Section 7
mentioned. Virtue is a general term rather than a specific aspect. There is virtue in truthfulness, dignity, purity, loveliness, rightness, and being well-spoken of. The principle is the same with praise: there is something worthy of praise in all these six aspects of the Christian life.
How excellent is the expression of the life that lives Christ! The six aspects in verse 8 certainly are excellent characteristics of the Christian life. It is excellent to be truthful, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good report. In each of these excellent aspects there is some virtue and some thing worthy of praise. We should "take account of these things"; that is, we should think on them, ponder them, consider them.
THE THINGS LEARNED, RECEIVED, HEARD, AND SEEN IN THE APOSTLE
In verse 9 Paul concludes, "The things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things." Not only should the believers think on the things men tioned in verse 8; they should also practice the things which they have learned, received, heard, and seen in the apostle. To be sure, Paul lived in such a way as to express all the aspects listed in verse 8. Hence, the believers had learned of