What if I do not feel like giving thanks?

I Thessalonians 5:18   “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

   Recently I have not felt thankful much.  First, I have been unemployed for a marathon long time, which has been awful.  Second, it has been a longtime dream to be married, and this summer I attended a Christian singles group hoping to find a dating opportunity, but most in the group were older than myself, and I did not even come close to one date.  And further attempts to find a singles group for people in my age range in the Denver area came up empty.

   Jesus, when He was being crucified on the cross, did not give thanks He was saving numerous people.  Instead He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).  That is because as He took the sins of all people upon Himself, He suffered the consequence of separation from God the Father.  There was actually a separation in the very being of God for a period of time for the sake of people.

   Even Christians are not always going to feel thankful in this fallen world where separation has taken place, and due to our own sinfulness.  Yet we followers of Jesus are united with God, indwelled with the Holy Spirit, thanks to that sacrifice by Jesus.  Thus we can always be thankful in our hearts, if for only one thing, for the fact Jesus died for us.  Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  He was the substitutional atonement for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death in h-ll.  Then He was resurrected.  If you believe in Jesus, you will be forgiven of sins, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and you will have eternal life with Him.

Hunter

Colossians 4:18

Colossians 4:18    I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.  Remember my chains.  Grace be with you. (NIV)

   In doing this study on Colossians, I have grown to admire Paul more as I have further realized he went all out for proclaiming the gospel.  That passion ended up getting him “under chains” for a long time.  When he wrote this letter, he was under arrest in Rome where he had been transported in Roman custody from Caesarea.  Previously, he had been in prison in Caesarea for two years, from 57 to 59 A.D. (Acts 24:27).  The reason: for preaching the gospel, as is shown in Acts.

   Before being sent to Rome, there was a new governor in Judea.  That new governor had a king, King Agrippa, listen to Paul.  Paul gave a defense to the king, including a testimony.  After being interrupted by the governor, Paul addressed the king: "'King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?  I know you do.'

   Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?'

   Paul replied, 'Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains'" (Acts 26:27-29).

   Paul, after so much misery, could have quit.  Yet he continued proclaiming Christ crucified and resurrected before governors and kings, before common people, and in letters such as this one to Colossians.  And incredibly, his desire was for all to be saved, even those who had him in chains!  Because of his faithfulness, God used Paul to write Scripture which we are blessed by today almost two thousand years later.

   Tragically, a few years after writing this letter, Paul was executed for his witness of Christ under the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero.  Paul is in heaven now.  After studying this letter to the Christians at Colossae, if Paul were in the room I would give him a hug and say, “Thank you brother.”  And I conclude this personal commentary on Colossians by saying, “Thank You Jesus!”

Hunter

Colossians 4:7-17

Colossians 4:7-17    Tychicus will tell you all the news about me.  He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.  He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.  They will tell you everything that is happening here.  My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)  Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings.  These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.  Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings.  He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.  I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.  Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.  Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.  After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.  Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.” (NIV)

   I like the closings to Biblical epistles!  Many contain the names of people and places which give an exclamation mark to the fact Christianity consists of the family of God.  That is why the terms brothers and sisters are used.  True Christianity necessitates a relationship with Jesus, and receiving Jesus means being adopted into the family of God (John 1:12-13).  And Jesus enables us to be in loving family relationships.  A number of those family relationships are challenging, sometimes even hurtful, yet they are legit.

   A key insight into the family of God here concerns Onesimus.  That man left Colossae as a runaway slave, yet thanks to Jesus he returned to Colossae a brother in Christ.  Paul calls him a brother, going so far as to state Onesimus is “one of you.”  We learn further of how Paul stated Onesimus was no longer a “slave” rather a “brother,” in the letter which is Scripture which Paul gave Onesimus to give Philemon when they arrived in Colossae.  Christianity is about the dignity of every human being, since we were all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  The Bible is not advocating slavery.  The Bible is giving an invitation to join a forever family.

   I close by stating the obvious: Christianity is not one big happy family in this world.  Among Christians, there are sadly ample divisions and ample sins, which always lead to hurt.  Yet all people who have received Jesus in their hearts are ever growing in the love and knowledge of Jesus.  And one day when we are all in heaven, the family of Jesus will be perfectly loving, for real.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Colossians 4:2-6

Colossians 4:2-6    Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.  Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (NIV)

   As a follower of Jesus, I have long been convicted by Scripture and the Holy Spirit that the most important thing I can do is clearly explain the gospel, and to proclaim it from my heart.  Paul had such a conviction, and asked for prayers he would be enabled to do so.

   Thus for this unusually short piece, I give a Gospel message: Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  Jesus was the substitutional atonement for the consequences of sins, which is spiritual death.  Then on the third day Jesus was resurrected!  If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will have eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Colossians 3:18 - 4:1

Colossians 3:18 - 4:1    Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.  Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.  Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (NIV)

   Note there is a qualifier for the first instruction to wives by Paul, “as is fitting in the Lord.”  In no way is this promoting any kind of abuse.  Also, as I have written before, this is not giving men license to be bossy to their wife.  Jesus taught, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).  No one likes to be bossed around, so men, do not be bossy to your wife!

