
Paul makes the point clear that no one, absolutely no one, is righteous in and of themselves. Other qualities associated with lack of righteousness are:
• Lack of understanding of God, • Lack of desire to seek God, • Turning aside from obeying God, • Engaging in frivolous, unprofitable activities, • No desire to do good.
It’s interesting to turn those around and see what those of us who DO have righteousness as a gift from God have as the opposites:
• We have an understanding of who God is. • We have a desire to seek God and the things of God. • We may struggle with obeying God, but we keep working at it because we know it’s right. • We are trying to make our time count for eternity. • We try to choose the best options that lead to the most good as defined by God.
2. So, how do we get this gift of righteousness?
A. The “Great Exchange;” God exchanges our sin for His Son’s righteousness by laying the sins of everyone in the world–‘past, present and future–on Him at the cross.B. That righteousness is then credited to us by God when we choose to believe (have faith) in the truth of this information–which is the gospel.Three of the “solas” of Martin Luther that form the foundation of Protestant Christian faith.
3. What is the result of God’s gift of righteousness?
A. Our justification by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings us to a place of peace with God. You know how the unsaved are often afraid to come to God because innately they know God wants to punish them for their sins? They’re not wrong. Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, WE DO NOT HAVE peace with God!We can achieve that place of peace only by approaching God via faith in the “Lamb of God” who has paid the penalty for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the entire World–past, present and future.Righteous also means “Justified” = declared righteous in the eyes of God, by God and for God’s purposes.
B. The mechanism of salvation changes us–not only in the sight of God, that is our imputed righteousness, but on a practical level. We are cleansed within by the Holy Spirit when we are born again. And that same Holy Spirit, who will stay within us until we see Jesus face-to-face, that same Holy Spirit renews us on a day-by-day basis as we submit to His authority, and walk by the same faith with which we first believed.
C. This right-standing with God, plus the cleansing from sin within, then should result in us actively making changes in our lives. We must leave behind those things that displease God, that are not consistent with His Holy nature–that is ungodliness and the passions of the world–and live a righteous life.
4. This righteous walk with God requires a daily reboot.
1 John 1:9 summarizes this whole chain that I’ve just described, but as a regular practice:
A. It’s God who was faithful to His promise to make a way of salvation for humankind.
B. God is justified in forgiving our sins because the penalty was paid by Jesus Christ.
C. We have to confess–agree with God–about what is sin in our thoughts, words and actions; then make a choice to turn away from them and turn towards God and the things of God.
D. God will then, on a personal level, extend His forgiveness for our past mistakes and cleanse us within from the results of our sins, and even, through repetition, remove the power of that sin to control us.
Whew! I don’t know about you, but spending this time thinking about God’s righteousness and salvation has left me with a feeling of awe and gratefulness toward God and Jesus Christ!
So, since it is essential that we feel this way every day as a reminder of our salvation, don’t forget to obey Paul’s command today…
May theme = Focus on the Good #1. Philippians 4:8b – Think about noble things.
The Hebrew word for ‘noble‘ used 3 times.
2. ‘Noble‘ (‘honorable’ NASB) in Philippians 4:8 is the Greek word semnós, an adjective derived from the verb sébomai, “to revere, be in awe of, to worship.” It is used in Greek writings variously to mean:
Being august = dignified and deeply respected because of achievement over time.Having gravitas (means ‘weighty’) = earning a deep respect from others due to long-standing positive words and actions.Being grave, sober = taking things seriously.Being considered noble = describes rulers who discharge the duties of their position with great seriousness and dignity.Considered worthy of being praised / honored in an appropriate way.🍎 See if you can pick out the rest of the 10 traits of a noble person from this blog. 👀
From the various uses of the Greek word, some of the same English words emerge:
• Dignified (without being pompous), • Respected (without being demanding), • Serious (without being somber).
There are 3 other occurrences of this Greek adjective in the New Testament.
In 1 Timothy 3:8-11, Paul tells Timothy that when considering men to serve as deacons, both the men and their wives should be worthy of respect (noble), among other important qualities.Paul writes some similar advice to his other protégé, Titus, to teach the older men, who will serve as mentors for the younger men (same for the older women), how to be worthy of respect (noble). That would imply that we can and should learn this essential characteric needed for Christian leadership.The Greek word semnós conveys a quality of moral consistency, conduct and character that invites respect, because it reflects the holiness, gravitas, and worthiness of God Himself–in other words, the image of God.😑 Semnós never suggests somber aloofness, but urges believers to live involved with others in a manner that earns respect without demanding it.😇 Semnós especially calls those in ministry to live a life whose moral seriousness attracts genuine respect, and reflects the worthiness of the God that they serve.
