July 1
“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,” Philippians 4:8-9.
The psalmist wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1. An early example of the importance of dwelling together in unity is recorded in Scripture in the Book of Genesis. Abraham and Sarah and all of their herdsmen with all of their cattle and property left the land of Egypt and journeyed southward to Bethel. His nephew Lot and his family and all of their herdsmen and cattle also journeyed with Abraham. Eventually, the territory where they settled was not large enough to support both families together with all of their workers and livestock.
As a result, there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot. Abraham said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left,” Genesis 13:8-9. For the sake of peace and unity, Abraham offered Lot a compromise. When an issue is not a matter of right or wrong, we can compromise for the sake of peace and unity.
In his Epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul listed a number of Christian virtues which Christians ought to pursue for the sake of living together in peace and unity. The first virtue mentioned is truth. We should be totally truthful with one another. When people are not truthful, they cannot trust one another. Just think of all of the lying today among men and nations, particularly in the political realm. What is the result? We cannot trust one another! When there is no trust, there cannot be peace and unity!
The list of virtues continues. We should be just and fair in all of our dealings with our fellowmen.
We should live in sexual purity. Just think of all of the sexual perversion among men and women today. We are being surrounded by immoral living through what is called same-sex marriages. God’s establishment of the family, with a father, mother, and children, is under attack by immoral elected officials and judges!
Think and meditate on things that are lovely and of good report according to God’s moral standards revealed in the Ten Commandments.
Finally, Paul writes that Christians should follow what they have heard, learned, received, and seen from his example. Then, he says, “The God of peace will be with you.” The God of peace is with us when we humbly and penitently turn to Him and believe in Jesus Christ as His Son and our Savior. The peace of God for sinners was promised when the Savior was born. The angel choir sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14.
As Christians, let us witness throughout our communities with the message of the peace of God, which is offered to us sinners through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord!
“The Law commands and makes us know
What duties to our God we owe;
But ‘tis the Gospel must reveal
Where lies our strength to do His will.
The Law discovers guilt and sin,
And shows how vile our hearts have been;
The Gospel only can express
Forgiving love and cleansing grace.” Amen.