   Once I was at a Christian bookstore poking around a clearance section and saw a t-shirt which said, “I love my wife.”  It was on sale for dirt cheap, it was my size, and since I have long dreamed of having a wife, I wanted to buy it.  I did not, because I thought if any Christian single women saw me in it they would think I was married and then my chances of getting a wife would be zero.  Yet the fact is I have loved my future wife even though I do not even have a girlfriend.  I have waited for her by abstaining from you know what.  By God’s mercy and grace I have stayed away from pictures of naked women, which is challenging in this day and age with the Internet, yet it can be done.  It is a decision of the heart.  I have dreamed of talking with my future wife, serving her, and holding her.  Married men, if you want to glorify Jesus in your life, spend more time talking with your wife, serving your wife, and holding your wife.

   Regarding the raising of children, one thing I can assure you parents, if you love your children and you live a life of good behavior, your children are more likely to obey you out of admiration!  Children learn much from simply watching how their parents interact with each other and of course they learn from how their parents treat them.  If your life exhibits care and service towards your wife and children, trust me, your children will learn goodness from you.

   Then we get to the controversial slavery passage.  I have written before this is not approving of slavery.  Unfortunately Paul does not address the fact that slavery as a practice is morally wrong.  Instead he focuses on the behavior of individuals, telling slaves to work with a commitment to God, and telling “masters” they are to serve their “Master” in heaven.  However, I have addressed how slavery as a practice is morally wrong, and you can read about that in my one other blog concerning the faith of Abraham Lincoln: 

https://thefaithofabrahamlincoln.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-immorality-of-slavery.html

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Colossians 3:16-17

Colossians 3:16-17   Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever your do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (NIV)

   One of my favorite memories of my youngest sister is when she was in early elementary school.  There was a period of time when she would often dress up.  Once she was in an outfit on the 31st of October, and my family was at a mall in Virginia.  With complete confidence, my sister went on a stage right in the center of the mall and sang a song from a musical in front of numerous people.  She was great!  Kids often get encouraged to use their talents.  If only us adults would get more encouragement about using our talents.  Fortunately, when I was a young Christian, I learned God wants me to sing away to Him.  God is not concerned with our musical ability, rather He cares about the expression of our heart.  I did start singing to Him, and I liked it!

   Once when in an extremely challenging situation, I made an attempt to sing a song from my Christian song book every day.  Sometimes I was so tired, distraught, or lonely I did not feel like singing.  Yet I noticed that on the days I did, even when I did not feel like it, I honestly felt a little better prepared to handle the challenges of the day.  I have become more diligent in my singing practice, using a great song book I have.  Especially in this day and age where in many churches you cannot hear yourself sing since the rock bands are so loud, and some are unfortunately performance oriented, I think singing a song by yourself where you can hear yourself sing is great.  Whatever the circumstances, God can hear you sing.

   The primary author of this letter, Paul, sure practiced what he preached when he was in prison in Philippi.  “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25 NIV).

   Singing sure does go on in heaven as is shown in John’s vision.  “And when he had taken [the scroll], the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.  Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation’” (Revelation 5:8-9 NIV).

   Even Jesus sang hymns!  And He did so at the time right before His unimaginable agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  After celebrating the Passover feast in the upper room, when Jesus instigated the Lord’s Supper, Scripture states how the meal was concluded: “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:30 NIV).  Even the Messiah sang.  The sacrifice Jesus made for us gives us reason to sing.  Even more, the sacrifice Jesus made calls for us to allow the “word of Christ” to be nourished in our heart and to allow the Spirit of Christ to ever remind us of that sacrifice by Jesus.  Then we can do everything, with gratitude, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Colossians 3:15

Colossians 3:15    Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful. (NIV)

   The reason a follower of Jesus can have peace: first, our sins are forgiven.  Colossians 2:13 states: “…He forgave us all our sins…”  In the previous passage Paul listed numerous sins and stated: “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:6).  I have heard folks making light of “Judgment Day.”  Yet Revelation 20:11-15 makes it clear there will be a final judgment by God of people.  Those who turned away from Jesus are not saved by Jesus and will be permanently punished.  Thanks to Jesus, followers of Jesus will be innocent because our penalty was paid by Jesus!

   Secondly we can have peace since we are enabled to forgive others, which Paul commanded in Colossians 3:13.  I told about my grandma in the previous piece.  Soon after I moved to Denver after being away many years, I started spending time with my grandma who had only been a Christian for a short period of time.  Grandma normally was quite grumpy around holidays because she associated holidays with having a nice time with her husband, but he was gone.  They reminded her she was without.  Once when at her place, she was upset about something.  I do not remember any details, fortunately, but Grandma said something utterly hurtful to me.  I stormed out of her place and drove away.  I was so upset I soon turned onto a side street, parked, and went for a walk.  An affluent neighborhood near downtown Denver unfamiliar to me, I noticed all the houses were humongous.  Walking through the neighborhood, I calmed down.  I prayed I would forgive Grandma, and I did.  I finally drove back over to the other side of the metro area to my apartment.

   Only minutes after arriving home my phone rang.  It was Grandma, who apologized profusely.  I accepted her sincere apology.  Grandma and I went on to have a growing relationship in the love of Jesus.  When she passed away, I was the only one at her bedside.  Holding her hand, I sang to her as she passed into heaven.

   Thirdly, we can have peace since God keeps working to improve His children, in our hearts, being patient beyond belief.

   There have been periods in my life where there has seemed to be little for me to be thankful for.  Yet we can always be thankful Jesus died in our place to take the penalty we deserved, and we can be thankful Jesus made it possible for us to have loving relationships in this hurtful and hurting world.

+:  I thank You Jesus for loving us all!

Hunter Irvine