If you feel like you need to grow in being worthy of respect, then follow Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:8…
🍎 APPLICATIONS:
🤔 Think about the things associated with the Greek word translated “noble“. Would you say all areas of your life exemplify these qualities?
🤔 Can you think of maybe one thing you can change in what you do or say that might lead people to respect you and your God more?
Growing in these qualities is why Paul is commanding Christians to think about them 🤔 in Philippians 4:8. It’s a worthy goal to strive for! 🏃♀️
Oh, and the 10 ‘noble‘ characteristics:
1. Worthy of being revered/honored. 2. Demonstrates wisdom. 3. Earns the respect of others. 4. Takes responsibilities seriously. 5. Discharges duties with appropriate aplomb. (Websters: confident composure, self assured; synonym = poise.) 6. Acts in a dignified way. 7. Consistent moral conduct. 8. Altruistic = Involved with meeting the needs of others; not just concerned about themselves. 9. Words and actions reflect God’s nature. 10. Words carry weight with others.
Paul has a list of 8 positive qualities that we as Christians should fill our thoughts with. I’m going to split them up into daily devotions.
I apologize in advance for the more academic tone of this blog. The concept of truth is at the ‘deep end of the pool,’ and when I take a deep dive in that end, I start to use my big words because they best communicate my understanding. I’ve tried to add the definition wherever I did that to help you understand what I’m trying to say. I hope it works!
Philosophers have been speculating throughout history: if you strip away the physical trappings of the Universe, what would be left? What is the ultimate truth? What is ultimate reality? The Bible provides an answer for those questions.
This Greek word for ‘truth‘ is used 26 times in the New Testament–to describe a person, a statement, a grace, or even food and drink. A-lethe is used to draw a sharp line between what merely seems to be and what genuinely is.
That dividing line between ultimate truth and ‘not truth’ is defined by God. Biblical truth is reality as seen by God. Anything else is just obfuscation, that is, ephemeral physical or psychological states that obscure the truth, making it more difficult to perceive and understand.
As Christians, we have the responsibility to proclaim God’s truth to every one we can, as often as we can. God’s Truth has a power beyond our own to liberate people from what really enslaves them–sin and the the enemy’s Kingdom of Darkness.
Ten of the 26 uses of this Greek adjective for truth in the New Testament are related to Jesus, with most of them used by John, culminating in Jesus’ great revelation of Himself:
Not that Jesus knows the truth, but that He IS the Truth. To know God’s truth as revealed through Jesus Christ is not like using the Bible as a textbook for study. Instead, it is reading it as a diary or letters from God in order to develop a personal relationship with Him. Once you come to know Him, THEN you will know the Truth.
This Greek word for truth is also used to describe witness testimonies and the witnesses themselves when it comes to testifying about Jesus and the gospel. That would be us! The more truth you know and the better you understand it, the better witness to gospel truth you can be.
In Philippians 4:8, Paul has placed God’s truth as the preeminent quality in his list of morally suitable subjects for Christian thought and meditation.
In Christian discipleship, Philippians 4:8 makes God’s truth not only a discipline of the mind, which we should use to shape our speech and daily decision-making, but it should also be used as a yardstick by which we evaluate our media consumption.
“Garbage in, garbage out,” is an old computer mantra that describes poor computing results by a machine. But it can also be used to describe poor decision-making by our built-in computer–our brain.
Let’s make sure we are filling our minds with the good things we need to make godly decisions, starting with–
🍎 APPLICATION: Have you been thinking about truth like Paul commands us to do? If so, what did you learn about it from this blog? Pick one of the following questions from the content of the blog that matches what you’ve been thinking about and use it to stimulate your thinking further.
1. How would you define ultimate truth?
2. How can you use God’s Word to separate truth from fiction, fantasy or wishful thinking? (Hebrews 4:12)
3. How can you use God’s Truth to liberate people from ignorance, falsehood and willful sin? (John 8:32)
4. What should we do in order to seek God’s truth in a situation? (John 18:37)
5. What can you do to get to know Jesus better so that you can understand God’s Truth better? (John 14:6)
6. What can you do to be a better witness to others about God’s Truth? (1 John 2:20)
7. Has God identified any areas of your life where you are stuffing your mind with garbage instead of God’s Truth?
8. What is one thing you can change in your routine so you can spend more time obeying Paul’s command, “Whatever is true…think on it.”
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