Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ Thank God For Everything?

[victoryword]

Wow, isn't amazing? I have a sermon outline dealing with this particular issue:
http://www.victoriouswordchurch.org/ser ... giving.pdf

I hope Ed reads it

[bibleman]

Wow, isn't amazing? I have a sermon outline dealing with this particular issue:
http://www.victoriouswordchurch.org/ser ... giving.pdf

I hope Ed reads it

Good stuff!

We do not thank God for EVERYTHING as if He were the one bringing them upon us. God has works (John 14:10-12) and Satan also has works (1 John 3:8) and the Bible clearly distinguishes between the two. We must not thank God for the devil’s works and we must keep this passage in context as to what it is truly teaching, which is to give thanks to God for all that He has done and is doing. Do not submit to the works of the devil and thank God for them but do as Paul taught earlier in this epistle which is to give no place to him or his works (Eph. 4:27). We are also told in other places to resist the devil and not to submit to his works as though God has ordained them for some mysterious purpose (James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).

[Justaned]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)
16 Rejoice always;
17 pray without ceasing;
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

For the sake of some participants, let us point out that this verse is an imperative, not an indicative. For some reason, people try to cull indicative statements out of imperative statements and vice versa. This yields many of the odd teachings given rise from the more parochial pulpits in our land. A right interpretation of Scripture -- and this applies to anything written or spoken -- is afforded from a sound grammatical and historical basis.

We are quite blessed by having all of these epistles from Paul. He always follows a regular pattern, as he likely did in his preaching. He presents doctrine (i.e., indicative assertions about what is true) then follows it with commands (i.e., imperative statements about what is to be done). In a very literal sense, orthodoxy (right doctrine) results in orthopraxy (right action). In other words, what we do (application) arises out of what we know (truth).

As you rightly understood, this command is given to believers (v5). Failure to give thanks can characterize both believers or unbelievers. If automatic thanksgiving was magically granted in regeneration, Paul would never have given it as a command. What is more, he does so under the auspices God's explicit will for the believer (v9) in Christ Jesus (v18b).

The NASB translation of this verse is very good, but I do not think that so much hinges on the preposition "in." Based on how the particular Greek word is used elsewhere by Paul, we may rightly assert that it is refers without qualification to all that the happens to or around the believer.

Hence, the question, how is the believer to do this. Many things that happen to us or around us can be unpleasant, to say the least. However, we aren't superstitiously fearful of bad things visible or invisible. On the contrary, we know with certainty that "God has not destined us for wrath, God has not destined us for wrath" (v9) and we have the full evidence of that through Jesus Christ, "who died for us" (v10b).

God is sovereiegn; i.e., He controls all things. Scripture, in which God reveals His very nature, tells us that He is sovereign over the entire universe (Psalm 103:19; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11). God is sovereign over all of nature (Psalm 135:6-7; Matthew 5:45; 6:25-30). God is sovereign over the angels, including Satan (Psalm 103:20-21; Job 1:12). God is sovereign over nations (Psalm 47:7-9; Daniel 2:20-21; 4:34-35). God is sovereign over human beings (1 Samuel 2:6-7; Galatians 1:15-16). God is sovereign over animals (Psalm 104:21-30; 1 Kings 17:4-6). God is sovereign over "accidents" (Proverbs 16:33; John 1:7; Matthew 10:29). God is sovereign over the free acts of men (Exodus 3:21; 12:25-36; Ezekiel 7:27). God is sovereign even over the sinful acts of men and Satan (2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1; Genesis 45:5; 50:20). God cannot be thwarted, impeded, interfered with, stymied, blocked, or prevented in the tiniest of details (Job 4:2; Isaiah 14:27). When He acts, no one can reverse it (Isaiah 43:13). Nothing can hold back His hand or bring Him to account for what He does (Daniel 4:35); for God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, and whatever He pleases (Isaiah 46:10).

Consequently, we can offer thanks for each and every thing, as we are commanded. Because each and every thing is perfectly under God's control, for His glory and for our benefit.

Finally, please note that Paul is telling us to "give thanks" -- not feel thankful. He doesn't say anything about feeling something. So this command does not mean that we are mindlessly happy about every experience. It does not mean that everything that happens to us will be joyful and pleasant. That is not what we are told to do. Instead, we are told to give thanks. We can offer thanks to God for everything because all the things that transpire ultimately are perfectly falling into place as He has designed.

I found the above quote elsewhere and I thought it was a perfect answer to the question at hand.

[macca]

Wow, isn't amazing? I have a sermon outline dealing with this particular issue:
http://www.victoriouswordchurch.org/ser ... giving.pdf

I hope Ed reads it

That is very good and uplifting, thanks Victory

macca

[Justaned]

Wow, isn't amazing? I have a sermon outline dealing with this particular issue:
http://www.victoriouswordchurch.org/ser ... giving.pdf

I hope Ed reads it

I read it and I like points 1, 2 and 3, good messsage up to that point. However point 4 turned God from an almightly God, the creator of everything into a Candy man that bought his creations favor by giving them stuff.

Sorry but the concept that God will give us whatever we ask for is nonsense. It it were true we would become worthless spoiled brats in an instant.

God wants us to learn the benefits of hard work, or doing without, of having to wait, to work and save up, of self discipline.

God will supply our NEEDS not our wants according to his riches. God has promised to provision us, give us what we need to carry on our work in the Lord. But scripture also says a man that will not work should not eat. That we ask but receive not because we ask to gratify the flesh.

God has blessed me in so many ways, he once replaced a house that burned down with a better house. He replaced the furniture and the everything insided and what God replaced it with was better than we had, but it was only what we needed. We didn't have the extra's that fill nearly every house in America.

God will supply our needs but God estimate of our needs is exactly what we need not what we want or would like. And that is where this message goes wrong.

Go preach that message to people that don't know where that evenings supper is coming from. Or to people that have a reasonable expectation of being killed or sold into slavery by the end of the day. See how far it goes with them.

[victoryword]

Thanks for reading it Ed. The fact that you actually agreed with any part of it means that perhaps the angels will not have to put us on different sides of Heaven after all when we get there

[Justaned]

Thanks for reading it Ed. The fact that you actually agreed with any part of it means that perhaps the angels will not have to put us on different sides of Heaven after all when we get there

I have washed the only set of clothes I got in the blood of Jesus but I will be willing to climb over all the suitcases holding all the material riches you and others that believe like you have acquired to shake your hands in heaven. Of course you might be really busy washing all those clothes to get them white.

[Justaned]

My last response was perhaps not as gracious as it should have been.
Yes VW I expect when we all get to heaven we will find we have a lot more in common that we do that divides us now. I'm looking forward to spending time with all my brethren in heaven. Oh what a day that will be.