Giving thanks does not come natural to Western 21 Century Christians. So often the affluenza (affluence) trap of believing we deserve all our blessings ensnares us; that we some how are guaranteed prestige and wealth because we follow Christ. Well Our Lord Jesus actually has a rebuke to this attitude, “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.” (Revelation 3:15-19). Christ’s chastisement of Loadicea sounds much like what He might say of the Americano churches and their entitlements. The prosperity gospel has blinded churches in the US from the reality that as Christians we aren’t promised prosperity but persecution (Revelation 14:12, Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13). Therefore, any and every good thing and blessing comes from the Lord and we should give thanks.
There is a chilling passage in Romans about the lack of gratitude and thanks leading to godlessness, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21-23). This is very alarming, they knew who God was but refusing to glorify him and give thanks lead them to idolatry and false gods! A lack of a grateful heart opens the door to devils and leads people away from a pure and simple devotion to Christ (12 Corinthians 11:2-3). Interestingly in a very thankless society in the Americas, Neo-paganism, Hinduism via Yoga, Satanism, and other idolatries are infecting people, even professing Christians! The more people refuse to glorify Jesus as the only true God with the Father and Holy Spirit and that Jesus the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6, John 3:16-18, John 6:40), and the more they refuse to be thankful to the Lord for His blessings and instead become indifferent and entitled the more they drift into false gods and idolatries. Be warned those who do drift will not be caught up when Christ returns, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Revelation 21:8). I am not trying to scare you into thankfulness, God is Love (1 John 4:18), but you need to know unthankfulness leads to eternal death because it makes people according to Romans 1 chase after idols which leads to falling away and eternal judgement.
The West has ingratitude epidemic. People who have running water, running toilets, food, and extra blessings complain about not having more; and even when they achieve more they still are not satisfied. They then turn to other gods in Yoga (Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism have a Yoga as main religious practice and it conjures their gods and makes person yoked to them and worship them by doing yoga), New Age horoscopes, play around with palm reading, other paganisms, and little do they know this divided loyalty ends in hell, “know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16); [“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24).] The True Triune Lord God will not tolerate divided loyalties, you either believe Jesus is the only way (John 14:6) or you don’t (John 3:18) and are judged. Our Lord Jesus said, “Away with you Satan! It is written worship the Lord God Only and serve Him alone (glorify, Romans 1:21-22).” (Matthew 4:11).
Thankfulness is a strong buckler against idolatry and despair. Often when we begin to fall prey to despondency it has to do with the fact we are not focused on the things we can be grateful and thankful for. Our eyes can get so fixed on lack, we fail to see the fact we’ve been saved from eternal death by Jesus Christ our Lord (Hebrews 2:4-5, 14). Let us fix our eyes back on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and all the blessings However so simple that we have been given. It is easy to complain, to be ungrateful, but let it fester and you will be led astray into death once more. Instead, rejoice evermore in Emmanuel our Savior! Give thanks for all He has done and is doing, let praise fill your lips in place of complaints and stay away from all idolatries! Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment