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Eph. 5:20
- Thread starter Judith
- Start date
Thousand Hills
Active Member
Although it is "easy preachin and hard livin", in God's providence the bad things always have a purpose. Its all in our perspective. Do the bad things bring personal growth, cause us to dig deeper in scripture, cause us to rely more on God and seek his will, bring new people in our life to learn from or to be a blessing to?
You did not answer the question so let me ask it another way. If your wife or daughter was raped would you thank God for the rape?
Judith, for such a violent crime against two of the people I love most in the world? No. But if I look at everything that transpires afterwards I would be able to thank God for His grace, comfort, strength, and the lessons learned. I would be able to thank Him for sustaining us through the dark days that followed; for the love of friends and family. Very few people are going to say "Thank you, Lord!" while in the midst of such a horrible ordeal. Sometimes the thing takes place and thanks for the ministry of the Holy Spirit follows later.
Very good questions and some good answers too.
We thank God for the cruel death of his Son.
Some even wear jewelry commemorating it as if it was some grand event... and it was!
It's the crisis's on one life that leads them to lean of God's graces even more and trust that he is in control.
No, you don't have to thank him right away for the troubles
but you may learn later that through the trouble, he upheld you and as a result you have become more like him.
Rob
We thank God for the cruel death of his Son.
Some even wear jewelry commemorating it as if it was some grand event... and it was!
It's the crisis's on one life that leads them to lean of God's graces even more and trust that he is in control.
No, you don't have to thank him right away for the troubles
but you may learn later that through the trouble, he upheld you and as a result you have become more like him.
Rob
Thousand Hills
Active Member
Sorry, I answered the question with the thought in mind of the bad things being a loss of job, car break down, etc. etc. I honestly do not sit around and ponder about things like that happening.
convicted1
Guest
I think Sissy, you may be reading into it something it doesn't say. Phillipines 4:13 Apostle wrote, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me". Now, can Paul rape, steal, murder, beat someone up through Christ? No. Myself, I think what Paul meant in Ephesians 5:20 is to thank God for His provisions. In times of need, thank Him for giving us what we need. In bad times, thank Him for the strength and comfort to be able to endure them.
preacher4truth
Active Member
Paul was writing to Filipinos? :thumbsup: :laugh: :smilewinkgrin:
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Lets Study together.
How do we understand giving thanks to God for all things in the name of the Lord. Does that mean anything good or bad in our estimation, or does it mean all things that are according to God's will, i.e. things good in God's estimation?
And if you look at "all things" carefully, it may only refer to all people and not circumstance or events, i.e. the NET translation. Thus the idea could be restricted to those within the body of Christ. We give thanks for them and submit to them, building each other up to further the ministry of Christ.
Here is the NET footnote on the passage:
In Eph 5:18 the author gives the command to be filled by means of the Holy Spirit. In 5:19-21 there follows five participles: (1) speaking; (2) singing; (3) making music; (4) giving thanks; (5) submitting. These participles have been variously interpreted, but perhaps the two most likely interpretations are (1) the participles indicate the means by which one is filled by the Spirit; (2) the participles indicate the result of being filled by the Spirit. The fact that the participles are present tense and follow the command (i.e., “be filled”) would tend to support both of these options. But it seems out of Paul’s character to reduce the filling of the Spirit to a formula of some kind. To the extent that this is true, it is unlikely then that the author is here stating the means for being filled by the Spirit. Because it is in keeping with Pauline theology and has good grammatical support, it is better to take the participles as indicating certain results of being filled by the Spirit.
How do we understand giving thanks to God for all things in the name of the Lord. Does that mean anything good or bad in our estimation, or does it mean all things that are according to God's will, i.e. things good in God's estimation?
And if you look at "all things" carefully, it may only refer to all people and not circumstance or events, i.e. the NET translation. Thus the idea could be restricted to those within the body of Christ. We give thanks for them and submit to them, building each other up to further the ministry of Christ.
