giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Truth to Learn
Thankfulness is an indication of Spirit-filling.
Behind the Words
“Giving thanks” is translated from the Greek word eucharisteÅ. This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to give” or “to be gracious.” EucharisteÅ means “to give thanks.” Because of the derivation of this word, when we give thanks at a meal it is known as “saying grace.”
Pantote is the word translated “always.” It is composed of a form of pas, meaning “all” or “every” and a form of hote, which is an adverb of time. Thus, pantote literally means “at all times” or “always.”
The words “all things” are from the Greek word pas, which we just learned means “all” or “every.” In the form that is used here it means “all things” or “everything.”
Meaning Explained
Paul is giving examples of what happens when a person is “filled with the Spirit.” The first example was given in yesterday’s verse:
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
In today’s verse he gives the second evidence, “giving thanks always for all things.” When we are filled with the Spirit we are thankful, not just one day a year on Thanksgiving Day, but at all times. Now, here’s the hard part of Paul’s teaching in this verse – when we are filled with the Spirit we are thankful “for all things.” Notice, he did not say, “for all good and pleasant things,” or “for all the things that make us feel good.” He said, “for all things.”
Being Spirit-filled makes us thankful for everything that God brings into our lives. Paul taught the same thing about thanksgiving in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica:
pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5:17-18)
And his teaching to the Philippian Christians was similar:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6)
So – being Spirit-filled causes us to be truly thankful for even the bad things that happen to us: thankful for heartache and pain, thankful for injury or disease, thankful for the loss of a loved one, thankful for persecution, thankful for being made the way we are, thankful for being too short, thankful for being too tall, thankful for being too skinny, thankful for being too fat, thankful for a mean boss, thankful for …
Finally, notice that we are to give thanks to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not instructed to thank Jesus. We are to thank the Father in Jesus’ name.
Application
What are you thankful for? Careful, that’s a trick question. If we allow ourselves to be filled with the Spirit, then we will be thankful for ALL things at ALL times!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.