“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart — that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…” [Ro.6:17; 2Co.2:14]
There is never a time of year the true child of God should not be filled to the brim with thankfulness unto their God! Thanksgiving as a state of being and as a constant activity becomes a character trait of the eternally redeemed. Everything that the Lord God reveals to His loved and chosen ones gives unto them another reason for them to thank Him.
The scripture says that it is through God the Father that we are taught the life transforming truth of God the Son. In fact, it is the Father’s love that sent His eternal Son into our world [Jn.3:16-17; Ga.4:4-5]. This is what Ro.1:16 calls the “gospel of Christ”. And, this gospel is said to be the “power of God”! This is that which Ro.6:17 refers to as “that particular form of doctrine which was delivered you”. From the original, that phrase is more literally rendered: “that form of teaching — to which you were delivered”. This emphasizes God’s sovereign power over providence and the individual circumstances in which each of His eternally loved and chosen, by His grace, came into the hearing of the pure truth of the “gospel of Christ”. “All that the Father giveth me”, Jesus said, “shall come to me…” [Jn.6:37].
The scripture tells us that God the Son is to be thanked for willingly taking on the all important task of being incarnated into becoming one of us — in order to save us! 1Ti.3:16 tells us that this truly is the great mystery of godliness — that “God was manifested in the flesh”. We needed a sovereign Savior substitute and the eternal Son of God having become incarnated into the manifestation of being the Lord Jesus Christ — perfectly and eternally filled that need! Eph.1:3-4 declares that God the Father has blessed us with all spiritual soul saving heavenly blessings in Christ — just has He has chosen us in Him from before the foundation of the world! He is well pleased with His Son — who is to be thanked for causing us to triumph in Him!
The word of God also informs us that God the Holy Spirit indeed deserves all of our thanks. For it is He who leads us to Christ and then closes on our hearts by bringing to pass the revelations of all the things our glorious Savior has eternally done on our behalf. Jesus said from Jn.16:14-15 concerning the Holy Spirit: “He shall glorify me,
for He shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.” He goes on to say of the Spirit: “All things that the Father hath are mine — therefore said I — that He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” It is the saving work of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way everlasting and reveal unto us that Christ is indeed our all and in all. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God — these are the sons of God.” [Ro.8:14]
For Christ’s Glory Only
-John Carpenter
“But thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” [1Co.15:57]