Here is the NET footnote on the passage:
In Eph 5:18 the author gives the command to be filled by means of the Holy Spirit. In 5:19-21 there follows five participles: (1) speaking; (2) singing; (3) making music; (4) giving thanks; (5) submitting. These participles have been variously interpreted, but perhaps the two most likely interpretations are (1) the participles indicate the means by which one is filled by the Spirit; (2) the participles indicate the result of being filled by the Spirit. The fact that the participles are present tense and follow the command (i.e., “be filled”) would tend to support both of these options. But it seems out of Paul’s character to reduce the filling of the Spirit to a formula of some kind. To the extent that this is true, it is unlikely then that the author is here stating the means for being filled by the Spirit. Because it is in keeping with Pauline theology and has good grammatical support, it is better to take the participles as indicating certain results of being filled by the Spirit.
quantumfaith
Active Member
:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
convicted1
Guest
Oopsy.... :/
So are you saying we are to thank Him for all things that happen or what can come from all things that happen?
Sorry to be blunt, but since you are of reformed theology, wouldn't you also have to acknowledge that God predestined this event to occur?
What does your question have to do with the OP or my response?
Only tangentially. If you are of the reformed persuasion then anything that happens was determined beforehand by God. Therefore, perhaps you should be thankful that anything that happens, including rape, since that was part of his plan.
Thankfulness in all things is not the exclusive domain of Reformed Christians:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
There is a categorical difference between giving thanks in all things and being thankful for what all things do. Should we thank God for sin? I suppose if you take 1 Thessalonians literally then, yes, you should thank God for sin. I happen to believe that is a myopic view. I would never pray, "Thank you God for the murder of that innocent person". I would pray that God would use such an evil deed for His glory. As Joseph said, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Genesis 50:20)." I would thank God, in advance, for the good He will bring out of the situation. This fits in perfectly with the Reformed view of Scripture.
In everything give thanks!!! No exceptions.
The Scriptures do not allocate which situation we are to thank God, and contrary to your assertion of "thank God for", 1 Thessalonians 5:18 does not say such, but rather "IN EVERYTHING give thanks: for THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you". There is a difference between thanking God for some situation, and thanking God IN that situation. There is always something to thank God for in every situation, including "rape". You can thank God you didn't do the raping. And you can thank God they didn't kill your wife and daughter. And you can thank God right now, that it is just your wandering imagination that suggested such a tragic illustration, and thank God it doesn't come to pass, since it is obvious on your mind. The verse is one of the greatest passages on the will of God in the Bible. "For THIS IS the will of God". The last part of the verse gives you the reason for the first part of the verse. You give God thanks in every situation, for in so doing, you will find that every situation you find yourself in..in Christ Jeuss, THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD! And thank God in that consolation, for regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in, IN CHRIST, God is the author of all your circumstances...Good...and evil.
The Scriptures do not allocate which situation we are to thank God, and contrary to your assertion of "thank God for", 1 Thessalonians 5:18 does not say such, but rather "IN EVERYTHING give thanks: for THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you". There is a difference between thanking God for some situation, and thanking God IN that situation. There is always something to thank God for in every situation, including "rape". You can thank God you didn't do the raping. And you can thank God they didn't kill your wife and daughter. And you can thank God right now, that it is just your wandering imagination that suggested such a tragic illustration, and thank God it doesn't come to pass, since it is obvious on your mind. The verse is one of the greatest passages on the will of God in the Bible. "For THIS IS the will of God". The last part of the verse gives you the reason for the first part of the verse. You give God thanks in every situation, for in so doing, you will find that every situation you find yourself in..in Christ Jeuss, THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD! And thank God in that consolation, for regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in, IN CHRIST, God is the author of all your circumstances...Good...and evil.
thisnumbersdisconnected
New Member
Do you read that as the situation in which you give thanks is "the will of God," or that it is the "will of God" for you to give thanks?