When we talk about thanksgiving we can’t get very far before we must define our terms. In society, the understanding and interpretations of definitions tend to evolve with culture and especially so in a post-modern society. As believers we don’t take our cue from the outside, from the society, we base everything on Scripture, believing that it is the absolute authority on everything it addresses and that it addresses everything. So the Bible is our absolute, universal standard, it defines everything for us and therefore our definitions don’t evolve, because the Author doesn’t evolve.
Paul in Ephesians begins his letter pointing to God and thankfully affirms He has ‘blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,’ (Eph. 1:3) and continues to affirm not only the sovereignty of God but also the Almighty’s degree of interaction, that is He ‘works all things according to the counsel of His will’ (Eph. 1:11). This is going to be a helpful preface as we look further. Ephesians 5:4-5, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
A temptation may arise from carelessly looking at these two verses, which is a very superficial thankfulness—lip-service (Is. 29:13), but we see in what is shown to be ‘out of place’ in this passage as well as from other Scripture (Mt. 12:33-37) that we speak out of the abundance of our heart. Essentially, our words are the litmus test to the character of our heart. Foolish talk and crude jokes come from a foolish and filthy heart that worships idols, thankfulness comes from a heart that was given as a gift from God. Paul affirms this again in Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Paul goes on in his letter to the Ephesians with a word of caution to be wise and not foolish because the days are evil (note: he is probably at least partially referring to divisions, and deceit from within the body of which he spoke earlier), and to be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another with spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord with our hearts, giving thanks always and for everything to God. He ends his letter with a call to put on the armor of God, and we all know why one would be advised to suit up.
When we look at instances in Scripture of thankfulness, what we see from beginning to end is first and foremost that it is given to God. We all ‘know’ this very basic and obvious truth but as we examine what the characters in the Script are specifically thankful for it may shed light on why. Here are a few examples.
His love that endures forever (1 Chr. 16:41, etc.)
Due to His righteousness (Ps. 7:17)
Wonderful deeds (Ps. 9:1) & Faithfulness (Ps. 138:2)
He is our strength, shield and help (Ps. 28:7)
For [us] hearing the words of His mouth (Ps. 138:4)
For he was angry with us but now he comforts us (Is. 12:1, Is. 51:3)
He establishes us (Jer. 30:18-20)
For wisdom and understanding (Dan. 2:23)
For food and drink (Mt. 15:36, Mt. 26:27)
To God for ‘you’ (1 Cor. 1:4) & That ‘you’ have become obedient (Rom. 6:17)
Deliverance (Rom. 7:25) & Growing faith (2 Thes. 1:3)
His inexpressible gift (2 Cor. 9:15) & Grace extending to more (2 Cor. 4:15)
Qualification (Col 1:12) & Sanctification (2 Thes. 2:13)
For everything (Eph. 5:20) & In all circumstances, for it’s the will of God (1 Thes. 5:18)
All of the things that we just reviewed have eternal implications, that is to say that all things are of Him, through Him and to Him, so we thank Him! Our food, drink and wisdom, our qualification and all our circumstances; it is the gracious will of God.
Let’s look now to 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 and this is where we will finish up.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
This is a pretty straight forward passage and one that should be know well by all believers. It goes without saying, we are the jars of clay, He is the treasure. But the fact that He possesses the surpassing power and it does not belong to us is something that is often ignored or interpreted poorly. This is so incredibly important to understand literally, if we are to ‘abound in thanksgiving‘. For if we are in control and something doesn’t go the way we want and believe it should, even must, a thankful response is impossible. We are afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, always being given over to death, but we are not crushed, not driven to despair, not forsaken, not destroyed, we carry the death of Jesus so that the life may also be manifested in our bodies—in our mortal flesh. This is belief, this is faith, this is the why and the how for abounding in thanksgiving. We have the same spirit of faith that brought us to resurrection in Christ. So as His inexpressible gift spreads to more undeserving souls so grows the confession of thanksgiving. As one frenchman put it, “Faith is the mother of confession”.
Paul is saying this is why we don’t lose heart, we have won, we have success, we have eternal life, what can man do to me! The fact that our outer self is wasting away and we are experiencing this light, momentary affliction does not diminish the fact that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, that He possesses the surpassing power, it is for our good because these afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. So we go therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all His commands, for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Seen and unseen, transient and eternal. If we misplace our thankfulness—essentially our faith, upon the seen and transient we are not worthy of Christ, we cannot be His disciples. Luke 14:26 says. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” I may be thankful to God for my health because God is preserving me, i know it is good, but if He takes it away my thankfulness is not diminish in the least because it wasn’t established in it but in God, and whatever happens is going to be for the good (cf. Job). Believers are always thankful, for true belief and true repentance and every grace that brought us nigh (cf. Ps. 73).
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